Company History

Hard at work since 1954 - 70 Year Anniversary

HARD AT WORK SINCE 1954

RefrigiWear founder Myron Breakstone was tough. The work he did for the Breakstone family dairy was tougher...and colder.

But when he shipped off to load bombers in WWII with just a military-issue wool coat, the frigid winters of northern Italy taught him just how dangerous and miserable working in the cold can be.

MYRON CAME HOME FROM THE WAR WITH A NEW MISSION: KEEP WORKING PEOPLE WARM.

Seventy years later, we're still carrying on with Myron's mission. You can count on RefrigiWear insulated workwear to help you Own the Extremeâ„¢.

EXPLORE INSULATED WORKWEAR

70TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

Influenced by decades of design and validated by your 5-star reviews, the 70th Anniversary Collection includes our most popular insulated gear for working in cold storage, food processing, construction, utilities and transportation.

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OUR HISTORY OF BRINGING WARM, TOUGH GEAR

1954-1959
1954
1954-1959
Myron Breakstone at a sewing machine
1954-1959
WARMER, LIGHTER & LONGER-LASTING
Myron knew that wool garments could be warm, but they were bulky and often got in the way of getting work done. His wartime experience also gave him an understanding of lighter, warmer and more durable materials, such as nylon and polyester.

Armed with this knowledge and a commitment to protecting workers from the cold, Myron and his brother-in-law Mort founded RefrigiWear in 1954. They set up shop in Manhattan, NY and were often found in the factory debating the best way to construct a garment for maximum warmth and mobility.

Myron and Mort's legacy of designing the warmest and most comfortable work clothes continues with RefrigiWear's ongoing innovation in insulated workwear.
SHOP INNOVATION COLLECTION
1960-1969
Renderings of early RefrigiWear freezer suits
1960-1969
WORLD'S FIRST IRON-TUFF® FREEZER SUIT
As the post-war U.S. population explodes and consumption of TV dinners and other frozen foods grows, so does demand for insulated industrial workwear and freezer suits.

To protect food processing workers from the extreme conditions in which these foods are prepared and stored, RefrigiWear invents the world's first Iron-Tuff® freezer suit. Demand for Iron-Tuff® garments grows so quickly that the Manhattan factory can't keep up and the company moves to a larger facility on Long Island, NY in 1962.
SHOP IRON-TUFF® WORKWEAR
1960-1969
RefrigiWear for outdoorsmen
1960-1969
FIELD-TESTED FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS
RefrigiWear freezer suits soon earned a reputation beyond the coolers of New York’s Meatpacking District.

Popular Field & Stream journalist Mr. Clare Conley famously tested RefrigiWear's original minus-50 freezer suit in 1965 and reported the suit performed perfectly in the freezer and in the great outdoors.

RefrigiWear gear easily makes the transition from temperature-controlled environments to unpredictable outdoor jobsites and the popularity of high-visibility insulated workwear for construction and transportation workers continues to grow.
SHOP HIGH-VISIBILITY WORKWEAR
1970-1989
RefrigiWear being used to keep workers warm during the Trans-Alaska Pipeline construction
1970-1989
FROM POLE TO POLE, GEAR FOR EVERY KIND OF COLD
By the early 1970s, RefrigiWear had become a trusted brand for staying warm and comfortable while working outdoors in harsh winter weather.

In the arctic circle, workers completed the first segment of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System in 1977 after being outfitted with RefrigiWear for protection from the windy, subzero conditions of the Alaskan tundra. Meanwhile, workers headed toward the South Pole to supply expeditions in Antarctica also guarded themselves against frostbite and frigid temperatures with RefrigiWear.

Our dedication to protecting both arctic explorers and everyday workers continues to this day. With new innovations in materials and features, RefrigiWear offers a full range of cold weather protection.
SHOP POLARFORCE® WORKWEAR
1990-2000s
RefrigiWear Tradeshow Booth and Warehouse Heroes Award Calendar
1990-2000s
SERVING HARDWORKING HEROES
RefrigiWear's reputation for warmth, comfort and durability began to spread outside the U.S. in the early 1990s.

The company begins exporting garments to Italy in 1994 and outfits NATO personnel and military contractors assisting with housing refugees in war-torn areas of Europe. To meet this additional global demand, the company relocates from New York to its present-day headquarters in Dahlonega, Georgia.

People who brave the worst conditions to do the toughest job are our kind of people. They're our heroes and we honor them each year with an awards program and special recognition in the RefrigiWear calendar.
2024 WAREHOUSE HEROES
2022
2022
Man in warehouse wearing Samco gear
2022
RefrigiWear Acquires Samco
Orignially founded in 1968, Samco produced insulated inustrial apparel and accessories for workers in the cold chain. Samco's selection of workwear helps RefrigiWear offer a wider range of products for value-focused inustrial customers. Though the company was acquired in 2022, the Samco brand lives on as a thriving member of the RefrigiWear family of workwear brands.
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2024
2024
Man in warehouse wearing Avaska gear
2024
REFRIGIWEAR ACQUIRES AVASKA
A relative newcomer to the insulated workwear industry, Avaska built a solid reputation for offering premium quility products with a more modern, European style. With a laser-focus on temperature-controlled freezer and cooler workers in the global cold chain, Avaska brings even more choice and flexibility to workers who face bitter cold every day, no matter the season.
READ MORE
TODAY
TODAY
Flying with RefrigiWear
CELEBRATING 70 YEARS
PEOPLE (AND GEAR) THAT WON'T QUIT UNTIL THE JOB'S DONE
These days, you're likely to find tough people wearing tough RefrigiWear gear and doing toughest jobs in America's cold storage freezers, on a 1,000-mile race through the wilds of Alaska, on frigid winter construction sites, de-icing the wings of jetliners or climbing up the tallest communications towers.

And, if you take a break to catch a little TV, you're likely to see RefrigiWear gear on-screen and behind-the-scenes in Life Below Zero, Snowpiercer, Dark Winds and True Detective: Night Country.

No matter how different a job in the freezer might seem from building a Chicago skyscraper or filming a scene in the cold desert, these hardworking people have two things in common: they never quit until the job's done and they trust RefrigiWear to protect them while they do it.
SEE THE LATEST NEWS
Ron Tepper wearing RefrigiWear's 54 Gold Collection Play Button
WHAT'S YOUR REFRIGIWEAR STORY?

On the set of the AMC+ crime drama Dark Winds, actor and crew member Rob Tepper worked seriously long hours in dangerously cold conditions.

Luckily, Rob came prepared with a 54 Gold Hybrid Sweatshirt and 54 Gold Bib Overalls from RefrigiWear. Rob shares his experience taking on the wind and cold of the desert in Santa Fe, New Mexico to successfully complete filming.

WATCH ROB AT WORK

WELCOME TO WARMTH

Connect with RefrigiWear and you're guaranteed a warm welcome to the most chill (see what we did there?) group of guys and gals around.

Plus, you'll get real recommendations and gear reviews from actual RefrigiWear users, our best cold weather tips for staying warm on the job and new product alerts to keep your team safe and warm.

CONNECT ON LINKEDIN

CELEBRATNG 70 YEARS WITH YOU

Hardworking folks like you drive RefrigiWear to keep learning and keep improving so you can have the best gear possible to get your job done.

Whether you're a new RefrigiWear fan or a long-time customer, we're grateful for your business and the work you do to keep our country running.

Here's to celebrating 70 more years!

SHOP 70TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION