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On 11/22/2018 at 3:10 AM, bartlebyyphonics said:

actually I think I am the one who is lost: @kicks79 says the '47 and '54 are the only cone for next season: I misread '47 and '55 - but Maynard is right: they ['47 /'54] are both straight cut but fairly trim/slim...  

but, I know I should keep my mouth shut when it comes to actual details, lol.

That cleared it all up for me.

Looks like the classified and ebay are going to be my only sources for raw White Oak ‘33 and ‘55 going forward.

-thanks

Edited by Pedro
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Edited:

This has probably been discussed already.

Cone Mills, as a business entity owned by ITG and based in NC, USA, continues to exist and manufacture denim.

The closure of the White Oak Plant marks the end of US production of selvedge denim; however, Cone continues to operate Mills in Yecapixtla, Mexico & Jiaxing, China. 

Assuming Levis brand will continue their LVC line, will they continue to source Cone Mills-Mexico or Cone Mills-China as its supplier? Does anyone know?

-pedro

https://www.conedenim.com/mills/

Edited by Pedro
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Is the Cone overseas "very likely to continue to produce selvage" your own speculation? Becuase Cone overseas has entirely different looms. I've heard no reports the shuttle looms are going to another operation, and it would be very expensive to do, so as noted before, it's most likely they'll source from Kaihara, who produce most of the current Sanforized denim, and previously supplied Levi's Japan. It's complicated, though... the yarns for LVC were produced from another Cone operation I think, so it's even possible they could send the yarns to Kaihara and we'd see very little difference in the resulting fabric.

I was told by someone now high-up at Levi's that Kaihara have had a back-up range of fabrics ready to go for at least a decade... because there's been a worry that Cone would collapse for  20 years now.

Edited by Paul T
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Good points Paul, but would it really be prohibitively expensive to extend the Mexican Cone plant, install a springy wood floor and transport the old looms there on lorries from the White Oak plant? Especially when considering the savings they have made and revenue generated from closing it down/selling it off? I don’t know and may be way off the mark but I’m simply speculating. I also assume they would need some prior agreement or commitment from LVC to continue to use denim supplied from Cone before considering anything like this.

Edited by Maynard Friedman
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I have a pair of NWT 47s tagged 36 x 38 I've had for a number of years. The denim is beautiful, deep twill with an interesting nep and deep indigo color. The button is numbered 4170. The tag states that the denim is 10 oz but it feels heavier, possibly because of the deep twill and the fact that they are raw. The inseam length is unusual at 38" (37" actual). Made in the USA of USA cotton. Is it likely that these were made of Cone Mills denim at the White Oak plant?

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5 minutes ago, lance said:

I have a pair of NWT 47s tagged 36 x 38 I've had for a number of years. The denim is beautiful, deep twill with an interesting nep and deep indigo color. The button is numbered 4170. The tag states that the denim is 10 oz but it feels heavier, possibly because of the deep twill and the fact that they are raw. The inseam length is unusual at 38" (37" actual). Made in the USA of USA cotton. Is it likely that these were made of Cone Mills denim at the White Oak plant?

           

          

 

Yup, those will be Cone.

1 hour ago, Maynard Friedman said:

Good points Paul, but would it really be prohibitively expensive to extend the Mexican Cone plant, install a springy wood floor and transport the old looms there on lorries from the White Oak plant? Especially when considering the savings they have made and revenue generated from closing it down/selling it off? I don’t know and may be way off the mark but I’m simply speculating. I also assume they would need some prior agreement or commitment from LVC to continue to use denim supplied from Cone before considering anything like this.

I think Cone is desperately short of money, so I think it's unlikely, and I did hear they were simply selling off the looms. It wouldn't make economic sense to set them up only to supply Levi's, and I think the demand from other sources would plummet, the moment you lose that made-in-USA cachet. I do hope I'm wrong, though.

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The 1966 have arrived. Indeed they are as the tags claim "Made in the U.S from Cone Denim"

Another part of the tag says "Made with Cone Denim, North Carolina", they are 2017.

Inner tag states made in the U.S with imported materials. Which I am assuming is hardware etc. 

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4 hours ago, Paul T said:

Yup, those will be Cone.

I think Cone is desperately short of money, so I think it's unlikely, and I did hear they were simply selling off the looms. It wouldn't make economic sense to set them up only to supply Levi's, and I think the demand from other sources would plummet, the moment you lose that made-in-USA cachet. I do hope I'm wrong, though.

All personal speculation below:

If Cone is sending the looms to the auction block then I wonder who will be highest bidder? 

A Japanese buyer?

One would think the historical significance & sentimental value of those looms could still be commercialized?

