US Manufactured Jeans

[CBI]

Yes, many great options. For fine quality selvage, Brave Star is the way to go. Very detailed list of measurements of each size online, great service and really the best prices for selvedge. I think for some they don't look "vintage" enough in re pocket shape and even their funny gold "star" logo but they seem to be offering other options. They always have something in stock but they make small runs of jeans, shirts, jackets that do sell out, often on pre-order. I just bought a pair of their selvedge stretch jeans - gosh, stretch mentioned on Fedora Lounge, oh the horror.........they are my FAVORITE jeans period. Looks the part completely but with an ergonomic advantage. Great shirts and jackets. I find with the other high end folks, one can pay a lot more for not much of an improvement in quality. The only downside with Brae Star (unless its recently changed) is that they don't take returns, you can only exchange for something else. I don't really remember what other makers do. Oh, also my go to for t-shirts, superb!!!!

 

[Edward]

Gustin was a failure to me. Too many production flaws with long wait times.
I hesitate to mention Ciano Farmer. I would never willingly send someone to his website. Too crazy wait time expectations and his prices have been jacked up.
Texas Jeans is just OK . It's American.
Prison Blues is decent. I recently updated my hickory work shirts from them.

I've had three pairs of PBs over the years. Two back in 2008ish when they first arrived in the UK, and another pair recently (wearing them as I type). The UK stockist has sadly closed down; they were the official distributor for the EU, but with the UK out of the EU the business became impractical for them so when it comes time for more, I'll have to order from the US direct. Well worth it, though. Probably the only US-made jeans brand I'm likely to own now (I also very much like Wrangler 13MWZ, but while the denim is US made, the jeans are assembled in Mexico. Both imports and of no consequence to me that way, but if the object is to have something entirely US made, not your birdy). Loads of great options for US made if you're in the market to spend a couple of hundred dollars, though.

Got one of those PB Shirts somewhere too - like it a lot.

 

[Blackadder]

Hardenco makes some really nice stuff.. life time repairs on anything you buy.


https://www.hardenco.com/

Shirts looks quite cool but at $265, it costs even more than a FW shirt which is made probably with the same Japanese cloth. A Rite Stuff shirt also Japanese chambray costs even less.

There are a ton of US made denim brands at a variety of price points. Left Field, mentioned earlier, is a good option especially since they also use Vidalia denim (after Cone shut down the legendary White Oak plant, a company in Louisiana bought a number of the looms and began Vidalia to weave similar denim.)

RRL denim is generally US made as well, and they do a lot of heyday designs like 1930s Lee buckle backs. I’d recommend waiting for their sale unless you’re an odd size, because virtually every pair goes on sale.

That's the point. Most US makers are now using Japanese denim since the close of Cone Mill. Does it make sense to look for US sewed jeans with imported Japanese fabrics in stead of just buying a pair of imported Sugar Cane or Kojima Genes for less?
https://www.kojimagenesxsf.com/kojima_genes_15oz_selvedge.html

 

[Goel]

I'm now a big fan of Triple Aught's jeans. Most of their stuff is technical synthetic fabrics but their jeans are mostly cotton with a bit of stretch which I've come to prefer, and they occasionally run selvedge as well.

 

[ES335]

Yes, many great options. For fine quality selvage, Brave Star is the way to go. Very detailed list of measurements of each size online, great service and really the best prices for selvedge. I think for some they don't look "vintage" enough in re pocket shape and even their funny gold "star" logo but they seem to be offering other options. They always have something in stock but they make small runs of jeans, shirts, jackets that do sell out, often on pre-order. I just bought a pair of their selvedge stretch jeans - gosh, stretch mentioned on Fedora Lounge, oh the horror.........they are my FAVORITE jeans period. Looks the part completely but with an ergonomic advantage. Great shirts and jackets. I find with the other high end folks, one can pay a lot more for not much of an improvement in quality. The only downside with Brae Star (unless its recently changed) is that they don't take returns, you can only exchange for something else. I don't really remember what other makers do. Oh, also my go to for t-shirts, superb!!!!

