Thai Levi's Fakes

[somatoform]

I think the real lack of leg twist disqualifies those jeans. I think thai fakes are not stf.

You're right, they are not stf. Which is why so many of them don't come in anything longer than a 32-34 inseam and why used, washed ones measure out the same as new ones.

I also notice that they don't stretch out so much at the waist. My APC's are madness at the waist right now: I look like one of those before and after weight watchers ads where the person who's lost 20 pounds is wearing an old pair of pants and is pulling out the waist to show how much they've lost.

Man, I'm really trurned off of APC's. Love the color and feel of the denim but can't stand this waistband stretch. The Thai's, in contrast, are nothing short of lovely.

[lilldavid]

these backpockets and the waxed look on the traintracks are the dead giveaways. But I think it's easy to tell a Thai-fake just by looking at the fade...

[poly800rock]

yeah, good call lilldavid. the denim used for thai levis are very unique, and really do give that distintive fade. these look almost nudie like...

[flex0r]

So was there ever any sort of group buy on these? Or was that the other thread? I'm still very interested in a raw pair. It would be my big F U to Levi's.

[cheep]

the biggest fuck you to levis would to refuse to buy anything with arcs and red tabs... show them that they are not important. as long as you buy jeans with levis trademarks you are supporting them and the case against your favorite japanese companies.

[somatoform]

these backpockets and the waxed look on the traintracks are the dead giveaways. But I think it's easy to tell a Thai-fake just by looking at the fade...

Also, the seller and price is a giveaway. Osakavintage has sold alot of 'Levis' with coin pocket and beltloop selvage in the past and all starting at $49.

These here are probably the same ones that I've got with cardboard patch, no beltloop or visible coin pocket selvage but with inside coin pocket selvage.

It's good to know they'll fade like that.

[somatoform]

So was there ever any sort of group buy on these? Or was that the other thread? I'm still very interested in a raw pair. It would be my big F U to Levi's.

There used to be some guy on here or SF who was selling them. But if I remember correctly he was charging alot more than what he would have been getting them for in bulk there--like $60 or $70 a pop when he was probably buying them for $9 a pair. Good business move. One that I would seriously consider engaging in if I were an expat in Bangkok.

[Largo]

Man, I've thought soooooo hard about doing that, but I couldn't justify the mark-up. Variables about the type of Thai fake/repro have to be considered too. Maybe someday. Is there really still a big interest?

[bonanz]

^I really want a pair. If you want to see how it goes, youknow, without the markup for the test run, shoot me a PM

[plongin]

The thing is that the Thai fakes are better than the real deal. You've basically got an APC Rescue fitting jean with a slightly lower rise and a waist that doesn't stretch all that much, certainly not to the extent that the APC's do (though not all Thai fakes are the same cut).

I'v got four pairs all dry, five if I include my second hand ones, all bought from Thailand.

The manufacturers of these jeans (Chadra, to name but one) would be well advised to cut out the Levis faking and just sell them rebranded as Thai dry selvage denim. I'd gladly pay 100 bucks for them.

I have honestly thought a bit about finding one of the manufacturers and re-branding the Thai fakes, just out of pure denim obsession, but I frankly have no idea what I'd do with them before or after the case. But if I used one of the really nice fakes with all the hidden rivets and chainstitching as a template, yeah-you'd have a really nice 50-100$ jean, all said and done. Maybe less, depending.

im actually in the process of negotiating with a thai denim manufacturer about producing a batch using the thai levis repro cuts. I'll let you guys know how it goes. I really like how thai denim fades.

the justin's i saw back in 06 were basically the same thing as levi's knockoff, but for 1000bht. why even bother, when for 400bht or less you can get levi's knockoffs.

and thats exactly why there's only one local thai premium denim brand around. everyone else figured that it'd be easier to sell knock offs.

I think prices might have dropped on Justin's since you were here though-I'd swear they were less than 2000, but like I said, I haven't really checked out their stores that much.

I remember the last time I checked out justins in 05, I swear i calculated some of the washed pairs to be about $70-100 USD. Either that or they were quoting me ridiculous prices.

[Eason]

If you want to wear them and and don't like levi's, why not just use a seam-ripper on the back pocket? I did it to my 514's.

and +1 for being interested in buying thai faded denim, if you provide I would buy.

[poly800rock]

I remember the last time I checked out justins in 05, I swear i calculated some of the washed pairs to be about $70-100 USD. Either that or they were quoting me ridiculous prices.

they're not actually washed though are they? they're WORN..........from what i remember......

[Cue]

they're not actually washed though are they? they're WORN..........from what i remember......

That's what I thought ... was like a jumble sale of old denim

The unworn fakes are all really short - just checked the pair I have - the longest I could find at the market and they are 32

Hence, they have been worn twice or something, cause they look a bit silly - and I am only 5'8"

Not a bad buy for 10 bucks or whatever I paid, but not great really. I think I will wear them for gardening/ outdoor work/ clearing logs etc and see if they fade well ...

[sybaritical]

I bought and shipped unworn fakes back to the UK for people and the longest lengths I could find were raw 34's at Sapan Poot. 350 baht.

[brightbill]

I'd like to add my name to the list for getting some raw Thai Levi's...

[s0n]

count me in too!

