tooth

Looking at your @yung_flynn comparison photo, it's interesting that the 1947 pair has lightning and roping on the top edge, but really no puckering on the outside seams under the rivets. The Warehouse pair below (not sure which model, but maybe one that you mention?) has puckering on the outside seams, but no roping or lightning from the top edge. I can confirm this with the pairs I have. From left to right Warehouse S1000XX, Denime 220A, Warehouse 800 and Warehouse 1947 Duck Digger - all in different states of wear (obviously). The denims used for the pocket and coin pocket in S1000XX, 220A and 800 have denim facing the same direction and show what I mention above as having puckering on outside edges, but a pretty flat top edge with no roping / lightning. The 1947 (although mine are hardly worn) has perpendicular overlapping denim (as you also state) and I can see some tension from the top edge that may lead to the lightning and roping. I think @Dr_Heech is right that shrinking plays a huge role; as the denim shrinks in different directions and pulls at the coin pocket differently throughout, it's going to inherently cause different results when it comes to fading, puckering, roping, lightning, etc.

Seems like there’s a lot more than just orientation of denim direction that leads to the ‘lightning’ effect, but that’s just a guess. Thinking about denim weave, tension during weave, thread thickness, stitch thickness used when stitching coin pocket to main pocket (where stitches land, if there’s a subtle crease in coin pocket denim), etc, all may contribute.

I love how you brought attention the workers, the people behind the denim, the core of the company and what has been lost with the shuttering of the factory. I wonder, if you had been into denim at the time, how that would have manifested in your images. What would have been the focus - the people, the machines, the denim, or something else entirely. Always interesting how what we are drawn to at any one moment, consumes our eye and the way we reflect back; it’s great that you saw the humanity.

Definitely dry clean. Rayon does not do well being put through the washing machine or dryer…. The fabric will be compromised and the shape of the shirt will change. I made the mistake of putting one of my gf’s (soon to be wife) shirts in the wash; it didn’t turn out well and a replacement was bought. Wasn’t a Sugarcane shirt, but pretty sure the wash wouldn’t have cared and taken more care if it had been.