For generations, Saint Croix has meticulously balanced the art and science of handcraftsmanship to elevate the legacy of American-made luxury.
Blending time-honored tradition with continuous innovation, designers and engineers collaborate side by side under the same roof daily, perfecting signature Saint Croix techniques.
With each step of design and production engineered to embody the highest standards of artisanry and quality, every Saint Croix piece is crafted to last a lifetime.
Rooted, and Remaining, in Tradition
Set against the bluffs of Winona, Minnesota, a city shaped by craftsmen and millwrights, Saint Croix began knitting handcrafted luxury apparel over 65 years ago. As American knitwear manufacturing faded, Saint Croix endured, carrying forward from the factories that helped build this nation a legacy of resilience, ingenuity, and unwavering commitment to quality, shaped by generations. Today, this same standard of excellence continues to define every creation across our collections, as Saint Croix stands among the few who still honor the true art of knitwear.
Crafted from the Finest Natural Materials
True luxury starts at the source. Saint Croix invests in the highest-grade natural materials, from the finest Australian Merino wool to premium Giza cotton, for the base of all our apparel. Renowned for their comfort, breathability, and performance, these materials shape the foundation of the fabric that ensures enduring luxury from our timeless pieces.
Engineered Innovation, Signature Techniques
Saint Croix’s dedicated designers and expert knitting engineers elevate natural materials to lasting, luxurious fabrics through continuous innovation and artful technique. In a level of collaboration rarely seen in modern apparel, they continue to work side by side under one roof, partnering daily to craft distinct textures, refine comfort, and design fabrics that perform with purpose. This seamless integration of design and production results in signature pieces defined not only by exceptional materials, but by the mastery of their construction.
Purposefully Made to Last for Generations
At a time and in an industry where mass production races ahead, Saint Croix remains grounded in a deeper philosophy of purpose and care, upholding the same time-honored production techniques for the past 65 years. Every Saint Croix piece is touched by human hands, not laser cut or mass-machine made but hand-cut, hand-sewn, hand-looped and hand-finished. From cutting the final threads to sewing on the last buttons, these meticulous techniques ensure lasting wear. Many styles are produced in Limited Releases of fewer than 100 pieces, reducing excess, while unused materials are collected for responsible recycling, minimizing waste. By crafting every garment with intention and inspecting every piece before it reaches the market, Saint Croix ensures the highest standards of precision and quality, offering a rare promise of luxury without compromise that’s crafted to last for generations.
Enduring American Legacy
At Saint Croix, we know American craftsmanship is built to last. For over 65 years we have produced American luxury under the same roof in Winona, MN, preserving connection and community that drives quality. All Saint Croix garments are designed and finished in America. All Saint Croix knitwear is fully produced in America. Select complementary pieces are manufactured by luxury experts in Italy in close partnership with our American designers. While American-made apparel has faded from 95% to just under 4% of the market, Saint Croix remains proudly committed to our American roots, recognizing true luxury has always been closer to home.
Company Timeline
Humble Beginnings
At just 20 years old, Bernhard Brenner founded Knitcraft Corporation and the Saint Croix brand, named after the Saint Croix River in Minnesota, with the mission to make the best knitwear in the world. A knitting apprentice at the industry-leading STOLL knitting company who recently immigrated from Germany, Brenner was familiar with the finest knitting mills in Western Europe and set about his dream of building a mill of that caliber in the United States.
Setting Roots
What started with just one knitting machine in his basement soon expanded to the beginnings of Brenner’s American Dream as he moved his manufacturing location to the former Albert’s Grocery Store building downtown. Saint Croix still stands today in the same location, with an expanded 90,000 square foot manufacturing facility, rooted in Winona, MN.
Signature Innovation
A true entrepreneur, Brenner knew signature innovations on top of quality craftsmanship would set Saint Croix apart. He captivated luxury menswear buyers with his new, uniquely designed seamless v-neck collar, traveling to Chicago by train to share his samples with high-end wholesalers.
Bicentennial Celebration
Proud to celebrate the brand’s American heritage, Saint Croix employees hand-crafted a large-scale 28x50 foot American Flag for America's Bicentennial, hung on the Saint Croix headquarters. When the flag was mysteriously stolen, the employees selflessly volunteered to make a second flag, finished just in time to be marched in the local Bicentennial parade.
Expansion
As Saint Croix grew to become a leading producer of high-quality men’s knitwear, the brand launched its first women’s line, bringing the same standard of precision and craftsmanship to a new category. Limited release womenswear would remain an exclusive part of the brand through the early 2000s.
Knitcraft-St. Croix Foundation
With the mission to give back to the community that started Saint Croix, Bernhard Brenner and his wife founded the Knitcraft-St. Croix Foundation, with charitable donations provided to organizations involved with education, health, children, human services, and those with disabilities. Today, Saint Croix and its parent company remain committed to philanthropy, providing numerous donations to various organizations each year.
Collar-Stay Ingenuity
Never satisfied with the status quo, Saint Croix set out to solve the curling and folding issues often experienced with knit collars. The result was the development of a unique knitting process and creation of the never-roll Collar-Stay, knit directly into the polo collar of a shirt to prevent curling and provide stability. This process remains a signature Saint Croix technique.
50th Anniversary
50 years of heritage and handcraftsmanship were celebrated with Saint Croix’s 50th anniversary. That same year, Saint Croix manufacturer Knitcraft Corporation was awarded as an honored business by the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce during their Business Celebration Week.
Entrepreneurial Success Award
Commemorating 58 years of vision and leadership, Saint Croix founder Bernhard Brenner was honored with the Entrepreneurial Success Award by the Winona Area Chamber of Commerce. Presented annually to an individual who leads a small company to significant growth, the award recognized the passion, dedication, and impact of Saint Croix’s founder.
Miller Waste Mills
As Brenner looked toward retirement, Miller Waste Mills, another family-run, Winona, MN based textile company, recognized the innovation and expertise inherent to Saint Croix. Now a leader in natural materials recycling and reprocessing, Miller Waste Mills had similar humble origins, starting with supplying the railroad industry with recycled fibers for journal boxes that lubricated railcar wheels in the 1920s.
Natural Materials Expertise
Miller Waste Mills officially welcomed Saint Croix to its portfolio, where it joined industry leaders Crescent Textile Solutions and RTP. With a combined 260+ years experience in natural fibers recycling, reprocessing, and production, across industrial and consumer industries, the Miller Waste Mills portfolio and Saint Croix stand as leaders in the textile space. With sustainability at its core, Miller Waste Mills has begun recycling unused Saint Croix materials for future reprocessing.
65th Anniversary
Celebrating its 65th year, from the same footprint in Winona, MN, Saint Croix honors its heritage with a continued focus on elevated American luxury and a new expansion in womenswear. Today, Saint Croix maintains its mission, to make the best knitwear in the world.