[Cue]

I bought and shipped unworn fakes back to the UK for people and the longest lengths I could find were raw 34's at Sapan Poot. 350 baht.

Did you manage to find any without the selvedge coin pocket? Mine have it, but I am not too worried, cause, yeah, $10...

Mind you, the Uniqlo greenlines at a tenner were a better buy

[backinthetrees]

I really like how thai denim fades.

there isn't a particular "awesomeness" wrt to thai denim quality, but you give them to a grimy dude for months on end who works odd jobs carrying, moving shit, constructing crap and chasing thai dragons, and you got a pretty nicely faded pair of jeans

[lovinthee47s]

I'd like to add my name to the list for getting some raw Thai Levi's...

count me in too!

[partytaco]

not every pair of stf 501's is going to twist severly like a 1/4 of a turn or more. i have seen pairs with almost zero to 1/8 rotation on the leg.

I think the real lack of leg twist disqualifies those jeans. I think thai fakes are not stf.

[poly800rock]

there isn't a particular "awesomeness" wrt to thai denim quality, but you give them to a grimy dude for months on end who works odd jobs carrying, moving shit, constructing crap and chasing thai dragons, and you got a pretty nicely faded pair of jeans

i disagree. i understand these guys wearing them around are usually the street vendor party boy types, but the fade of the denim in general is very "awesome" and unique. interested what someone like that would do to a pair of say samurais or something else

[rnrswitch]

not every pair of stf 501's is going to twist severly like a 1/4 of a turn or more. i have seen pairs with almost zero to 1/8 rotation on the leg.

Regular STF 501s are also NOT selvedge. Selvedge "vintage" BIG E levis have a very pronounced leg twist. That is why the pictured jeans could not be vintage levis.

[backinthetrees]

i disagree. i understand these guys wearing them around are usually the street vendor party boy types, but the fade of the denim in general is very "awesome" and unique. interested what someone like that would do to a pair of say samurais or something else

i'm not saying the fades are not awesome, i just feel that the quality of thai denim is not exceptionally "awesome", thats all.

[poly800rock]

i'm not saying the fades are not awesome, i just feel that the quality of thai denim is not exceptionally "awesome", thats all.

honestly, having had a pair of these, nudies, and apc's I'd put them in the range of lower end denim of that quality. For the $5 or $10 you'll pay for these, they'll be the same thing as paying $150-285 for nudies or $120 for apcs, and seeing how well these hold up considering the wear, i'd say they are pretty damn well constructed, seeing that samurais, skull, etc. insist on using 100% cotton thread that always breaks, which is their nature understandably so.

[Blackplatano]

So if i follow your logic, they are better constructed the 45 rpm too, right? since they use 100% cotton threads.

[poly800rock]

So if i follow your logic, they are better constructed the 45 rpm too, right? since they use 100% cotton threads.

i think you understand what i mean. ...

i'm not saying they're the most unbelievable jeans you'll ever buy, but yes, they hold their value exponentially.

[somatoform]

Man, I've thought soooooo hard about doing that, but I couldn't justify the mark-up.

Business is business. As long as they know the difference between buying through Jatujak directly or buying through you, who cares. They make the decision to pay the mark-up. Besides people, including us, are paying mark-ups all the time, those adidas, levis, samurais, all hugely marked up. But at least on this forum people know how much they are marked-up by. That's ethical.

Variables about the type of Thai fake/repro have to be considered too.

That's true. Not all Thai repros are alike, I've got four (unused) pairs myself, all different in certain ways. You'd have to document the different cuts (repros can be slim or almost bootcut at the hem and tighter or wider at the thighs), heaviness of the denim, and color (some of mine are a deep blue, others are a deep blue/grey and heavier).

In 5 months I'll be in Thailand for at least a month to 6 months max. You should consider a business partner;)

[partytaco]

not every pair of VINTAGE SELVEGE stf 501's is going to twist severly like a 1/4 of a turn or more. i have seen pairs with almost zero to 1/8 rotation on the leg.

is that better? it was implied i was talking about "vintage" levis. would i waste my time on anything but?? i know it's hard to believe but the above statement is true. not every pair is going to twist the 1/4 of a turn we all like to see.

Regular STF 501s are also NOT selvedge. Selvedge "vintage" BIG E levis have a very pronounced leg twist. That is why the pictured jeans could not be vintage levis.

[brightbill]

Man, I've thought soooooo hard about doing that, but I couldn't justify the mark-up. Variables about the type of Thai fake/repro have to be considered too. Maybe someday. Is there really still a big interest?

About mark-up: so few of us can ever get anywhere near Thailand, so time + effort + shipping is gonna make it impossible to charge everyone ten bucks for their pair. $40 might seem like a lot, quadruple what you paid for the jeans, but that's also about the retail of basic American STF Levi's...

[Cue]

^^^ exactly. I was thinking about offering the service, but people we so so so demanding - acting like little bitches. I think some of them just couldn't comprehend that Thailand isn't America, and that the places that sell these jeans aren't like American shops. The jeans are sold in big piles by someone who doesn't speak English that well and/ or necessarily understand why westerners are so fussy about things like the wrong coloured patch on the back of 501s.

For the sake of earning $10 comission here and there, and then facing up with piss-ant buyers it just wasn't worth it for me - esp as I had PMs from people asking if they could return the jeans if they didn't fit - WTF?

sorry - my early morning rant