O.W. Lee was founded in 1947 by Oddist W. Lee in Pasadena, California, as a wrought-iron gate manufacturer for luxury Southern California estates, incorporating as O.W. Lee Company in 1954. Now in its third and fourth generation of Lee family ownership, the company builds every piece from a 450,000 sq. ft. facility using hand-forged blacksmithing techniques alongside modern robotic welding, backed by a 20-year structural frame warranty.
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American craftsmanship since 1947.
American Made, Family Owned
Truly an American family tradition, O.W. Lee Company was established in Pasadena, California, by Oddist W. Lee in 1947 as a wrought-iron gate manufacturer for the luxurious estates of Southern California. Due to increased requests from local patio furniture store owners, Oddist began to design and sell high-end patio furniture directly, and in 1954 incorporated under the name O.W. Lee Company. Oddist's son Bob joined the business after high school and continued it after Oddist retired, and throughout the 1970s, 80s, and early 90s, Bob and his wife Beverly built O.W. Lee into a well-known name in the outdoor furniture industry, earning a Lifetime Achievement Award from the International Casual Furnishings Association in 2008. Today, the third and fourth generations of the Lee family, including Bob's daughter Terri and son-in-law Chris, continue building on Oddist's original commitment to quality, more than 75 years later.
How It's Made
O.W. Lee furniture starts with premium raw materials, using durable aluminum and iron rods, tubing, and sheets to form the foundation of every frame. Wherever metal components intersect, full-circumference welds create a strong, unified structure. Steel and aluminum pieces are precisely bent into shape with advanced equipment, then hand-forged with a hammer and anvil, a time-honored blacksmithing process that has remained largely unchanged since the Middle Ages. For simpler, high-volume components, O.W. Lee also uses robotic welding technology for consistency and accuracy, working alongside skilled artisans to maintain exacting standards at scale. Each frame is then finished with a five-step powder-coating process, including two washing cycles, a zinc-rich primer coat, a controlled baking process, and a final finish color, resulting in a 4 to 6 mil thick protective coating with exceptional resistance to moisture, corrosion, fading, and everyday outdoor wear.
Built to Last
O.W. Lee uses PTFE thread, a specially engineered fluoropolymer, instead of standard polyester thread. It's UV- and water-resistant and won't break down when exposed to harsh chemicals like bleach or chlorine, and cushions are secured with polyester Velcro, which offers superior UV resistance over traditional nylon. All O.W. Lee stock fabrics are either solution-dyed acrylic or 100% polypropylene, meaning color is infused into every fiber for exceptional fade resistance, along with mold, mildew, and chemical resistance and quick-drying properties. Cushions are built with a spun water-resistant liner, a polyester fiber dacron wrap for soft, shape-holding cushioning, and a high-density foam core that maintains indoor-quality comfort even with regular outdoor use.