My experience exactly as well. T-shirts too.

 

[Damon141]

Shirts looks quite cool but at $265, it costs even more than a FW shirt which is made probably with the same Japanese cloth. A Rite Stuff shirt also Japanese chambray costs even less.

That's the point. Most US makers are now using Japanese denim since the close of Cone Mill. Does it make sense to look for US sewed jeans with imported Japanese fabrics in stead of just buying a pair of imported Sugar Cane or Kojima Genes for less?
https://www.kojimagenesxsf.com/kojima_genes_15oz_selvedge.html

$265 for a shirt is outrageously expensive.

I’m not mad at them but just generally curious about their lifestyle, call me frugal but I can’t see myself paying more for a shirt than what I make in let’s say “an hours wage”.

I’m guessing that’s why eBay and grailed are littered with these shirts. They think they can wear them until they look used then pawn them off on someone else. They end up selling all of their vintage inspired clothing the second it starts looking vintage

 

[Blackadder]

$265 for a shirt is outrageously expensive.

I’m not mad at them but just generally curious about their lifestyle, call me frugal but I can’t see myself paying more for a shirt than what I make in let’s say “an hours wage”.

I’m guessing that’s why eBay and grailed are littered with these shirts. They think they can wear them until they look used then pawn them off on someone else. They end up selling all of their vintage inspired clothing the second it starts looking vintage

And it costs as much as a RTW dress shirt from a renowned shirtmaker. Talk about overpriced.
https://turnbullandasser.co.uk/prod...-shirt-with-kent-collar-and-3-button-cuffs#na

 

[dwilson]

Shirts looks quite cool but at $265, it costs even more than a FW shirt which is made probably with the same Japanese cloth. A Rite Stuff shirt also Japanese chambray costs even less.

That's the point. Most US makers are now using Japanese denim since the close of Cone Mill. Does it make sense to look for US sewed jeans with imported Japanese fabrics in stead of just buying a pair of imported Sugar Cane or Kojima Genes for less?
https://www.kojimagenesxsf.com/kojima_genes_15oz_selvedge.html

Depends on where you draw the line. Most Japanese denim doesn't come from Japanese cotton. Denim is a pretty global product these days so why arbitrarily say the sewing has to occur where the denim production occurs?

Granted I exclusively buy Japanese denim sewed in Japan but that is simply because I'm not a fan of most MiUSA stuff. And like you said most used Cone and I found their offerings extraordinarily bland. But I wouldn't say I'd be opposed to a MiUSA brand using Japanese denim if it looked good.

 

[Blackadder]

Depends on where you draw the line. Most Japanese denim doesn't come from Japanese cotton. Denim is a pretty global product these days so why arbitrarily say the sewing has to occur where the denim production occurs?

Granted I exclusively buy Japanese denim sewed in Japan but that is simply because I'm not a fan of most MiUSA stuff. And like you said most used Cone and I found their offerings extraordinarily bland. But I wouldn't say I'd be opposed to a MiUSA brand using Japanese denim if it looked good.

You are right about denim being too wide a subject but I wasn't thinking about those jeans made by Prison Blue, LC King or Carhartt. I was talking about those US brands like Freenote, Bravestar etc that sell selvedge denim made with vintage looms. That makes the Japanese the major player in the market since almost all other countries have got rid of those vintage looms. I guess I have not made myself clear about that.
For example, LVC has switched to Japanese cloth after close of Cone Mills because they cannot find a big enough supplier of traditional selvedge cloth else where. LVC initially moved the jeans sewing part to Europe with imported Japanese cloth but have now moved the whole production to Japan. So yes, I think where the denim cloth production occurs does matter now that there is only the Japanese mills left with a sufficient production scale (there is one Italian contender I suppose).
I have not thought about the design aspect certainly not some brands with special design or cut. That is brand specific. I was thinking about the traditionally bland 5 pocket jeans made with cloth produced from vintage looms when I posted.

