From farm field to cotton mill: The making of America's denim

By Wayne Drash,CNN
October 30, 2009
rion, Georgia (CNN) -- Christopher Wolfe has a Tough As Nails, I Love America attitude. His pride swells along with his tattooed biceps. He's a dying breed, a blue-collar American working on a product as American as apple pie.
Blue jeans.
"This is our lifeline," Wolfe says.
Those jeans you squeezed into this morning? It's likely they began right here at Mount Vernon Mills, one of the last functioning cotton mills in America and the nation's No. 1 producer of denim.
In a tiny enclave of northwest Georgia, Wolfe and 1,200 of his colleagues churn out enough denim per week for 800,000 pairs of blue jeans.
Most U.S. mills shut down years ago, unable to compete with cheap overseas labor. And in another sign of the global economy, the fabric woven here is rarely sent to American plants to be turned into jeans. Instead, the fabric is shipped mostly to factories in Mexico. The jeans then carry labels that read "Made in Mexico of U.S. fabric."

Blame NAFTA. Blame outsourcing. Blame corporate greed for the selling out of America's manufacturing soul.
"I'd rather see people over here work, instead of struggling -- instead of giving somebody in another country a chance to make money that [Americans] should be making," says Wolfe, 31.
He's got a scar across his forehead, a shaved head and goatee. Like a pair of well-worn blue jeans, he's rough and tough.

Some workers here are second- and third-generation employees, following in the footsteps of their fathers, mothers and grandparents. Wolfe's dad and brother work at the mill.
You can see the pride in their faces: Made in U.S.A., baby. "We contribute a lot to America," Wolfe says with a smile.
He's a father of four young daughters. He makes about $9 an hour. He toils for them, for his little girls, so they can have a better a life.
"This mill here," he says, "it feeds my family."
It has been in existence since 1845, when slaves handpicked cotton in the South. Back then, mill workers spun the cotton into fabric and shipped it to factories in the North.
It's said Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman came through Trion, Georgia, during the Civil War and decided not to burn the factory down. The reason remains town lore. Some speculate the Union general might've been treated to the charms of Southern hospitality at the local hotel (wink, wink).
What's a good Southern tale without -- dare we say it? -- some yarnspinning.
"Boss Man" who fights for workers
Inside, you can't help but marvel at the scene around you. Hundreds of spools of thread churn all at once, with computer-like precision. There's a million-square-feet of manufacturing space, much of it Canadian rock maple hardwood floors. It's clean with a brilliant shine. Thread shoots every which way, as if Spider-Man came through.

The sweet, distinct smell of cotton permeates the mill -- like that of nature in a hardwood forest, with the faint hint of a wet Labrador retriever.
When you walk through with general manager Don Henderson, the workers pause. They glance at "Boss Man". Many stroll over to shake his hand. How you doing? Everything, OK?
Henderson is one reason this place is still in business, on American soil. He has an aww-shucks attitude. He'll tell you it's those men and women out there on the floor that keep it going. He's got pride in the plant, in his workers and in his family.
His father worked for 39 years in the spinning department. His brother retired from the plant after 42 years, having started when he was 16 and eventually making his way into management.
"If I had the ultimate say-so, we would be right here for the next 100 years," says Henderson, 64, who has worked in the plant for 40 years.
While the nation's manufacturing base has shrunk, Mount Vernon Mills is a rare exception. The tiny town of Trion -- pronounced Try-On, as in "our residents always 'try on,'" 78-year-old Mayor Benny Perry says -- has a staggeringly large annual budget for such a small town. Its $12 million, mostly from taxes the mill pays, provides a state-of-the-art public school, park space and athletic fields.
If the mill shuttered, "it would destroy the town," Perry says.
In its heydey, the mill had 5,000 workers in the 1940s and 1950s. The company owned everything in town back then, from the tiny mill houses that surround the plant to the town hospital where Henderson and many of his co-workers were born.

As a result, Trion doesn't have a quaint town square. The mill is the centerpiece.
About two years ago, when the nation's recession hit hard, the plant had to layoff about 200 workers. "It was awful," Henderson says.
To save as many jobs as possible and to maximize efficiency, the plant switched to two, 12-hour shifts. That's down from three shifts, five days a week.
The denim for jeans goes to companies as wide-ranging as Wal-Mart to JCPenney to Dickies to Polo and other high-priced brands. Henderson's most proud of the mill's ties to cowboys.
"We make the Wrangler rodeo cowboy jeans that all the rodeo guys still wear," he says. "We make the fabric right here and have been for -- gosh -- 30 years."
Henderson holds up one roll of distressed fabric that's nearly ready to be shipped. It's denim that once was used for lower-end clothing. But yuppies like the look. Henderson chuckles and shakes his head.
Martha Teague is 63 and has worked in the mill for the past 35 years. She says other company towns had bosses that sold them out, that cared more about the dollar than its people.
"It just gives me a good feeling to be a part of that family of Mount Vernon Mills," says Teague, who has a son working at the plant.
"It has educated my children and gives us a house and everything we have really."
Wolfe wheels 13,000 yards of yarn into the dimly lit "ballroom." It's placed among a heap of others. "We're lucky to have what we got. Other small towns, they don't have that."
He turns and walks away in the orange glow of the ballroom.
You want to know a secret? A $12 pair of jeans often comes from the same roll of denim as a $150 designer pair.

