For The Love Of Snow

BY HOLLY DODGEPHOTOS BY GORDINI

With another Minnesota winter nipping at our heels, North Mankato can stay a little warmer with the presence of Gordini, a world-renowned brand best known for its high-performance gloves and cold-weather gear. Their mission: To keep you outside longer.

Since its founding in 1956, Gordini has been synonymous with craftsmanship, quality, and durability in outdoor winter gear. The brand is respected by professional athletes, weekend adventurers, and winter sports enthusiasts alike for its superior and innovative performance.

In 1980, Gordini was one of the first brands to become licensed to utilize Gore-Tex gloves. Gore-Tex is a material that is completely windproof, water-resistant, and breathable. In 2015, they implemented a new 3-D knit technology that provides warmth in gloves without the standard bulk. In 2018, they created synthetic leather that is more sustainable and durable than animal leather.

But a common theme runs through their long tradition of product innovation—a commitment to meeting and exceeding consumer demands for highquality winter wear.

With its long-standing headquarters in Northern Vermont, Gordini decided to expand and build a distribution facility in upper North Mankato. According to Gordini’s Chief Financial Officer, Jason Hackerman, the decision was simple, “The people in Minnesota have a good work ethic, and the location is central.” They began by renting a warehouse space for the first year and soon outgrew it.

With the confidence that they could hire enough good people to work in the facility, they worked with the Regional Economic Development Alliance and began production of their 12-million-dollar facility, which was financed through Community Bank. The 120,000-square-foot facility was built by Rice Companies and is located on Lookout Drive, just North of Fun.com. The facility officially opened in March of 2024 and was already shipping orders a month later.

As a seasonally dependent company, it is now at its peak time of the year. The new facility in North Mankato currently employs around 50 people and offers competitive pay and benefits. Hackerman shares, “In Vermont, we have been known as a welcome presence in the community, and we look forward to becoming that in North Mankato, as well.”

We will always do our best to do the right thing because the future is in all of our hands.

Gordini’s ethics are an important part of their reputation. They are a Bluesign System Partner, which certifies that your business and supply chain use only sustainable and ethically sourced materials. They also began The Little Glove Project, in which they provide thousands of quality gloves to Vermont students in the winter months. Purchases on their website are matched through donations to support the effort.

So, what does the future hold for Gordini? Well, according to Hackerman, “Hopefully, 250 inches of snow and hopefully a cold winter.” He says it with a chuckle, but as a seasonally dependent company, Gordini is concerned with the real effects of climate change. But, with Gordini’s track record of innovation, there is no doubt that they will continue to produce quality products and offerings.

This winter, whether you are planning on hitting the slopes at Mount Kato or sledding at Spring Lake Park, stay outside longer with Gordini and let it warm your heart to know you are supporting a company that is dedicated to the vibrant community (and snowy winters) of North Mankato.

Learn more about Gordini at gordini.com

We take our commitment to people and the planet seriously and build that into everything we do.