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FOB Factory


john11f

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Yes, judging from the F191 FOB is definitely an underrated and underrepresented brand. Construction is easily on par with Warehouse and Fullcount in my opinion and the denim is really nice and dark. It's a shame that so many old pictures in this thread are gone as well as all of Hoggreasers old posts on the F191.

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  • 6 months later...

Might try and cop a pair from Denimio if they can get me some actual measurements.

Would prefer to buy from a smaller shop but if they're making it that easy might try them out.

According to their measurements (which are usually wrong) the size 36 F191 has an 11.8 in. front rise. That's not too bad.

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Hi guys, I've been looking at the older posts about FOB factory jeans and these look exceptional. I remember holding a pair while in tokyo and the denim looked really dark, like eternals. Would you have feedback on the current 5P denim? Are these fast faders? How is the shrinkage? I am looking at the F191 ww2 cut and the f151. 

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3 minutes ago, mousemouse said:

Hi guys, I've been looking at the older posts about FOB factory jeans and these look exceptional. I remember holding a pair while in tokyo and the denim looked really dark, like eternals. Would you have feedback on the current 5P denim? Are these fast faders? How is the shrinkage? I am looking at the F191 ww2 cut and the f151. 

hello! we sell them , we might have what you need! we do free shipping all over the world

 

code for free shipping : signetforsufu 

 

https://thesignetstore.com/collections/fob-factory

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5 minutes ago, mousemouse said:

Hi guys, I've been looking at the older posts about FOB factory jeans and these look exceptional. I remember holding a pair while in tokyo and the denim looked really dark, like eternals. Would you have feedback on the current 5P denim? Are these fast faders? How is the shrinkage? I am looking at the F191 ww2 cut and the f151. 

ohh to answer how they fade,, theyre slow faders! the colors are really deep and dark but the new one with the G3 denim i think will fade a little faster than their normal fabric 

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1 hour ago, beautiful_FrEaK said:

Got these some months ago but never posted them, FOB Factory F151.
Did a little write-up about them as well over on reddit which I will copy&paste here.

The whole Album

First, I would like to start with introducing you to the brand itself before talking about the jeans.

FOB Factory is a brand you rarely see here although it has been around since 1995. Located in the prefecture Okayama, the denim mecca of Japan. To be precise, in Kojima (near Kurashiki).
The name FOB Factory derives from the incoterm free on board (FOB) and should express the direct connection from the factory to the customer
The current president is Seiji Isono but you can find older videos on YouTube where Hiromichi Okumoto was the president of FOB Factory. The parent company is Studio Ecru Inc.
FOB only uses proprietary fabrics which they develop together with the mills. They also use organic cotton. The jeans are sewn in their own sewing factory.
FOB offers not only denim products but also military inspired garments like baker pants and field jackets. Shirts and knitwear complete the selection. They also offer stretch denim and pre-faded jeans and denim shirts. The branding is rather subtle and most visible only on their jeans with their unique arcs and often a green tab (some models feature a red tab). The styling is minimalistic.

Their motto is “Find New Wisdom Through Old Things”

Here are two short videos about FOB Factory

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FZaIOlqDiTM&feature=emb_logo

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbFJOafdUz4&feature=youtu.be

And now to the jeans. The F151 is FOB Factory’s flagship model in their flagship XX denim. It takes inspiration from the famous Levi’s 501XX from the 40s/50s, meaning it takes the typical XX details but does not follow the fit pattern too closely.

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The Fit
The jeans are the typical 5P design and are described as a slim straight cut with a medium rise. So in comparison to the original Levi’s 501 we have a lower front and back rise for a more fitted look in the top block. The legs are on the slimmer side with a gentle taper, resulting in a more modern looking silhouette. This has been done with the Japanese customer in mind but also works for us bigger Westerners if you do not need/want a higher rise 501 cut.
I sized them true to size to hopefully be able to wear them without a belt.

Here are the raw measurements for a size 34 (Blue in Green method):
Waist: 34.5”
Front rise: 11.2”
Back rise: 16”
Thigh: 13.25”
Knee: 9.4”
Leg opening: 8.5”
Inseam: 36”

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The Denim
FOB Factory’s XX denim is made from 100% US Supima Cotton, which is known for its extra-long stable fibers. The denim is woven at the famous Nihon Menpu mill in Ibara. It is made from #6 warp and #6 weft yarns and clocks in at 14.75oz, a solid mid-weight, perfect for the whole year. The selvedge lame is done in a thin classic red, just like on the role model Levi’s.
The warp yarns are rope dyed multiple (eight) times to a very dark indigo tone. In raw state there is subtle greycast to the denim but after soaking the denim got darker and developed a subtle purple hue. The Supima cotton is said to be 40% stronger than “normal” cotton and absorbs the indigo easily. Because of the extensive rope-dyeing the denim will fade slow.
The texture of the denim is in line with what most repro orientated brands like Denime, Full Count or Warehouse want to achieve: a slight irregular texture with minor slubs and nep here and there, a hairy surface. Overall a romanticized version of the denim from the 40s/50s.

EXHeIvbh.jpgujKZwjeh.jpgAU7T1Blh.jpg

The Details/Construction
As the F151 takes inspiration from the 501XX we also see the typical details.
The jeans are closed with the obligatory button fly with branded iron buttons. These buttons are made in the US. There is the period-correct V-stitch at the top button. FOB Factory branded copper rivets at the usual spots as well as hidden rivets (not branded). We have lemon and brown/gold constructional stitching distributed over the jeans in various thicknesses just as the iconic 501XX of those times. The yarns are also made from 100% cotton.
Construction of these jeans take place at FOB’s own sewing factory and they use vintage sewing machines. The quality of the construction/sewing is meticulous, no loose or missed threads. I found some pieces of cut off threads on the inside but we are talking man-made products here.
The leather patch on the right side at the waistband is made of dear leather and shows a bridge that many (myself included) deem to be the Great Seto Bridge (Seto-Ohashi) which connects Okayama and Kagawa.
But I was corrected. The bridge on the patch is in fact a fictional bridge which should be seen as a symbol to connect the factory with the customer.
FOB used to have a different leather patch years ago but the Levi’s lawsuit forced to change it. This had also an impact of the tab and arcuate design. Nowadays we have a green FOB-tab made of rayon at the right back pocket and the arcs feature a shape reminding me of Lee’s Lazy S design including some wild zigzag stitching in the middle. In fact the arcuates should resemble the letter f on each pocket so f f = FOB Factory and the zigzag stitching is inspired by reinforcement stitching found on old military garments before the bartack was introduced.
As a true repro we also have the hidden coin pocket selvedge with the peek-a-boo detail on both sides. The belt loops are slightly raised to reduce the stress on the stitching but this will usually also lead to nice fades. Pocket bags are made from off-white heavy-duty canvas fabric.
FOB offers repairs for their jeans but the customer would have to pay for the shipping.

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The Conclusion
The F151 does not need to hide behind the flagship models of the other big Japanese brands. We have the same quality of construction, a proprietary denim made from high quality cotton, the typical design and detail choices. The price is in line with brands like Studio d’Artisan, Full Count or Denime. The arcs and green tab as well the contrast stitching make them a bit louder than e.g. Warehouse but comparable to SdA.
Slow fading denim without crazy slubs or dyed weft might be a deal-breaker for some but for the enthusiast of repro denim and details this could be the selling point. There are not many faded examples around on the internet probably because of the slow fading. The most extreme examples are from jeans worn (or owned) for 5 or more years.
If you like a timeless but modernized fit and are in for the long run these might the right choice!

 0SFGAcCh.jpg

There Ww2 ones look good

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