David and Matt here. We wanted to share a bit about our origin story and tell you how and why Chilao came to be.

In 2023, we turned a shared dream into reality by founding Chilao. For years, we’d talked about creating a brand that would allow us to embrace our passion for the outdoors while honoring timeless American design. After spending many years in uninspiring jobs, we knew it was time to pursue something meaningful—a venture rooted in purpose and passion.

Chilao was born with a simple yet ambitious goal: to craft products that blend the durability required for a lifetime of use with timeless style.  Before designing a single product, we crafted our guiding ethos: Rugged, Refined, Reliable. We wanted every Chilao product to embody these principles—rugged enough to endure a lifetime of adventures, refined enough to suit any occasion, and reliable for everyday life. Inspired by classic heritage goods, we envisioned items built for the long haul, made sustainably from upcycled, repurposed, and natural materials. We wanted to ensure these pieces would never end up in a landfill. We believe that when a product is versatile and well-made, it will be cherished, well-used, and passed down for generations.

To bring our vision to life, we got to work. We reached out to skilled makers and designers we’d long admired, learning from their wisdom and insight. We took sewing classes, spent countless hours prototyping, and scoured warehouses for unique, high-quality fabrics. We studied the work of those who came before us, the makers and brands still championing American craftsmanship, and the new wave of artisans reviving it—many of whom we now call friends.

Chilao is our take on American classics; it’s a tribute to the appeal of American-made quality, purpose-built for those who live for the outdoors but designed to suit every occasion.