Sugar Cane Denim

[lobster_for_lunch]

Yeah I think the price at CC is bonkers too, but the thing I reacted to was that the expected way of enlightenment was to first buy the goods in a brick and mortar store and then advancing to finding out that the same product can be bought online straight from Japan at a much cheaper cost (and even cheaper if you “mark the item as a gift”). Then people complain about stores closing down, like what happened with Oi Polloi and many more. I guess it’s all been said before and that we all are on the same page. 

[MJF9]

For comparison on the SC tux

Japan retail:

• Blouse 52000 Yen = ~£272
• Jeans 42000 Yen = ~£220
• Total 94000 Yen = ~£492

Versus

UK retail:

• £649
• £599
• Total £1248

Massive difference... not even close... and therefore harder to rationalise through import costs, taxes and overheads... as Japan aint exactly a low cost retail centre either

I'm all for supporting 'local' businesses and I've bought previously from CC et al - and would again - but there are limits to that

Edited April 3 by MJF9

[Maynard Friedman]

Regardless of the intercontinental price differential, what do owners of the new SC WW2 garments think? How do they compare to CSF for example, which have (price and sales policies aside) been held in high regard by many on here for their attention to detail and period accuracy, etc?

[MJF9]

To compare, I've only got the Freewheelers 1944-45 type 1 and WW2 jeans and the Connors 1946 first part jacket, not strictly WW2 but it uses WW2 denim... and the book.  I've never handled any jeans from WW2 era or had a forensic look at the Sugar Cane details yet.  

After that disclaimer ... a few quick observations... 

Immediately obvious is the Sugar Cane have no red tab.  Not sure why unless the original they copied from had the red tab missing... answers on a postcard please

All the denims have grainy character.  Different but all nice.  Connors is superb denim that fades amazingly well; FW excellent vertical character; Sugar Cane is very irregular, dark and looks very promising (like it a lot).  From what I've read, this character is expected.  I don't know which is closer to WW2 standard; irrespective I'm not sure Mavis on the till at Waitrose supermarket does either and not one person had has commented... yet!! 

On the jacket, the fits are interesting to me. The Freewheelers is a jacket - longer and more spacious. The Connors and Sugar Cane are blouses imo - both nice and short.  The Connors slimmer through the body, relatively, and the Sugar Cane boxier.   They all have their different uses.

The Sugar Cane sewing is most wonky by far with loose ends all over the place (which I've cut off).  Freewheelers the cleanest and doesn't have that made-by-inexperienced-machinists feel.  

Sugar Cane have aged the buttons (laurel wreath and donut) on both jeans and blouse compared to the clean and shinier Freewheelers, and they feel slightly less substantial but still sound.  Freewheelers hardware (in my experience) is top-notch sturdy.  Both are very nice.

Callin b_F for a proper jeans comparison 😉

Like my children, I love them all... though they are similar yet different

[Dr_Heech]

1 hour ago, MJF9 said:

... a few quick observations... 

Immediately obvious is the Sugar Cane have no red tab.  Not sure why unless the original they copied from had the red tab missing... answers on a postcard please 

 

The original pair that Sugarcane copied are featured in the Vintage denim thread (wasn't aware when l originally posted the pics but have since amended the post) and they indeed have a red tab.

[Maynard Friedman]

The lack of a red tab on your jeans or any Sugar Cane items manufactured post-2006ish is almost certainly for ‘other’ reasons. I’m sure you’re playing with us here @MJF9 😆

[MJF9]

Haha I wasn't tbh Maynard though my memory and knowledge both have limitations!!!  Why are some brands ok and others not?  
(I'd have thought the situation now should be one of consistency)

Edited April 3 by MJF9

[Maynard Friedman]

^ That I really don’t know mate, hopefully someone who does can chime in.

[MJF9]

^ I suspect it may be a case of 'once bitten, twice shy'

Interestingly, I mentioned this to an informed friend for comment... the FW tab is actually burgundy, not red... seems the spectre over tab sewing is real

1998/99 Canes v FW 1937...

(Sorry to derail thread but it's linked to the above)

Edited April 4 by MJF9

[Talan]

Managed to get my hands on one of the last(?) available pairs of SC49007 Non-Wash from Japan.

 

[beautiful_FrEaK]

Nice pic (and purchase).

Sugar Cane claimed that this second restock was the final one so you are probably right.