The Story Behind the Glove

Halfway around the world, Swany Corporation (based in Japan) saw an opportunity to bring better gloves to U.S. customers.

They launched Swany America—and with it, introduced a new kind of magic: Freezy Freakies.
(If you were a kid in the ’80s, you probably had a pair—gloves that changed color in the cold? Instant playground legend.)

In 1987, Swany America acquired Elmer Little & Sons, bringing together heritage craftsmanship and modern global innovation.
They also brought in Bill Dzierson, a direct descendant of Elmer Little and a glove maker with a skier’s soul.

Bill didn’t just join the team—he changed its direction.

Bill saw a gap in the ski world: gloves weren’t cutting it. They were cold. They wore out. They got in the way.

So he pitched something bold:
Let’s build the best ski gloves on the mountain.
Not “good enough.” Not “pretty good for the price.”
The BEST.

Swany’s Ski Division was born.

We put our gloves in the hands of the pros who were on the mountain all day, every day—the National Ski Patrol and the Professional Ski Instructors of America.

Why? Because they’d be honest. If the gloves didn’t work, they’d know—fast.

Turns out, they worked. So we raised the stakes.

In 1992, Swany signed on to supply gloves (and full suits) for the U.S., Canadian, British, and Swiss teams in a new Olympic demonstration sport: straight-line speed skiing. No gates. No turns. Just raw velocity.

That year, at Les Arcs during the Albertville Winter Games, a world speed record was clocked at 138 mph. The suits and gloves said Swany.

The Flexor glove is introduced—using a finger joint system originally developed for the space program. Its jointed construction offered unmatched finger dexterity. 

We built it into high-end leather sport gloves that became one of the most popular gloves in the country for its warmth and finger dexterity, even at a retail price of $90—a premium price at the time. 

Skiers can’t get enough.

Then came the product that would become a legend of its own: the Toaster Mitt. Warm like a mitten. Dexterous like a glove. And built with a finger free access feature that lets you use your phone or buckle a boot without freezing your fingers.

It wasn’t just clever. It was category-defining. And it became one of the most popular mitts in the industry - and it still is.

The Sport Utility Crossover Glove launches, designed with everything for skiers, snowboarders, and mountaineers. The kind of glove serious skiers (60+ days a year types) relied on. 

And once they did? They never went back.

This was the glove that took Swany from a Rocky Mountain favorite to a national name, known for durability, fit, and cold-weather confidence.

We don’t make jackets. We don’t make boots.
We make gloves. That’s it. That’s everything.

It’s been more than 25 years since we made our first ski glove, and the obsession hasn’t worn off.

We’re still driven by the same philosophy that got us here:

Make the BEST gloves on the mountain. 

Whether it’s your first ski lesson or your fiftieth black diamond run, we’re proud to be the glove you never have to think about.

Our edge comes from staying curious —trying new things, new designs, new methods. The outdoors have a funny way of humbling all who venture there, but if we go into it with that attitude, and remember to have fun with it. Learn from it. We come out stronger.

We are obsessed with making a better glove. Always. Better materiality, ergonomics, construction, and design—it’s our goal to reinvent the glove category constantly. We are forever looking for new ways to remove the barriers between hands and the environment.

The opportunity to grow will always inspire us. We relentlessly pursue our goals and embrace the challenges together. The stronger we grasp our vision, the stronger tomorrow becomes. This attention to our future creates stronger objectives, plans to achieve our business goals that will always propel us forward. 

Friendly. Inviting. Inclusive. We leave a human touch with everything we do. We are passionate about the outdoors, assisting others while giving back to our community. Bringing experiences for those who aspire to explore the joys of the outdoors.