Tender Co. Denim

[redragon]

18 hours ago, oomslokop said:

hope u stay safe (and dry!) man

sempet kebanjiran gak?

Lets just say…its part of tradition now 😂

agree with @julian-wolf , the latest newsletter is a delight to read, totally unexpected. Makes me want to go back to wearing my 131 again…

[oomslokop]

129 in molleton since 2016 w/ striped u belt (since 2017). size 4 (36?), now a bit tight on me hence the vertical rubbed out black dye near one of the belt hole coz ive had to move back one hole since getting fatter. the water stain on the belt came from water creeping up from my arse as i sat down after getting caught in the rain; never treated the leather even though i have one of @rodeo bill's mutton tallow cream (out of laziness), seems to be doing fine. u can see ive also done a bit of diy mending on the left back pocket a few years ago which seems to have held up fine as well. apart from the yoke line fade under the top corners of the back pockets, my fave evo on this jeans is the the back of the "tenderfold"; i unfold them whenever i wash the jeans (often enough) but they always almost naturally come back to take on the same shape. big big love. my fave jeans ever, wish i could still afford a pair now. 

 

Edited January 30 by oomslokop
longer caption

[rodeo bill]

On 1/23/2026 at 1:44 PM, MJF9 said:

Fair play... all the worn Tender jeans on these pages look fking great!! 👏

here's another pair to add to the collection! From a friend of a friend in Japan, so I can't credit, but these are 132s, worn with a 200 belt:

[rodeo bill]

On 1/23/2026 at 12:23 AM, julian-wolf said:

@rodeo bill Really enjoyed the last newsletter, and it got me thinking about starting in on another pair of your jeans after the Word of Mouth contest finishes up

Would you mind posting measurements of the 125, 132, and 136 in size 4 unborn denim, and / or in commenting on any qualitative differences in how the three fit through the seat / hips / waist? Maybe also size 3 for the 136? (I currently have the 132 in size 4, so I'd be using those a main point of reference)

Thanks for this! I'm really pleased you enjoyed the newsletter. If anyone feels like reading it without signing up you can find it here, and all previous pieces at the bottom of the tender stores homepage. Here are some measurements for Unborn jeans. NB the denim isn't sanforized and you can expect about 2" shrink in the waist and 3" in the leg, although it'll also stretch out 1"+ with some wear.

 

125 size 4:

Waist: 37.5"

Front rise: 13"

Back rise: 17.5"

Thigh (3” down from crotch): 13"

Hem: 9"

Inseam: 40”

 

132 size 4:

Waist: 37."

Front rise: 13"

Back rise: 16.25"

Thigh (3” down from crotch): 14"

Hem: 9.25"

Inseam: 40”

 

136 size 3:

Waist: 36"

Front rise: 12.5"

Back rise: 16"

Thigh (3” down from crotch): 14"

Hem: 11.25"

Inseam: 40”

 

136 size 4:

Waist: 38"

Front rise: 12.75"

Back rise: 16.5"

Thigh (3” down from crotch): 14.5"

Hem: 11.5"

Inseam: 40”

 

I hope that helps! Always happy to help with measurements, and always please feel free to email.

[rodeo bill]

A friend in Japan just sent me some photos of a really beautiful Type 900 jacket

Great marbling on the sleeves, particularly 

[julian-wolf]

Finally pulling the Flowerpot Trews out of storage to mix into the rotation

 Super cool pants

feat. Power Wear, Russell

[Georg]

My Tender belt needs some love and repair. What thread should I use? Can I clean the leather with mild soap before greasing it?

[CSL]

There's something called saddle soap that I would imagine working ok.

[julian-wolf]

Hemmed the trews & used the scrap for belt loops…funny side effect is that, like the pants themselves, they’re cut on the bias!

[rodeo bill]

On 2/24/2026 at 4:21 AM, Georg said:

My Tender belt needs some love and repair. What thread should I use? Can I clean the leather with mild soap before greasing it?

Looks lovely, and yes well worth repairing. These were sewn with waxed 'Tiger' brand thread, which you should be able to find on eBay etc. I've not used saddle soap, but I agree with @CSL it should do the trick.

Anyone that's not seen this belt before- it's a really cool design. It was part of the small Tender / For Holding Up The Trousers project. This is a response to the slightly unsatisfactory way that the leather folded over a buckle has to be skived thinner than the rest of the belt, and is just sewn around the top of the belt (not at all a major issue, I would say, but was something fun to question). The belt was cut from thinned leather, double the length of the belt. The buckle prong hole was made in the center, then the entire belt is folded in half and sewn all round. Here's how it looked when it was new:

 

[rodeo bill]

follow up to @Georg's question. It reminded me that I hadn't been in touch with Morten, who made the belt, in a while, so I took the opportunity to say hello. I was wrong about the thread- here's his reply:

The thread is Waxed 18/5 Linen Thread Somac 300g. I have never used soap on leather, I usually use like warm water with some baking soda to clean leather before re greasing.

Only adding this for completeness sake! Tiger thread is good stuff too- the main thing is to either use pre-waxed thread, or to wax it as you go.

[Georg]

Wonderful, @rodeo bill, now my questions have been answered perfectly. To revive this beautiful belt, I would like to use the original thread if possible. I'll start looking for it and get to work at some point. Probably not as elegantly as Morten did here pictured a few pages earlier. Many thanks! 

