Pendleton Blankets - a Native American Blanket

Destined to be family heirlooms, intricately woven Pendleton blankets reflect a history rich in Northwest culture and Native American folklore.

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Since their 1909 purchase of a wool-scouring mill in Pendleton, Oregon, five generations of the Bishop family have produced the striking wool blankets bearing the authentic designs and brilliant colors of local and Southwest Native Americans.

Among the most popular Pendleton blankets is the Chief Joseph design, first produced in the 1920s, and remaining a bestseller to this day. The pattern, commemorating the heroism and wisdom of a great Nez Perce leader, Chief Joseph, is balanced with arrowheads symbolic of his bravery and pointing in the directions of Mother Earth.

In tribute to the distinguished Native American blanket heritage, Pendleton Woolen Mills created the Legendary Series, blankets which celebrate especially important traditions and lore. Each year a new blanket is introduced into this collection, bearing a suede emblem explaining the story behind the design.

Pendleton Woolen Mills' commitment to the design and color preferences of its indigenous neighbors resulted in the production of blankets and robes prized by its Native Americans and settlers alike. Their popular blankets were heavily traded or used as credit, a sort of colorful wool currency, and were also valued as wearing apparel and even ceremonial garb. Today, Native Americans represent 50% of Pendleton Woolen Mills customer base.

Pendleton blankets were prized for the fine quality, vibrant yarns with which they were woven, and for their complex designs created with the use of a Jacquard loom. A precursor of modern computer technology, the Jacquard loom used heavy paper punch cards that when all set up, could be could be used to both create and "store" far more intricate designs than had ever been possible on the early looms.
Today, Pendleton's reputation for quality and craftsmanship is enhanced with the use of computer-aided design, high speed looms and environment-friendly manufacturing standards that makes production of these heirloom-quality blankets better and faster. The company is ever mindful of its relationship with Native Americans, and produces every blanket with the belief that styles will change, but tradition remains.

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