There’s nothing more American than blue jeans, right? Well, not really. Sadly, the vast majority of denim jeans purchased in this country are made somewhere else. Levi’s, which used to be my favorite brand of jeans for many years, moved their production out of the U.S. several years ago, so now I don’t buy them. Most other major brands of jeans are made overseas as well. But thankfully, there are some notable exceptions.
In the past year, I have purchased two pairs of jeans from companies that continue to make jeans in the U.S. Around Christmas time I picked up a pair of 7 For All Mankind jeans. This company makes designer jeans for woman and men and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California. While not all of their jeans are made in the U.S., a significant portion of them are made here. These are some really high end designed jeans that can cost over $100. I got mine the day after Christmas at half price though. I have to say that I love my “7” jeans. They look and feel great. They are more of a straight-leg fit with boot-cut bottoms. They have been my go-to pair for a night out, but I don’t usually wear them around the house when I just want my jeans to be loose and comfortable. Overall, I would highly recommend them, but be sure you get the American-made 7s if you decide to go with this brand.
I got a second pair of American-made blue jeans just a couple weeks ago when I purchased a pair of Lucky Brand jeans. I’m actually wearing these right now as I type. Lucky Brand jeans are made in the U.S. and abroad, so you have to make sure you get the right ones with this brand as well. All Lucky Brand jeans manufactured in the U.S. are made in Vernon, California near downtown Los Angeles. Lucky Brand’s USA-made jeans are all hand-made, and have detailing, like the famous slogan “Lucky You” sewn into the fly, done by hand. I got my pair of Luckys at Filene’s Basement, an off-price retailer in my area, for under $30. These have quickly become my favorite pair of jeans. They’re super comfortable and they look great, though they are a looser fit than my 7s. I highly recommend American-made Lucky Brand jeans.
I mentioned 7 For All Mankind and Lucky Brand jeans because I have personal experience with them and they have wide distribution, making it likely you can find them in your local department store. Of course, these are just two of the many brands that still make their jeans in the U.S. Here is a link to site listing over 30 brands of jeans still made in the USA: http://www.stillmadeinusa.com/jeans.htm. My thanks to StillMadeInUSA.com for the info.
Although most blue jeans sold in the U.S. are made elsewhere in the world, some of the best are still made right here in the USA. Next time you are in the market for blue jeans, consider buying a quality American brand that is creating good American jobs.
Until next time, here’s to doing what we can to support our country by buying American.
Randy
P.S. If you are looking for a great American made clothing brand, check out Made in USA Threads!
One note regarding Lucky Brand jeans. I’ve been disappointed to find that nearly all their jeans are now made in Mexico and even China. I searched the entire store and found 1 style (“ultra skinny jeans”…no thanks) that were still made in U.S.A. I did find a company called All American Clothing that makes all their clothes in the U.S.A. and has a new ‘premium’ jean that looks comparable to Lucky, 7, etc.
Nima,
Thanks for visiting the blog and commenting on this story.
Sadly, I think you are right. When I wrote that piece, about half of the Lucky Brand jeans I saw in the stores were made in USA. But lately, I have not been able to find any where I shop. I was hoping that my store just got a batch with a lot of imported pairs in it, but I am starting to think they are done making jeans in the USA. Their wikipedia page says, “Lucky products are manufactured in the USA (before 2010), Indonesia, China, Peru, Chile, Vietnam, Mexico and Sri Lanka.” I’m always sceptical about wikipedia information, but in this case, it seems consistent with what I’ve seen in stores. Too bad. I love my American-made Lucky Brand jeans. But if their not made in the USA, I’ll never buy them again.
Has anybody seen anything in writing about Lucky Brand manufacturing in the USA? I’d love to know what the deal is.
Randy
We went shopping for jeans for our son but all we could find was jeans made everywhere but america. If we dont start doing something about buying made in the USA i’m afraid it will be to late. My husband and I started a website for home and garden with product made in the USA only. It was hard finding material made in USA but we did it and feel real proud about selling american made only!!! gardenshedandgifts.com
AG Adriano Goldschmied jeans are vertically integrated, meaning all stages of production, from the cotton to the retailing of the final product, are controlled by one company and all done inside the US. They make jeans for men and women as well as some other products. They also use ozone technology, and less water to reduce their eco-footprint
Hi there, Randy! I really like you’re blog. I’m glad you are concerned many of these high ranking clothing stores having foreign sweatshops and factories making their products. I too like buying all-American products because by doing so, it encourages American businesses to maintain and grow their enterprises here, and it will also help people find promising jobs.
