Coalcracker Stitch Works is a U.S.-based manufacturer specializing in OEM sewing, custom label services, and integrated production solutions for outdoor, tactical, workwear, and lifestyle brands. Built by makers with real-world product experience, Coalcracker supports partners from concept and prototyping through full-scale production and fulfillment.

In 2026, Coalcracker will operate from a 40,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility located in the historic Gitman Building in Ashland, Pennsylvania—a site with more than a century of American garment manufacturing heritage.

Our Region’s Heritage — A Legacy of American Manufacturing

Nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Anthracite Coal Region, the historic Gitman Building in Ashland, PA stands as a testament to the endurance of American craftsmanship. Originally built in the early 20th century, this facility was home to the Ashland Shirt & Pajama Company, one of the region’s most storied garment manufacturers.

In 1932, Brooklyn-born tailor Max Gitman relocated from New York to Ashland and founded the Ashland Shirt & Pajama Company, bringing skilled garment production to the coal-mining town. Over the decades, the factory became known for producing premium shirts and sleepwear — not just for its own labels, but under contract for some of America’s foremost menswear brands.

By the 1950s, Max’s sons Alfred and Sheldon Gitman had taken the reins, guiding the company to new heights. In 1978, the operation formally became Gitman Bros., cementing its place in American fashion history. For decades the Ashland plant prospered, employing generations of local workers and producing finely crafted garments that reached customers across the country.

Though the original Ashland factory eventually closed in 2020 due to economic pressures facing domestic apparel manufacturing, its legacy lives on as a reminder of the skilled craftsmanship and industrial heart that built American apparel production.