Rite in the Rain was born in Raymond, WA when a printer named Herbert Buffington connected with Jerry Darling. Herbert had worked with printers who were attempting to develop a “painted paper” to replace the tally board.
The first step was to drill a small hole in a sheet’s corner, then dip it by hand into a tray of waterproofing solution. A wire s-hook was then inserted into the hole and the sheets were hung to dry on long wood rods suspended from racks across a pair of continuous bicycle chains. A hand-crank advanced the drying rods. Early production space was shared with the Tacoma Printing & Binding Co., until Jerry decided to move across the street from his home at Browns Point, in Tacoma WA.
For over a century, our all-weather products have proven to be an essential tool for those working and playing outdoors. From our humble beginnings in the logging industry, Rite in the Rain has expanded to serve multiple industries world-wide. This was especially evident when Rite in the Rain was awarded a GSA Contract in 2002. US Federal Government agencies such as the U.S. Military, The Forest Service, Fish & Wildlife, and our National Parks could now buy Rite in the Rain directly. Regardless of what you use Rite in the Rain for, you need a proven way to save your hard-earned work. You can count on Rite in the Rain, Defying Mother Nature since 1916.