JanSport
Encyclopedia
JanSport is a brand of backpack
s owned by VF Corporation
, one of the world's largest apparel companies. The company was founded in 1967 in Seattle, Washington
by Jan Lewis (for whom the company is named), Murray Pletz (Lewis's husband) and Skip Yowell. In 1986, VF purchased JanSport's then parent, Blue Bell.
The company is now based in San Leandro, California
, at VF Outdoors headquarters where it shares offices with divisional siblings Napapijri and The North Face
. JanSport is the world's largest backpack maker, and together, JanSport and The North Face sell nearly half of all small backpacks sold in the United States.
JanSport got its start by developing and mastering the external frame backpack, which used a metal frame with a cloth packsack attached to it. Over the years, JanSport upgraded and enhanced the line to include technical day packs and internal frame backpacks. Up until the early 1990s, all JanSport packs were made in the United States. JanSport is one of the few remaining manufacturers of external frame backpacks.
Like some other manufacturers, JanSport offers a lifetime limited warranty
on its products. It has marketed innovations in backpack design. The JanSport brand is especially popular among students.
Backpack
A backpack is, in its simplest form, a cloth sack carried on one's back and secured with two straps that go over the shoulders, but there can be exceptions...
s owned by VF Corporation
VF Corp.
VF Corporation is an American apparel corporation. VF corporation sells jeanswear, intimate apparel, daypacks, and workwear. The corporate headquarters are in Greensboro, North Carolina.-History:...
, one of the world's largest apparel companies. The company was founded in 1967 in Seattle, Washington
Seattle, Washington
Seattle is the county seat of King County, Washington. With 608,660 residents as of the 2010 Census, Seattle is the largest city in the Northwestern United States. The Seattle metropolitan area of about 3.4 million inhabitants is the 15th largest metropolitan area in the country...
by Jan Lewis (for whom the company is named), Murray Pletz (Lewis's husband) and Skip Yowell. In 1986, VF purchased JanSport's then parent, Blue Bell.
The company is now based in San Leandro, California
San Leandro, California
San Leandro is a city in Alameda County, California, United States. It is considered a suburb of Oakland and San Francisco. The population was 84,950 as of 2010 census. The climate of the city is mild throughout the year.-Geography and water resources:...
, at VF Outdoors headquarters where it shares offices with divisional siblings Napapijri and The North Face
The North Face
The North Face, Inc. is an American outdoor product company specializing in outerwear, fleece, shirts, footwear, and equipment such as backpacks, tents, and sleeping bags....
. JanSport is the world's largest backpack maker, and together, JanSport and The North Face sell nearly half of all small backpacks sold in the United States.
JanSport got its start by developing and mastering the external frame backpack, which used a metal frame with a cloth packsack attached to it. Over the years, JanSport upgraded and enhanced the line to include technical day packs and internal frame backpacks. Up until the early 1990s, all JanSport packs were made in the United States. JanSport is one of the few remaining manufacturers of external frame backpacks.
Like some other manufacturers, JanSport offers a lifetime limited warranty
Warranty
In business and legal transactions, a warranty is an assurance by one party to the other party that specific facts or conditions are true or will happen; the other party is permitted to rely on that assurance and seek some type of remedy if it is not true or followed.In real estate transactions, a...
on its products. It has marketed innovations in backpack design. The JanSport brand is especially popular among students.
External links
- JanSport official website
- VF Corporation