 

[Lorcan]

new season denim jacket popping up at a couple of the Japanese stockists

https://diaries-shop.com/tenderco-type-904-cross-cut-jeans-jacket-16oz-selvage-denim-purple-logwood

https://shop.pheb.jp/shopdetail/000000011746

[rodeo bill]

yes indeed! I'll have this up on the Stores in the next couple of days, too. 904, it's cut sideways with the selvage along the bottom edge of the body and the cuffs. There's no side seam, and the sleeves are put on upside-down. There are four pockets, two at the front, two at the back, and a larger, shaped collar based on the Ambler coat from Autumn/Winter 2025. Also that's a nice preview of the return of purple logwood denim!

More soon

[julian-wolf]

Loving how my shades (I think from ca. 2020) are aging—top notch oxidation on the rivets and hinges, & nice to see how the lettering’s worn away only at my temples

[oomslokop]

from the first batch with almost no ear clip. was it from a different maker (cmiiw) to the later batches @rodeo bill?

[rodeo bill]

It's so lovely to see these again! I'll play, here is the pair I'm wearing today. It's actually a Frankenstein pair from pieces left over after a batch: blue fronts with black sides.

 

They were all made by the same person, but the first few runs were made through a middleman, who eventually just introduced me to the maker and left us to it (complicated, small quantities, different priorities from normal customers haha)

[knucks]

Saw that my local shop (Today Clothing, https://www.todayclothing.com/collections/tender ) got the Type 136 in, wanted to try them out.

 

Walked out with the Type 136 as well as the type 402.
Pics, maybe, tomorrow? Chopped the legs on the 136 and will hem them eventually..

[knucks]

Wore them today like this. Hemmed them this evening.

Size 2.

ill wear em for a week and do another update

Edited March 22 by knucks

[knucks]

Has anyone successfully unwrinkled the wrinkles? I imagine after a wash it'll help (speaking more about the shirts )

I also placed an order for the Type132, unborn. The 130 is a bit too slim for me.

Edited March 22 by knucks

[knucks]

OK well this has escalated.

Type136, Type132, Type402, Type457 and Type439. 

[rodeo bill]

On 3/24/2026 at 7:19 PM, knucks said:

OK well this has escalated.

Type136, Type132, Type402, Type457 and Type439. 

and a 200 made up and on the way to you! Thank you 🙂 and I'm sure we'd love to see photos. Really appreciate your enthusiasm!

[ATWM]

@knucks I'm pleased that I'm not the only big Tender fan in Ann Arbor. 

The one think I don't own is shirts (lots of jackets, a few jeans, a few knits, boots) As for the wrinkles I think most of us who like the brand at least consider it a part of the charm just more broadly - the industrial sewing method tends to emphasize skewing and puckering in fabrics. 

[knucks]

2 hours ago, ATWM said:

@knucks I'm pleased that I'm not the only big Tender fan in Ann Arbor. 

The one think I don't own is shirts (lots of jackets, a few jeans, a few knits, boots) As for the wrinkles I think most of us who like the brand at least consider it a part of the charm just more broadly - the industrial sewing method tends to emphasize skewing and puckering in fabrics. 

I want a jacket but worry about sizing. Eric doesn't have what I want in stock at the shop..

What jackets do you own @ATWM

[ATWM]

24 minutes ago, knucks said:

I want a jacket but worry about sizing. Eric doesn't have what I want in stock at the shop..

What jackets do you own @ATWM

sent you a PM 

[julian-wolf]

Partner picked this belt up on eBay (I think from our own @JDelage, hah) and I’ve been enjoying borrowing it, esp. to pair w/ the Flowerpot Trews

 

feat. Feaw, Tezo, Tricker’s

[knucks]

Type 132 after soak and dry

[JDelage]

@julian-wolf - Indeed! I was wondering if it went to you. Glad to see you wearing it!

[lemmywinks]

went from seeing this thread over 10 years ago and thinking why would anyone ever buy these jeans to wanting a pair now (maybe because of the trend towards wider cuts in denim)

i'm looking at the 132 woad 

any thoughts on getting the regular vs cross weave? i feel not a lot of cross weave is posted on here.

[ATWM]

2 hours ago, lemmywinks said:

went from seeing this thread over 10 years ago and thinking why would anyone ever buy these jeans to wanting a pair now (maybe because of the trend towards wider cuts in denim)

i'm looking at the 132 woad 

any thoughts on getting the regular vs cross weave? i feel not a lot of cross weave is posted on here.

I’ve got a jacket in the cross weave. It’s just a matter of preference I suppose. I like them both. 

The crossweave is certainly heavier and thicker, and it has a lighter overall appearance. Fades will be a little less pronounced because the face of the fabric is not as consistently dark. Then again, that is the case already with the over dyed pairs, and for me sort of a secondary thing. The standard denim alone is a substantial and very dark one. Probably not a lot is posted here of the crossweave because there aren’t a lot of pairs in circulation, I think it was a sort of limited run whereas the normal jeans are continuously produced. 

As for why anyone would want to wear them I’ve seen other worn and beat up pairs of jeans that look maybe just as great but probably none that are actually better. Tender’s some of the most rewarding stuff to wear over time IMO, it can be stubborn but is also unique and does get better and better.