Founded in 1830 by John Rich and Daniel McCormick, Woolrich is the oldest manufacturer of outdoor wear in the United States. It was originally launched for the purpose of manufacturing fabric for the wives of hunters, loggers and trappers.

In 2016, Italian company W.P. Lavori, which had previously licensed the Woolrich name for the European market as John Rich & Bros., agreed to acquire a majority stake in the company. The move consolidated the European licensing operations with the company in the U.S., forming Woolrich International. Goldwin Inc., a Japanese company, also acquired a portion of the newly created company.

In 2016, Woolrich International closed the year with a turnover of nearly 190 million dollars, up 9% on 2015.