-pedro

Edited by Pedro
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16 hours ago, Paul T said:

Is the Cone overseas "very likely to continue to produce selvage" your own speculation? Becuase Cone overseas has entirely different looms. I've heard no reports the shuttle looms are going to another operation, and it would be very expensive to do, so as noted before, it's most likely they'll source from Kaihara, who produce most of the current Sanforized denim, and previously supplied Levi's Japan. It's complicated, though... the yarns for LVC were produced from another Cone operation I think, so it's even possible they could send the yarns to Kaihara and we'd see very little difference in the resulting fabric.

I was told by someone now high-up at Levi's that Kaihara have had a back-up range of fabrics ready to go for at least a decade... because there's been a worry that Cone would collapse for  20 years now.

@Paul T I regret I did not provide links. I had read maybe 8-10 articles from when the news broke of the White Oak Plant being shuttered, both financial publications and denim fan blogs and found that in one of ‘em. 

After reading your post about the yarns and Kaihara, I realize nothing I read had their finger on the pulse like you do so I will edit my post to avoid continuing speculation/rumor.

One personal question below: Would placing the looms into 40’ containers really be all that expensive? I watched so many defunct rust-belt factories and smelters be disassembled and containerized and shipped to China in the 90’s “Clinton-era” that it seems pretty common practice. I don’t know how many Draper X-3 looms they had but the sale could be split between interested buyers.

-pedro

Edited by Pedro
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5 hours ago, lance said:

I have a pair of NWT 47s tagged 36 x 38 I've had for a number of years. The denim is beautiful, deep twill with an interesting nep and deep indigo color. The button is numbered 4170. The tag states that the denim is 10 oz but it feels heavier, possibly because of the deep twill and the fact that they are raw. The inseam length is unusual at 38" (37" actual). Made in the USA of USA cotton. Is it likely that these were made of Cone Mills denim at the White Oak plant?

IMG_0746.thumb.JPG.82e7b5fe5d3042ef41f1639028c639dc.JPG         IMG_0745.thumb.JPG.786e202c565a4a8854b75532bf48d85c.JPG   

IMG_0409.thumb.JPG.f66e8cfd1315cbff901c88a77a3e0591.JPG           IMG_0748.thumb.JPG.63f9a484c12e652daa8f150abdfafc28.JPG

 

What year are those, Lance -2009?

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I've heard from a very good source that LVC have a whole load of Cone White Oak NOS denim they are saving for some very limited editions in the coming years, and that the rumours of them having to get Kaihara to source their denim is misplaced...

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Welp, the end of the year budget is significantly smaller this year, so I have limited myself to just one item during the first round of the 40 percent off sale: a Rigid Type I jacket in XL.

It was that or  the LVC Type II. I already have the Sugar Cane copy of the type II, and I already have an oversized EU LVC blanket lined Rigid Type I. In the end, I decided that the unlined Type I was a "necessary" addition to my collection more so than a "proper" Levi's Type II. The Sugar Cane type II copy is such an outstanding jacket that the LVC Type II would have been pretty redundant. As for the blanket lined Rigid LVC Type I that I already have, I purposefully sized it so that I am swimming in it, and it is also simply too warm for many occasions. Therefore the unlined, more regular sized Type I will be a much more welcomed addition.

Can't wait to get the thing!

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9 hours ago, Pedro said:

All personal speculation below:

If Cone is sending the looms to the auction block then I wonder who will be highest bidder? 

A Japanese buyer?

One would think the historical significance & sentimental value of those looms could still be commercialized?

-pedro

Pedro, you could be right. All the chat I had with ex employees was a year ago, maybe the situation has changed since then. I really wish it has. But I did get emails a few months ago from someone who seems to have bought some looms and in turn wants to sell them on, and was looking for buyers.

If i get time, once my imminent deadlines are over, maybe I'll try and a Cone,  A Year On follow-up.

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3 hours ago, 428CJ said:

As for the blanket lined Rigid LVC Type I that I already have, I purposefully sized it so that I am swimming in it...

Any chance of photos?

Any retailers still carrying that in the EU in XL?

I like sizing them up to XL in order to get the shoulder freedom when I use them in the field.

I recently saw a very nice quality denim type I with Pendleton wool lining but the corduroy is on the wrong side of the collar. It is sewn so that it faces away from the neck when the collar is up and the entire point of the corduroy was to be against the skin. The softness kept the skin from chafing, ofcourse, and even when frozen, was much “kinder” then frozen denim.

edit: Maybe someone can refresh my memory if Levis made a corduroy collar blanket lined? I think ours are all Lee & Pennys.

-pedro

Edited by Pedro
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1 hour ago, Pedro said:

Any chance of photos?

Any retailers still carrying that in the EU in XL?

I like sizing them up to XL in order to get the shoulder freedom when I use them in the field.

