Cone Mills White Oak

[Paul T]

Some Cone denim is generic, just as some denim from, say, Edwin, is generic. That's what you had on your Gustin's. You have to compare like with like - look at, say, Roy's loomstate or LVC 1915, and compare that with the best Japanese denim. I was looking thru photos recently, and was struck by how the Roy contest jeans looked great at absolutely every stage of their wear - not all denim does that.

I put this piece up to educate people and it's really worth reading, to get a feel for what varies between denims (yarns, then dyeing), and what doesn't really (how the denim is loomed).

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

Very nice story about Cone Denim Paul T, I wonder if you were thinking about the "new" 1915 from last year, a denim that i really love for it´s slubby, unsigned and pale blue denim. Especially now while it´s becoming too warm for my Sugar Canes...

Also wonder if you got any information, that LVC is going for new and "better" Cone denims in future.(1915&1890 beeing revised recently). Would be nice seeing the 1947 made from a heavier version of the 1915 denim.

[Paul T]

I honestly don't know. But I'm hopeful there will be revisions and improvements to LVC. This interview was before the 'new" 1915 which I don't know anything about; I think it's safe to say now that the Roy x Cone contest jeans used the XX15 warp yarn, and that counts as some of the best denim I've ever worn.

[Shorty Long]

It's really great that LVC has committed to using great denim from Cone, but until they stop cutting corners on other specs (hardware, pocket bags, etc.), I'll have a hard time buying in.

[Paul T]

Second part of my interview with Allen Little, who designs the yarns at cone. Be prepared to geek.

https://loomstate.blogspot.co.uk/2016/07/gripping-yarns-part-2-hairy-experience.html

[mikecch]

^ Many thanks for the wonderful reading Paul! Very informative.

By the way, if you are still curious re: old Sugar Cane jeans with 100% Ai denim, I can try and scan from their old catalogues for you. There were 4 top of the line models I believe that used the pure natural dye. Let me know.

[Mojique]

I seem to wear through Cone denim much more quickly than Japanese denim...

I just hope that my new 3sixteen+ prove the exception...

[bod]

Wore my LVC 66's for 2 years straight without any probs 

[Mojique]

My 3sixteen577bsp are Cone and I love them, but generally prefer Japanese denim..

[wornowt]

Hello everyone.  Here are some photos of my WGC Grand St, made from Cone Mills denim.   I am on my second week of wear.  I really like the swiftness with which they have broken in. 

 

[ATWM]

I've been going through my archives lately with an eye towards photographs of workers.

In 2016 I got - as my digital records indicate - 30 minutes on the famed White Oak facility floor. 8:35 - 9:05 AM. It was before I knew much about denim, and to be honest - visiting this spot was what led me to this place on the forum.

When I was there, I was focused on the people and what they were doing. Not the looms, nor the displays of vintage denim. I wouldn't have even known to look at what was interesting from a technical perspective.

I look back on the archive of this job and hope these folks landed on their feet but I don't know. I'm still sore that this place shut down, even though my connection to it was just this short visit. I'm grateful the workers gave me a few seconds of their time while they were juggling the multiple machines that made the floor shake. What I mostly remember was just lamenting I only had thirty minutes on the floor, it seemed that this place warranted so much more time if I wanted to due the least bit of justice to photographing the people and the space. Unfortunately I can't find my notebook from the time, which gave me the information of these people's names and more. Anyways, here are a few pictures to share from one of the later months that this facility was in operation. These are some of the awesome people that made some of the best denim that I hope a few of you are wearing. 

I figured starting a thread here for anything White Oak related could be suitable?

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Very nice, thanks for sharing!

I gonna merge with this thread:

https://supertalk.superfuture.com/topic/88718-cone-denim-mills-thread/

[ATWM]

2 minutes ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Very nice, thanks for sharing!

I gonna merge with this thread:

https://supertalk.superfuture.com/topic/88718-cone-denim-mills-thread/

ah - perfect. Somehow it didn't come up in search - I think because I was focusing on white oak. 

[NilsLW]

@AlientoyWorkmachine Amazing pictures, really cool that you took these and honestly I prefer this over an image of a shuttle loom. Imo not only are they cool from a denim-nerd standpoint but they are also good pictures in their own right.

[ATWM]

@NilsLW thanks. It’s maybe not my favorite set but given I had 30 minutes to work it’s okay. Some of these are a little too quickly finished maybe but I’m not sending them off for a job. There was more than I remembered when I went into the archive hence the post today. 

[mlwdp]

Having lived in Greensboro “Jeansboro” many years ago and posting about in the what are your jeans doing thread awhile back, this post I greatly appreciated.

[tooth]

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.

[Dr_Heech]

9 minutes ago, tooth said:

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.
...

^This

[ATWM]

1 hour ago, tooth said:

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.

Thanks! It's a good question - but I very much hope the focus would still be on the workers. If it wasn't, I'd have to take a minute to reflect on my priorities with my work. (Well that, and if I didn't have a pictures of people my editor would have been upset). I did make some pictures of looms, worn denim displays etc, but they just bore me, so I didn't take the time to finish them.

I guess what I meant by that is that, for this forum, the post might lack the sort of niche information that might be appreciated. While I like the denim stuff, I don't and never much have found the technical stuff all that interesting - it wouldn't be interesting without the people who make it or wear it!