Madison 88 is a U.S.-based knit specialist that operates in partnership with the U-Jump Arts & Crafts Company manufacturing facility in China to make most of Arc’teryx’s knit hats and toques.

Madison 88 first came to the attention of Arc’teryx through its strong portfolio. Owner James Bienen has since taken an active, central role in the creation and production of the Arc’teryx knit hat line.

James and his team work alongside Arc’teryx, helping facilitate and interpret our design needs to develop great toques. In some cases, James proposes designs for us, and we work with his team to shape them into product aligned with our overall apparel collection. We value James’ presence as an innovator who stays on top of the newest and best knit designs and production equipment.

As well as helping us validate existing designs, James also follows trends and shares his ideas for where Arc’teryx should – or shouldn’t – go. Throughout this process, his attentiveness to Arc’teryx’s social-compliance goals has led to a partnership with a facility in China that has helped us work towards multiple third-party certifications, including Fair Wear Foundation (FWF), Fair Labour Association (FLA) and Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP).

With his industry expertise and desire to build a business with us, James is an integral partner for Arc’teryx. Our relationship with Madison 88 has grown slowly but steadily. Our toque business is now thriving, and we look forward to continuing our growth with this reliable partner.