I recently saw a very nice quality denim type I with Pendleton wool lining but the corduroy is on the wrong side of the collar. It is sewn so that it faces away from the neck when the collar is up and the entire point of the corduroy was to be against the skin. The softness kept the skin from chafing, ofcourse, and even when frozen, was much “kinder” then frozen denim.

edit: Maybe someone can refresh my memory if Levis made a corduroy collar blanket lined? I think ours are all Lee & Pennys.

-pedro

Actually, when I pulled the jacket out to snap a few pix, I saw that it is actually a size L, not an XL. It just runs so oversized that I had it in my mind as an XL. It has a 51" chest and 22" shoulders – huge for a size L. It is supposed to shrink 5 percent, though. I usually wear it over an undershirt, a button-up shirt, and sometimes a vest too. Very cozy jacket. I love oversized type I's and II's (these cuts work better and look better oversized IMO). I was very happy to find a type I or II so huge.

It is almost certainly a style with discontinued specs. It is not a vintage accurate piece, but it is L.V.C. (I have all the original tags and flasher). It has a yellow selvedge I.D. (weird, but cool looking IMO), and a modern style wool-poly blend for the blanket lining. The interior tag might not actually be leather. I do have the original tags and flasher somewhere, but I can't dig them up at the moment. I bought it N.O.S. from an independent party in England, via E-Bay. Made in Turkey for the EU market.

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White Oaks even sold the wooden shuttles from their Draper X-3 looms at $50/each when they ripped the heart out of their selvage division.

This may be an indication of how broke they were to not have sold them complete with the X-3 looms OR it just shows the heartless corporate mindset. 

I can only hope the soon-to-be jobless employees who clocked in  5 days a week for decades to keep those X-3s operating stole as much as they could smuggle past security in those final weeks.

https://www.heddels.com/2017/11/96306/

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10 hours ago, lance said:

Hey cjfergs, I do not recall how long ago I bought the jeans but here is a pic of the inside tag. Looks like you are correct, good call. You can verify by the tag. Man, how time flies!

IMG_0750.thumb.JPG.cccf38731dc144b27e2fc931ac8dfe3f.JPG

They just looked exactly like mine, which was my second LVC raw, and though the   denim of that model is no favorite of the board, it’s one of my personal favorite pairs.  

Have been looking for another in 36w, so if you’re looking to turn them around, let me know!

 

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3 hours ago, cjfergs said:

They just looked exactly like mine, which was my second LVC raw, and though the   denim of that model is no favorite of the board, it’s one of my personal favorite pairs. 

 

OK, I don’t know enough about what makes a “popular” denim. Is it a measurable quality that indicates good weave or dye? 

When I look at those photos, nothing jumps out at me as problematic. Can someone tell me which details I should be looking at?

thanks

Edited by Pedro
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22 minutes ago, Pedro said:

OK, I don’t know enough about what makes a “popular” denim. Is it a measurable quality that indicates good weave or dye? 

When I look at those photos, nothing jumps out at me as problematic. Can someone tell me which details I should be looking at?

thanks

I'm probably one of the key people (or maybe just the oldest) who doesn't like the 47 denim as much as the 55. But it's only really a subtle difference and of course all the denims vary from year to year, due to variations in the cotton crop etc etc etc.

On my pairs, the white of the 47 weft seems to peek through more than on, say, the 55. The warp yanrns on the 55 seem thicker. Those on the 47 are thinner, and have more slubbing. The fading on the 55 looks smoother, but has more mid-tones.

It probably won't come across in pix, especially as my hands seem to have been shaking. (Maynard will hopefully be along with an appropriate, or even inappropriate, joke soon).

Here's the pair together, 55 on the left, 47 on the right. Obvioulsy the 55 has been washed a few more times, but you can see it looks a little smoother.
 

4755.jpg

 

Now, this is the 55. See how it looks fairly smooth and even?
 

55.jpg

 

In comparison, on the 47, you can see lots more white dots, with the weft showing through. Plus a few fine vertical slub lines. The diagonal twill line seems less prominent.

In addition, when they're at the same kind of stage, the 55 seems to have more mid tones, it fades to a lighter blue, whereas the 47 seems to fade just to white.

47.jpg

 

 

They look quite different a way away, as well as close up. I will try and find an older shot I took to compare the shape of each.

But as you can see, the difference is pretty subtle, they have an overall similar look which is quite different to Japanese denim - apart from SDA, which to me has a very similar look indeed.

Ah yes, here's the 47 vs the 55 shot. These are probably at a couple of washes each. Note how the faded bits of the 47 go white... those of the 55 go pale blue and white.

55 & 47.jpg

Edited by Paul T
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I went ahead and went for a new pair of LVC. First new pair of LVC since I discovered TCB and got rid of all my collection that didn’t fit any more. 

I had wanted to try the ‘66 for the first time but those back pockets are just so big. So I went with what I know I like - 1955 B)

Edited by erk
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