Cold weather is nothing new to the Northland.

We've been bundling up to keep warm since the first people came here ages ago.

In this month's "made in the Northland" story, Dave Anderson talks about a husband and wife who kill the chill with their own line of "old school" winter clothes.

Kevin and Beth Kinney work out of their garage.

This is Empire Canvas Works, a ten year old outdoor wear company the couple bought two years ago.

Sewing up mittens and coats is their dream job.

"Oh definitely. We had been doing other sewing businesses and Kevin had been doing work for Empire Canvas Works and when it came to be an opportunity to buy we found it fits with what we love to do and with the type of materials we like to work with."

In this synthetic age, the materials the Kinneys like to work with are old time natural ones like wool.

Empire outer wear is a hit with winter campers and explorers.

"Because they can live in it five or six or ten or twelve or 20 days at a time without having to wash it. They can rely on it to work. It doesn't delaminate, melt or degrade from U.V."

The Kinneys produce a wide variety of items from their workshop in Duluth's Lakeside neighborhood.

"We do a vest and jacket and pullover like the one I'm wearing now and they are good day to day outerwear. They work everyday. You put them on and they're warm and you can wash them in your washing machine."

While most small businesses dream of growing big, the Kinneys say they like their "Empire" the way it is.

"For the most part it is what you see here. It's a small business in Duluth, Minnesota. We like it that way."

In Duluth, Dave Anderson, the Northland's News Center.

Empire Canvas Works sell its products exclusively on line.

If you want to find their website, search engine keywords are simply Empire Canvas Works.