east/west jeans?

[isdenn]

so jc penney had a crazy sale last week or a couple of weeks ago, cant remember exactly...and while i was there getting some luggage on the cheap, i decided to check out the denim, and found these raw denim jeans by a company called east/west...copped them for something like 20 bucks (marked down from $56 i believe). ive worn them a few times, they fit well (measurements are 16.5" across the waist (stretched about 1" since i got them), 30" length, 8.5" across the knee) and are comfortable. the creases are starting to become a little more defined.

has anyone ever heard of this company before? the tags on the jeans descibe them as 'hand-finished' (what does that mean exactly anyway?) and dyed with natural indigo (they definitely smell different from any other jeans ive ever owned) im not a big denim person but im curious about these and i like them so i wanted to see who else has come across them. also i am planning on taking out the back pocket stitching since i kind of hate how it looks.