About Gruner & Co.
Gruner & Company was founded in 1949 by Salo Gutfreund, a recent immigrant to the United States. The Gutfreund family had been makers of rubberized rainwear in Germany before World War II. In 1949, Salo purchased a former British parachute factory in Israel and started producing raincoats for the European and American markets.
In 1970, Salo's daughter, Barbara, joined the company. Barbara led an expansion of Gruner's product selection into leather products and wool overcoats.
In 1992, Harvey Arfa, Barbara's husband, joined the company and led Gruner's expansion into licensed products.
In 1994, Barbara and Harvey's daughter, Caroline Massel, joined Gruner and pushed Gruner into modern styles and continued to expand Gruner's uniform program.
Together, Caroline and Harvey are now leading Gruner and its dedicated team into its seventh decade.
Our Guiding Principles
Coatsmanship™: The products we make have a function as important as its form. Gruner Coats are designed to protect against the elements. We have three lifetimes of experience in designing garments which offer protection as well as fashion. This is a craft and an art as well as a mission. We believe that Clothing should inspire as well as perform. Fashion has an important place in our vision.
Long Term Relationships: We believe that the world is a better place if you think of the long term relationship as a building process. It should not be a “what have you done for me lately” relationship. It should be a “what can we do together better” relationship. We have this feeling about our suppliers and our customers. Success is a partnership.
Customer Service: At Gruner, we believe that customer service and Coatsmanship operate synergistically. They are the essence of how we conduct our business. Our goal, always, is to provide the highest possible value to our customers.
Our Partners
Our success relies heavily on the success of our relationships with our partners: our wholesale customers, our manufacturers and our vendors. Gruner has a long track record of creating value for the consumer by sythesizing our design, manufacturing and style know-how with our deep commitment to manufacturing quality products.
It is this approach that provides the foundation for our decades of success.
Careers @ Gruner
Gruner offers exciting professional opportunities at all levels in the men's apparel industry. As our company continues to grow, we retain our commitment to a dynamic and inclusive work environment. We value the individual talents of our team members and are committed to equal opportunities for each employee's advancement.
Other Information
Can I view your products? Our products are shown by appointment only at our New York City showrooms at 641 Lexington Avenue (corner of 54th Street), New York, NY 10022.
Do you have styles in addition to those displayed on your website? Please contact us, and we will provide you with our catalogs. The photographs on our website represent only a small sampling of our extensive product line.
How can I order you products? Call your sales representative or our National Sales Manager, Stan Mendelblatt (stan@grunerco.com). Orders are not accepted until confirmed by our office.
What trade shows do you attend? We show at the Chicago Collective, The Northwest Buyers trade shows in Minneapolis, and the MRket Show in Las Vegas. Please contact us for the booth numbers and to confirm that we will be attending the specific shows in which you are interested.
Do you sell outside the United States and Canada? Yes, depending on the brand and the customer. If you wish to establish a distributorship for Gruner products in your country, please contact us.
How do we develop a uniform program? Contact us. Many of our stock uniform items are easily adaptable through the use of embroidery or other distinguishing features.
What is the proper method to clean (including dry cleaning) a Gruner coat? The first step is to consult the care contents label. We also are happy to answer any questions you may have. Please go to the "Contact" page and submit the coat identification number (listed at the bottom of the care/contents label). We work with the Neighborhood Dry Cleaners Association and keep its members informed of the latest cleaning techniques applicable to our products. Both raincoat and overcoat fabrics have special treatments that must be dry cleaned appropriately and carefully in order to preserve and protect shell fabrics.
Do you use EDI? We can use EDI for electronic transmission of orders, ASNs, invoices, and most other electronic transactions. For further information, go to the "Contact" page and send us a note.
Other questions, click here.