I love Lucky Brand Jeans! I was disappointed to find that most of their jeans are being made else where. Only their Legend line of jeans are made in America. I want to purchase the Legend Straight Jeans size 16/33, with the Rinse Wash color. It sucks that I have to pay a whopping 198 dollars for them, but they DO look great..
Texas Jeans is another company that manufactures their jeans here in the USA. The cotton is grown on US soil as well. They are located in North Carolina. They have both men and womens styles in a variety of sizes and fabrics. (and no, I do not work for them). You can get a pair of USA-made jeans for under 50 dollars.
Fawn
Bullet Blues Custom Apparel, LLC carries high end jeans made in the USA manufactured with American made materials. The jeans are for men and women and have the perfect fit. The fabric is soft and the denim is so comfortable. Check Bullet Blues at http://www.bulletbluesca.com.
Hello Mr. Randy, I recently discovered your post, this blog is very popular, and is about to become more so….
my wife and I have recently been inclined to start a fashion clothing retail store in our local town, we have to drive 1.5 hours to reach a destination for fashionable clothing, and when you spend your hard earned dollar for all that gas, you have to pay an outrageous price for your fashion clothing. it’s time to join the revolution i told her, we will make our own store.
I began looking into the types of clothing we enjoyed and the teens and young adults enjoy in our community…they were expensive, too expensive to try to start and run a small business. and even more frustrating, nothing was made in America….I went to work expressing my frustration and my boss (who is all American savvy) detailed me on how good a store would do with “all American made products.” *ideas were spinning, so i scoured the internet found your site and it answered 90% of my questions.
and also you weed out a lot of the “fakes and scams” so thank you.
Now my big question….how do I get a hold of these “made in America” manufactures/dealers? its hard enough finding contact information. you seemed to find so much more information regarding American made clothing than I’ve found in a weeks work of scouring Google.
Thanks for your time, please reply soon, we are hoping to bring in the new school year with “American clothing line”
If you’re looking for quality American-made products, check out Bullet Blues Custom Apparel, LLC.
Bullet Blues Jeans offers high-end, well-made jeans, made in America, by Americans, using only products made in the USA.
They fit well, are really comfortable, and they last wash after wash.
We offer both men’s and women’s styles.
Check out our website at bulletbluesca.com to find out more.
You can contact us for wholesale inquires on the website.
We’re proud that our Bullet Blues Jeans are American-made by talented American craftsmen. All of our materials are American made, right down to the last detail. So not only are the jeans made here, the components—the premium denim, the buttons, the rivets, etc.—are too.
The high-quality denim we use for Bullet Blues has just the right amount of stretch—that’s what makes our jeans sexy AND comfortable. Our high-enddenim will last forever—the color will stay the same wash after wash, and the length won’t shrink. If you’re looking for a dressier jean, our Nuit shade of denim will put the ‘sophisticated’ into your jean wardrobe. The Jour color is a little more casual—faded blue with a laid-back look.
“Babe” is the hot women’s style that makes you look and feel taller and slimmer. Featuring a boot-cut leg with an outside seam running down the leg, the amazing Babe elongates your body. Dress them up or down, wear them anywhere—your Babe jeans are basic and versatile. They fit like a glove and still have a comfortable fit. Our women’s sizes run small, so order a size up; a 27 in Joe’s Jeans fits like a 28 in Bullet Blues
The “Nationalist” jean for men features a relaxed fit with a medium low-rise waist. If you’re an athletic guy, you’ll have plenty of room in the thighs. If you’re not, the Nationalist jean will give your that perfect relaxed fit. They’re soft, comfortable and allow for freedom of movement. The styling is casual and great for men who want a good-looking easy jean. Our men’s jeans run a size bigger than others. So if you’re wearing a 34 in Levi’s relaxed fit, a size 33 Bullet Blues Nationalist jean will be your perfect pair.