Meet…Trapper of Colorado!
Trapper of Colorado was conceptualized and founded by me. My name is Margaret, and so far, I am running everything about it – for better or worse.
My little business idea got traction in late 2019, with products going into select boutiques before the website was even launched.
Covid stalled the business, with retail stores closing. So I started doing popup markets in the summer of 2022.
In-person markets, primarily in Colorado, but also in other western states, have been the backbone of the business ever since,
with a little bit of wholesale when I can find the time.
Tell us what inspired the name of your business.
When I moved to Colorado from New York City, I wanted to wear fashion that channeled the heritage of the American West, but was not gear. I did an exhaustive search for a warm, stylish, more luxury “trapper” style hat not made from animal fur, but found nothing that stood out. So I developed my own pattern and started producing trapper hats using primarily dead stock luxury fabrics that would otherwise go into landfills.
“Trapper of Colorado” became the name, because trapper hats were the lead. My brand is NOT about animal trapping – my products are designed for the individual who knows what they want and goes after it.
What made you decide to create your own clothing designs? Was there a void in the market you were trying to fill?
I design intentionally, channeling the spirit of the west with original style, as much sustainability as possible, and a bit of actual history mixed in. I don’t like clichés; I do like deeper meaning.
My graphic printed t-shirts are made with a less common printing technique that doesn’t use plastic. It takes longer and is more labor intensive, but the fabric will ultimately break down in a landfill and is always going to be more comfortable, so I’m hoping that people will wear the t-shirts longer instead of throwing them away.
I honestly have rarely seen this technique used – probably because it’s nearly the opposite of mass production.
You live in the mountains. What are the advantages/disadvantages to being a small business away from the cities?
I’m in Summit County, about an hour and a quarter from Denver, which may be as far as I can reasonably get away from a city environment. I’m constantly heading down the hill to find or do something for my business (art supplies, tools, printing t-shirts, sourcing specialty trim or fabrics…) So it’s a bit of a disadvantage because of all the driving, but it does give me time to think, and it’s a beautiful drive.
The advantage is that my brand is mountain-inspired, and very après-ski appropriate. I sell at a lot of markets in the mountains, and have a strong tie to the Colorado Snowsports Museum in Vail – I even have an image from their archive printed on a t-shirt. Being in the mountains is a distinction for my brand.
What’s something market-goers wouldn’t know about you unless you told them?
I’m an east coaster by birth, and a New Yorker at heart. Pre-pandemic, I was a writer for the Empire State Building, even while living in Colorado. If you visit the ESB now and see the many exhibitions about the history of the building, I wrote the information that is on the wall plaques, the interactive displays, and other signage.
When I would fly into New York to meet with the building’s owner and other team members, I would stay right at the edge of New York’s Garment District and source materials for Trapper of Colorado in between meetings.
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