Did you know that July 2nd is "Made In America Day"? Neither did we. But we'll be marking it on our calendars for years to come, because this day truly means something special to us.
We are a medium-sized American manufacturing company. Not just of custom horse clothing, but of a plethora of products from hyperbaric chambers, to scuba diving gear, to dog collars and much more. Many members of our team have been with us for decades through the growth and changes any business undergoes. We interact with our community, celebrate our wins, and support each other when times get hard. Here are some things you may not have known about Saratoga Horseworks.
We pivoted to make PPE during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. When vital items began to get scarce, we decided to step up and help. Our Technical Designer, Tara Wheeler, dived (no pun intended) into researching proper fabrics, patterns, and guidelines of isolation gowns and face shields. Within three days, we had local hospitals and doctor offices testing prototypes. One thousand (1,000) face shields were completed per day within the first week of production. Two years later, we continue to offer these products on our retail website and especially to those we’ve created relationships with locally. From March 2020 to June 2022, we’ve manufactured 16,750 Face Shields and 61,990 Level 1 Isolation Gowns.
Most of our materials are sourced domestically and we do our best to stay environmentally friendly. We work with USA-based vendors to find quality materials not only to support fellow American businesses, but also to avoid shipping long distances to cut back on use of fossil fuels. Materials are reused and recycled when applicable, and we’ve even begun using recycled fabrics for products like the Polartec PowerAir Blanket Liner. Although we do get a small number of materials from overseas, we strive to have a positive relationship with all of our vendors, and stick with those who meet our high standards. When it comes to importing, President and CEO Michael Libertucci says, “Our team is committed to intelligent use of imported fabrics when the cost to performance ratio benefits the consumer.”
The ethnicities of our diverse team are celebrated. The flags of Ukraine, Puerto Rico, Guyana, El Salvador, Croatia, and the Dominican Republic are hung with pride to represent those who’ve immigrated to the US and are now a part of our team. Each month, we post a motivational quote on the production floor in both English and Spanish. The language barriers we face don’t stop us from becoming a team and working together toward one singular goal. We celebrate holidays, birthdays, marriages, and other special occasions that bring us together.
We hope to inspire others to support their local businesses, and US manufacturers, the next time they make a purchase, eat out at a restaurant, or are looking for a new experience. Saratoga Horseworks is proud to be one of the many American facilities building premier products for various industries. We couldn’t do it without our incredible customers and hardworking team.
