Eddie Bauer Down Coat

One evening in 1935 outdoorsman Eddie Bauer almost froze to death in his soaking wet wool coat.  Inspired by that incident,  he designed a garment like a down sleeping bag, except that you wore it.  Eddie Bauer's coat of 1940 was the first down garment to be manufactured, and Bauer got a design patent on his design of downcoat.  Bauer started with a store in Seattle, and now his company has 400+ stores in all 50 states.  There is even an Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer.  In the early years Bauer also patented a badminton shuttlecock, and was influential in popularizing badminton in the U.S. Thanks to Steve Nipper of The Invent Blog fame for this patent.