The Brickle Group was honored to welcome Congressman Gabe Amo to our facility in Woonsocket, Rhode Island, for a firsthand look at our commitment to American textile manufacturing and fiber recycling. As a third-generation family business, we have been dedicated to innovation in textiles since 1937—providing high-quality materials for a range of industries, including the U.S. military and Major League Baseball.

During his visit, Congressman Amo toured our operations, gaining insight into how we produce essential textile products, such as berets and blankets for West Point - The U.S. Military Academy and wool used in official MLB baseballs. Our team had the opportunity to discuss the importance of strengthening the U.S. textile industrial base, ensuring that the military can continue to source 100% Berry Compliant materials domestically.

We appreciate Congressman Amo’s commitment to supporting American manufacturing and his efforts to help execute a plan that reinforces the U.S. textile industry. His visit reaffirmed the critical role that companies like The Brickle Group play in supplying high-quality, American-made textile products that support both our military and broader industrial needs.

As we continue to uphold our legacy of excellence, we look forward to collaborating with policymakers and industry leaders to ensure a strong, sustainable future for U.S. textiles.

New Facility Bolsters Manufacturing Capacity to 2 Million Pounds Annually

The Brickle Group is proud to announce the launch of a cutting-edge twisting facility at its expansive 500,000-square-foot campus in North Smithfield, Rhode Island. This latest investment marks a significant milestone in the company’s mission to deliver high-quality woolen yarn products while elevating its manufacturing capabilities.

The advanced facility features industry-leading equipment, including the Saurer Volkman 05 twister and Gilbos winder, enabling the production of 2-ply, 3-ply, and 4-ply twisting. Yarns sizes capability of twisting is 10 cc and coarser. All natural fibers as well as Kevlar,Nomex and rayon.With a production capacity of 2 million pounds annually, this expansion reinforces The Brickle Group’s position as an industry leader in woolen yarn manufacturing.

This milestone follows The Brickle Group’s strategic acquisition of Family Yarns in April 2024, allowing the company to integrate spinning and twisting operations seamlessly. The new facility not only supports internal production needs but also enhances Brickle’s ability to meet the growing demands of commercial customers.

“This new twisting facility represents a transformative step in our growth strategy,” said Max Brickle, President of The Brickle Group. “It underscores our commitment to innovation, operational excellence, and delivering the superior quality our customers expect from us.”

The Brickle Group continues to prioritize quality and efficiency while meeting the evolving needs of the textile industry. This facility is a testament to the company’s unwavering dedication to craftsmanship and customer satisfaction.

The Brickle Group is pleased to announce that it will be donating 9,000 blankets to the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission for Refugees) for distribution to those displaced by the war in Ukraine.

Company president, Max Brickle, announced the decision to the company after employees and management expressed a desire to help those affected by the war.

Northwest Woolen Mills, a division of The Brickle Group, is the source of the blankets. Northwest Woolen Mills is a manufacturer of blankets, uniforms, PPE gear and many other textiles for the US Department of Defense, FEMA, and many private and not-for-profit organizations. From natural disaster response in the USA to refugee relief programs in Afghanistan, Syria and many others, Northwest Woolen Mills has supported many humanitarian assistance programs around the world.

When asked what drove the company to make this donation, Max noted “It's who we are. Our blankets have kept those in need warm since 1978. When people need help, it’s on everyone to step up. After consulting with UNHCR and company leadership, it was decided that this donation would be the most impactful.”

The blankets are were picked up on April 8, 2022, from the company facility in Woonsocket, Rhode Island for immediate distribution to those that have been displaced by the war.

Hyman Brickle & Son Inc., d.b.a. Northwest Woolen Mills, is pleased to announce that they have been awarded an Army Face Covering contract worth an estimated $7 million. They competed with 30 other companies to win the contract.

The contract has a maximum firm-fixed-price of $20,352,000 with a base term of 24 months. The ordering period end date is April 18, 2023. The Annual Estimated Quantity (AEQ) is 1,680,000 masks which is equal to $7,123,200. The Annual Order Limitations Quantity (AOLQ) is 4,800,000 masks. Locations of performance are Rhode Island and New York.

They will be manufacturing a specially designed mask to be worn with the US Army Combat Uniform. The customers to use the mask are the Army, Civil-Military Operations, and National Guard.

The awarding of this new multi-million-dollar contract is yet another indication of their long history of success.

2020 has been a tough year for everyone and with the holiday season here, now is the time to give back to those in need. Max Brickle, President of The Brickle Group, has been working to make this a reality. The Brickle Group has donated 250,000 masks from its PPE stocks to the Rhode Island Department of Health.

When asked about his reasoning behind the donation, Max said, “This has been a tough year for all of us. We’ve been sourcing and trading PPE gear supporting states, businesses, and other organizations for the past 9 months. It has helped us keep our doors open. But when we can offer to help our local community as the pandemic is getting worse, that is something we always strive to do. We have been a part of the Rhode Island community for more than 80 years and look forward to being neighbors and friends for the next 80.”