 

[CBI]

Brave Star still makes small runs from Cone Mills selvedge they have in storage or can still get their hands on. By necessity, their runs are coming more from Japanese sources now.

 

[Blackadder]

Brave Star still makes small runs from Cone Mills selvedge they have in storage or can still get their hands on. By necessity, their runs are coming more from Japanese sources now.

The last pair of US manufactured jeans I bought are from Monsivais. 10.5oz Cone Mills NOS denim, high waist, wide legs, cinch back with suspender buttons. Find it difficult to recommend those. Erratic stitching much like Connor Sewing.
There are still some Cone Mills NOS cloth around but those may not be the high end heavy weight cloth (14oz) used by LVC. A couple of small factories bought a few of the vintage looms from Cone White Oak. Small batch and limited. In addition to the aforementioned Vidalia, there is Proximity. Both using the Drape X3.

 

[Bfd70]

https://leftfieldnyc.com/collection...-1968-cone-white-oak-13-oz-non-selvedge-denim

https://leftfieldnyc.com/collections/american-made-denim-fabric/products/work-wear-jean

 

[JimmyD81]

Hi all the people of FL im Giuseppe from Italy im very Happy to be a new member of FL, i like too much the selvedge jeans i have 10 Paris of Brave star jeans....its my favorite brand and leather jacket, biker's and military,i have some jacket all from USA and UK(vanson,schott, cockpit,ll bean, Wested).
i say all Sorry for my english and i give you my personal ....have a good sunday.
See you soon on FL

 

[Peter Mackin]

Anyone know what happened with the guy who ran lawless a number of years ago? No he was a real belter. After losing my stake I refused to invest in any more crowdfunding.

 

[Damon141]

Anyone know what happened with the guy who ran lawless a number of years ago? No he was a real belter. After losing my stake I refused to invest in any more crowdfunding.

The only crowdfunding I will support would be an product made by people that actuality have skills or talent. For instance I would happily support a bootmaker or jacket maker that actually is a craftsman him or herself.

The world could use more of craftsmen instead of the countless companies that pop up on Instagram with a so called idea to make direct to you clothing, luggage, pots and pans or anything else they find a factory in a 3rd world country to cheaply make for them to exploit.

It would by nice if a company would find vintage looms and start producing denim here in the USA again. Japan has a denim monopoly going on.

 

[ES335]

Hi all the people of FL im Giuseppe from Italy im very Happy to be a new member of FL, i like too much the selvedge jeans i have 10 Paris of Brave star jeans....its my favorite brand and leather jacket, biker's and military,i have some jacket all from USA and UK(vanson,schott, cockpit,ll bean, Wested).
i say all Sorry for my english and i give you my personal ....have a good sunday.
See you soon on FL

Welcome, Giuseppe! Fellow Brave Star fan here, I've also bought 10 or so of their jeans, several jackets, and I love their 8.5oz T's...

 

[Damon141]

Unbranded denim?

Anyone try this brand for something more affordable?

 

[Bfd70]

^ Fits are wonky. Sizing inconsistent. Better brands for the $. Try Naked and Famous.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

Freenote Cloth, Railcar Fine Goods, Greasepoint Workwear are all ones I can recommend. Mister Freedom is much favorite that's still making jeans in the US. Their jeans are made in the US.

If you can get some Roy stuff. Thats the ultimate, but he's not still making jeans

 

[Blackadder]

Unbranded is the value line of Naked and Famous. Made in Macau using heavy Japanese selvedge denim. For about the same amount of money, one can get a pair of Kojima Genes. There is of course the matter of import duties which I always forgot.
Back to the topic, there are quite a few traditional US manufactured brands still around. They had to reposition themselves in the past ten years or so. LC King aka Pointer brand is one. Stan Ray is another.