The Beginning

In 1967, three friends were living in Washington: Skip, an outdoor enthusiast; Murray, an engineer; and Jan, an accomplished seamstress.

So, when Murray won a design award from the Alcoa Company for creating the first adjustable aluminum backpack frame, a bit of karma began to take flight. Murray asked his girlfriend, Jan, to create a backpack pattern for his new aluminum frame, and promised her that if it was a success he’d name the company after her. It was, he did, and the JanSport® Brand came to life.