(Photo Above: Sue Yocom With Friends | Photo Courtesy of Black Crater Clothing)
Born in the tranquil town of Sisters comes designed, cut and sewn fabric creations of Black Crater Clothing. Proprietor Sue Yocom not only fashions her own line of locally built outdoor clothing but works with Oregon grown companies to help manufacture their goods.
“It’s been quite the journey,” says Yocom, an Oregon native and longtime Bend and Sisters local. Her fabric production impetus began in 1987 sewing teepees for a nomadic teepee company in Tumalo. After a stint in Utah working for numerous soft goods companies, she returned to her Central Oregon home with a team of 30 sewers and a fleet of machines on board.
“I started my own company and knew patterning, sewing, cutting, and presto, you end up with this,” Yocom says.
Created and produced in her hometown Sister’s shop, her work is nothing less than diverse encompassing wholesale and retail production, resourcing and selling countrywide.
“Interestingly enough, I do contract work. I work behind the scenes, I’m more of a behind the scenes type of person,” says Yocom. “I’ve been in my building since 1990 and people will come in and say ‘I didn’t know you were here.’”
Black Crater works mainly with light-weight materials, not canvas but soft shell fabrics, different types of wool, and the most popular, wool fleece.The bulk of material is sourced from the U.S. All designs, cutting and sewing are done right at home.
About one-third of Black Crater provides fabric processing for regional companies including New Growth Clothing, BlackStrap Industries gear accessories, Waggletop dog bed covers, Drew’s Boots, Northwest Outfitters clothing company and Fur Friends dog vests—all Oregon grown.
The other two-thirds of her business is split between producing clothing for professional outdoor institutions and individual buyers. Her professional clientele include institutions like search and rescue teams, firefighter and road safety crews, and outdoor guide professionals—located across the country, West Coast to East Coast.
“We are a manufacturing company mainly, we only sell at one retail store,” says Yocom adding that her location allows individual shoppers a 50 percent discount, another local bonus.
“We don’t get stuck in one mode. I like the diversity. It allows me to buy more machines,” she says with a grin.
541-549-0623
592 Sisters Park Court
Sisters, Oregon 97759
www.blackcraterclothing.com
