Last week I told you the bad news about the closing of Cone Mills. Today I have some good news. Pacific Blue Denims has announced that they are buying six of the Draper X3 looms to made selvedge denim in the United States again.
To find out more about the Draper looms and another, much smaller operation using them here in the United States, take a look at Huston Textiles. Note that neither one of these firms actually makes finished clothing; they are suppliers to the large market of small-batch clothing makers out there, many of who are either in Japan or the United States. Cross your fingers for Pacific Blue — and I’ll keep you posted as I find out more!
I bought some J brand jeans, theoretically made in LA.
Any idea if these are also using USA denim?
Drapers is a story in itself. Hopedale Massachusetts is now a quiet suburb, but the Blackstone Valley, from Providence RI up to Worcester MA was the American Industrial Revolution. Hopedale was a Unitarian Utopian village, that was subsumed by one factory, Draper Corporation, and it became a classic factory town, even today much of the infrastructure allegedly still routes through the empty factory. Drapers shut down in the 70’s, but the duplex homes, mansions & street names (Hope, Peace) still reflect this unique history.
Global competition took the company out, but I did not know the looms were anything more than a curiosity now. I will be watching for Pacific Blue Denims, and any references of products that I can buy. The 501s I have worn for most of my life are now junk that wear out in months.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper_Corporation
And a less than favorable view of where the assets of this company went to;
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draper_Corporation
Corrected 2nd link
http://www.hope1842.com/draperwickliffe2.html
This is good news .
I get regular auction notices from Sold Tiger that often include manufacturing machinery and assets in America .
-Nate
That’s great. Best of luck to them.
@Edp — I believe J Jeans and others, like Hudson, cut and sew their wares in the U.S. from imported fabric.
Interesting to compare the 13.5oz unsanforized Cone denim used in the Luther’s to the normal 13.5oz in the Railcars.
Very happy with both, however. Railcar has an edge on construction and detailing, but the Luther’s might fit better than any other article of clothing I’ve owned.