The Brickle Group is no stranger to helping out whenever possible. As the largest wool blanket manufacturer in the country, Northwest Woolen Mills has been supplying blankets to disaster relief organizations, homeless shelters, and other businesses to support those in need for more than 40 years. Heat Smart, another subsidiary of The Brickle Group, helps low-income families be more efficient in managing the rising cost of energy.

In addition to its traditional workload, Northwest Woolen Mills began trading in and distributing PPE to states, local schools, organizations, and businesses in March with the coming of the Covid-19 pandemic. With a vaccine rollout starting, Northwest Woolen Mills and The Brickle Group have started to return to their traditional business focus but remain vigilant to continue to help in whatever way possible.

To learn more about The Brickle Group, its businesses, and how it has kept textile manufacturing alive in New England since the industrial revolution, please reach out to Business Development and Marketing Manager Alex d’Anjou at adanjou@hbrickle.com.

The history of the peacoat is deeply rooted in military and naval backgrounds. It is an iconic piece of Navy apparel and will soon be no longer. The Navy has made the decision to phase out the peacoat as a part of their 2018 budget deliberations. The peacoat isn’t just a fashion statement though, it has a long standing history with our Navy along with some others.

Surprisingly, the jacket has been around since the 1800’s when the first variation was worn by then naval powerhouse, the Dutch. The name pea coat originated from the Dutch word “pije” which was used in the Dutch language to describe a coat made from coarse wool fabric.

While the Dutch are credited for inventing the pea coat, it was the British navy who can take the credit for the popularization of the jacket. The British version of the coat was similarly designed for naval duties, particularly designed to be a uniform for petty officers.

The coat then made its way across the Atlantic for a third appearance, this time with the American Navy. The U.S. Navy adopted the coat and used the coat for “reefers”, who were the sailors responsible for the unenviable task of climbing up the rigging of sailing ships.

The common denominator for all three countries for adopting the peacoat was a need for a durable piece of outwear that could withstand the harsh rain, wind and cold temperatures typically experienced out at sea.

Traditionally peacoats are constructed out of melton wool containing between 50%-100% wool with the best being 100%. The wool is woven tightly and treated with heat to bind the fibers together resulting in a very warm, water and wind-resistant fabric that was perfect for life at sea.

The current US Navy standard peacoat is made from 100% wool and is supplied by the manufacturer Northwest Woolen Mills (A Division of The Brickle Group). Since the US Navy in the process of moving to a more modern synthetic parka jacket, this mean that Northwest Woolen Mills is producing the last production contract ever of this historic coat due to end February 2019. It is 100% US sourced and made and while it may be knocked off in the future, it will never be “original” again.

The Brickle Group, a diverse textiles manufacturer based in Woonsocket Rhode Island, has partnered with the Rhode Island Core Skills Partnership (CSP) and Rhode Island Regional Adult Learning (RIRAL) to provide its low level English speaking employees with a Workplace Communication Class. Brickle, like many local manufacturers and businesses, has a number of employees who have limited English skills.

The Brickle Group contacted RIRAL to explore options about upskilling its employees. RIRAL introduced Brickle’s Management Team to the CSP funding source for onsite incumbent workforce training furnished by the Governor’s Workforce Board’s new Real Pathways Program. The CSP Grant is a significant employer incentive that pays for a substantial portion of every hour of educational preparation and instruction for the onsite classes to improve employees’ core skills; including ELL workplace communication, basic skills through high school equivalency, and basic computer literacy. The Brickle Group, RIRAL and the CSP worked together to create a curriculum that incorporated real life vocabulary and materials from the workplace to optimally improve workplace communication.Benefits from worksite training include better communication with supervisors, managers, co-workers, customers and clients. Such training often results in reduced turnover and layoffs while increasing safety, productivity and efficiency. Moreover, entry levels employees are upskilled giving rise to boosts in morale and confidence and increased promotion internally.

Another business benefiting from core skills classes for employees and CSP funding is the Dean Hotel in Providence. The Dean is currently running English language classes customized for the needs of housekeeping staff, as well as Spanish language classes for Managers. These services are being provided by Rhode Island Family Literacy Initiative (RIFLI) through the Providence Public Library.

“We have been very pleased with the staff response to the program as our participants come to work each day with new vocabulary and a clearer sense of their worth and purpose within the work community,” states General Manager of The Dean Hotel Aarin Clemons.

The RI Core Skills Partnership (CSP), a statewide collaboration of Adult Education (AE) providers and employers, serves employers by matching them with AE providers who conduct onsite workplace education with a curriculum that is customized to the employer’s specific needs. The CSP Training Fund covers 75% of the cost of services, based on the industry standard of $45/hr. of instruction, while employers commit to 25% of the funding. The CSP is funded by the GWB JDF.

Northwest Woolen Mills was recently featured on the front page of Woonsocket’s newspaper, The Call.

Max Brickle, President of The Brickle Group, gave a factory tour to some of our state’s politicians including Governor Gina Raimondo and Mayor Lisa Baldelli-Hunt. Topics such as the state of the manufacturing industry, qualifications for working in a manufacturing factory, the history of The Brickle Group and its’ subsidiaries, as well as plans for the future were discussed.

Read the full article here.