Len and Beej didn’t set out to create a clothing brand. In fact, the cousins spent most of their lives far from fashion. They were men of the earth, starting out as farmers, working long hours in fields where grit and determination got them through each day. When farming seasons slowed, they found work as gardeners, tending landscapes and wrestling with tough soil under the hot sun. For Len and Beej, their days were filled with sweat, dirt, and endless tasks.
Eventually, they moved into heavy-duty construction, where the stakes—and the strain—were even higher. Construction wasn’t for the faint of heart, and every day they found themselves lifting, bending, and enduring the wear and tear of intense labor. It was here, while moving steel and laying concrete, that the first seeds of Kitanica were planted.
Their job demanded clothes that could survive the abuse of long days, but no matter what they wore, everything fell short. Jackets tore, elbows wore through, and no pair of pants seemed able to resist the constant grime and scuffing of a day on the job. Len and Beej began to talk about the kind of jacket they wished they could wear—one that wouldn’t give out, no matter what the job threw at them.
And so, they started sketching and brainstorming. This wouldn’t be just any jacket; it would be designed for true durability and comfort. They imagined an articulated spine built into the back, giving them full range of motion without restriction. They’d add padded elbows so they could comfortably kneel or lie down on rough ground without feeling every sharp rock beneath them. And then there was the fabric: Cordura—tough enough to withstand mud, gravel, and even the occasional concrete roll. They needed it to be stain-resistant and nearly indestructible.
They called their first creation the Mark Jacket—a jacket so overbuilt it practically had a life of its own. They’d designed it with themselves and their fellow hard-working friends in mind, but the jacket didn’t stop there. The word spread fast among their construction crew, then to their friends, and soon enough, people were asking for jackets just like it.
The Mark Jacket didn’t just get Len and Beej through a day on the job; it inspired them to build something bigger. With that single piece of gear, Kitanica was born—a brand committed to making rugged, functional clothing that could survive anything life might throw at it. From their farm days to construction sites, Len and Beej poured all their experience and know-how into every design, creating clothing that was truly overbuilt by design.
Today, Kitanica stands as a testament to those roots, to the grit and determination of anyone who works hard and demands their gear work just as hard as they do.
