Talon zippers on a Chinese-made jacket? Can you help me ID this?

[Jumper]

Hoping someone can enlighten me on this.

The backstory: Came across a jacket for crazy cheap online back in the summer. Looked like the couple of Brooks jackets I have, and others I've seen. Missing its zip-in liner, no label, no size tag. No measurements, but listed as a medium/large, which, given that the seller didn't answer my request for measurements, was near enough at the price. Tried it on when it arrived. Too big on me (definitely no medium, at 23.75" pit to pit), but probably about right for my brother, so thought I'd clean it up later and gift it. Hung it up and mostly forgot about it. Got it out the other day to do proper measurements and look at what needs to be done to it. Then I noticed the "Made in China" tag.

Pardon my ignorance—I'm a newbie, so what would I know?, but I wouldn't have guessed I'd find Talon hardware on a Chinese-made jacket. Was this outsourced by an American company? Any help identifying the brand, and any info on the brand/maker, would be much appreciated.

 

[Will Zach]

That is a Chinese knock off of a Talon zipper.

 

[Monitor]

Wasn't Talon made in China, too? The US Talon has a large USA engraved lettering on the machine while the outsourced one doesn't. That's what I read, at least. Could be wrong.

 

[Jumper]

That is a Chinese knock off of a Talon zipper.

What's the giveaway?

 

[Jumper]

Wasn't Talon made in China, too? The US Talon has a large USA engraved lettering on the machine while the outsourced one doesn't. That's what I read, at least. Could be wrong.

The mystery deepens. These Talons are, to my eye, identical to those on my two Brooks jackets (one '70s Gold label, one '80s red/black label), and I have a Campus half-belt from the '50s and a '70s (I think) Cooper, all with Talons, and none of them with USA anywhere on them. Unless I just don't know where to look, which is possible...

 

[Seb Lucas]

My understanding: Brooks outsourced some of their jackets in Asia. They used legit hardware.

 

[Will Zach]

There were a couple of threads on leather jackets made in China; some of them actually of more-than-decent quality leather. Invariably the hardware quality was inferior to original Talon zippers or quality Talon reproductions used in Japanese jackets. So it is likely that the zippers on your jacket are also made in China. Not sure if under license or a knockoff tbh.

 

[Seb Lucas]

Some of the Asian made jackets were as good, if not better than, domestic jackets.

 

[ton312]

I’ve never seen that tag on a Brooks jacket. That said..that’s a Brooks jacket.

 

[Jumper]

I'm getting an education. Thanks, y'all.

 

[Blackadder]

Back before the 90s, company may ship materials like long strain engineered cotton cloth or modern blend yarn into China for them to make the final products because there weren't many choices of materials available in China. Having said that I don't think brass zipper is that hard to find. It could be that company wants to use better materials while still enjoy the cost saving of having the sewing work done in China.

 

[Mich486]

Sorry off-topic as much as one can go but I have question:

Why all of a sudden I keep reading “y’all” everywhere online?

Is it an American English thing? Never seem to have noticed it before the summer. Also I’m not a native English speaker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Honeyman1935]

Doesn’t Talon get most of their zippers mass-produced in China?? From what Iv heard they do and the quality is leaps and bounds behind the quality of Japanese reproduction talons.

 

[Jumper]

Sorry off-topic as much as one can go but I have question:

Why all of a sudden I keep reading “y’all” everywhere online?

Is it an American English thing? Never seem to have noticed it before the summer. Also I’m not a native English speaker.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It is indeed an American English thing, used in some parts of the U.S., especially in the South. I haven't noticed it proliferating online lately, but then again, if I saw it I probably wouldn't think twice about it.

Also, it's always used to address multiple people. Despite cliched and stereotypical treatments of Southern dialects found in writing and movies, you don't say it to just a single person. At least, not where I'm from.

 

[Jumper]

Doesn’t Talon get most of their zippers mass-produced in China?? From what Iv heard they do and the quality is leaps and bounds behind the quality of Japanese reproduction talons.

Have you heard when Talon started doing that?

 

[Honeyman1935]

Have you heard when Talon started doing that?

Don’t know how long they have been getting produced in China but they definitely do now.

 

[Jumper]

My understanding: Brooks outsourced some of their jackets in Asia. They used legit hardware.

Didn't know that, but it would certainly explain everything.

 

[Skyhawk]

Sure Talon may make their cheaper modern zips in China, but I believe that the vintage stuff is made in the USA. Some Japanese zipper companies actually use vintage reproduction Talon Pullers from the USA. The China made Talon vintage zippers are counterfeit and the tapes are usually synthetic. The quality is inferior to the USA made or Japan made stuff.

-Jay

 

[Monitor]

Sorry off-topic as much as one can go but I have question:

Why all of a sudden I keep reading “y’all” everywhere online?

Is it an American English thing? Never seem to have noticed it before the summer. Also I’m not a native English speaker.

You are correct. Recently, "Y'all" has been rising in popularity as an internet speak kinda thing which is primarily why you have been noticing. Same as finna, rn, etc. It's just slang. Cringey af, I know, but fun to use in an ironic sorta way. I guess.

 

[Jumper]

Thanks everyone for all the knowledge, guesses, facts, and entertainments. I like it here.