Our Story

It started in a drafty dorm room in Maine in the late ’90s. Gary was freezing, half-zipped into a sleeping bag that made using the TV remote impossible. While watching Late Night with Conan O'Brien he decided he needed to tear a hole in his sleeping bag so he could keep my upper body warm as he channel surfed during the commercial breaks.—then imagined a better fix: 

Put sleeves on a real blanket so warmth could follow you when you move.

He told exactly one person: his mom.

She took the idea, went to work, and surprised the family on Christmas morning with the first handmade prototype. When Gary slipped it on, the room went quiet—then his brother Jeff’s wheels started turning. This wasn’t a one-off; this was the start of something.

Over the next year, they built a simple website, sourced the right fleece from China, and found a manufacturer in Maine. The design got bigger, softer, and more practical—right down to a deep foot pocket so toes finally stayed warm. 

By the time winter rolled back around, The Slanket—The Original Blanket with Sleeves—was ready for the world, and a legacy began.

Slanket Creator