JanSport is the original outdoor gear brand that caters for a life of exploring and adventure. Founded in Seattle in 1967 by Murray Pletz, the company was named after Pletz' wife and is now owned by VF Corporation, one of the largest apparel manufacturers in the world. Pletz started the company with the prize money he and Jan won after entering their first backpack design into a competition. He promised to name the company after his wife if she came to sew for him, and she did. JanSport started out by developing the external frame backpack, and is today one of the few remaining manufacturers of these. They mastered the design, using a metal frame with a cloth sack attached, also producing day packs and internal frame backpacks. Today JanSport is the largest backpack maker in the world.