Source:
http://edition.cnn.com/2009/US/10/30/blue.jeans.mill/

http://www.noticemejeans.com

How to Pick the Best Jeans for Your Body Type

Bukisa


http://www.bukisa.com/videos/160848_how-to-pick-the-best-jeans-for-your-body-type#at

http://www.noticmejeans.com

Keyboard Jeans

This has got to be the geekiest attire ever. This is one fashion statement that I really do not think will get any farther than this page unless you want to buy a pair for your favorite geek or geekette to give them a hint. Getting a pair of these jeans as a gift would certainly be a huge statement about being on the computer too much. The designer Erik De Nijs allows you to surf online with your keyboard on your jeans, speakers in your knees, and even a joystick placed where, yes behind the front zipper

http://www.techviva.com/keyboard-jeans/11457

http://www.noticemejeans.com

Lee Timeline Video

Slamxhype

October 27th 09, 14:17 | Allan

Despite a long and illustrious history Lee jeans have always been living in the shadow of their rivals Levi’s. However, its been great to see that through subtle use of their heritage and clever product development in Japan and Europe their brand reputation has seen a significant rise over the last few years, without the need for flashy ad campaigns. This video celebrates Lee with a timeline of the company’s milestones from the 1880s through to the 1970s.
Check out video below
Source:
http://vimeo.com/7259067

http://www.noticemejeans.com

How To Acid Wash Denim Quickly

Life123
Answers at the speed of life

Acid wash jeans are created by exposing the denim material to a chemical process that strips away much of the indigo dye, leaving the pants a much lighter color. Although early acid wash denim featured a mostly uniform color, today’s styles tend to be more random with an almost tie-dyed look. Getting started is easy with a little help:

• What you’ll need. You’ll need a few supplies to get started, including: Some garments to acid wash (jeans are a natural, but don’t forget denim skirts and shorts), heavy rubber gloves, old clothes (in case of splashing or over-spray) and household bleach.

• Getting ready. Set up a work area in a spot where a bleach spill won’t ruin your day. Avoid carpeted areas or areas near furniture—your laundry room or out on the driveway are both good choices.

• You’re all wet. To begin, soak your garment in water until it is thoroughly wet. Wring the garment out to remove excess moisture, but make sure it stays damp.

• Think fast! To acid wash your denim garment; you’ll be using bleach. Work quickly, as the bleach will damage the fabric if it’s left on too long. Try to finish the bleach portion of the project in less than 10 minutes.

• Get bleachy. For a uniform look, dunk your entire garment in bleach—wearing rubber gloves, of course! For a more random look, bunch the garment into a wad and tie it with a bit of leftover rope or string and then dunk the garment in bleach. For a random look with more control, lay the garment out and splash bleach haphazardly over the garment. Next, spread the bleach over the garment with a sponge.

• Wash and dry. When you’ve finished spreading the bleach, let it sit for a minute or two, but no longer than 10 minutes total. Wash and dry the garment as you normally would.

http://www.noticemejeans.com

Source: http://www.life123.com/home-garden/housekeeping/laundry/How-to-Acid-Wash-Denim.shtml#STS=g16z8h4k.lbm

What does it take to Grow Cotton for one Pair of Jeans

Just to give you an idea, it takes about 1,500 gallons of water to grow the cotton used to make only one pair of jeans.

It's time for some jean therapy from The Huntsville Times

Sunday, October 11, 2009
Real Simple magazine
Huntsville Times

If you have a tummy.

Select a moderate rise, which is about 8 to 9 inches from the crotch to the waist. The waistband should hit just below your belly button, so that it will cover your stomach and rein in the problem area. Also look for a wide waistband and a bit of stretch (roughly 2 percent); both will provide a subtle, girdle-like effect.

If you have full hips and thighs look for a contoured waist and a higher rise in the back than in the front. And the front rise shouldn't be less than 8 inches. "The waistband should hit at the hipbone or the belly button," says Gretta Monahan, a co-host of Bravo's "Tim Gunn's Guide to Style." To hold in and slim the thighs, opt for a rigid fabric that has no more than 2 percent stretch.

If you have an hourglass figure

"The curvier you are, the more you need jeans that are cut higher in the back to fit over your seat and keep you covered," says Blair Newell, vice president of product development for Zafu.com, an online jeans matchmaker. Also, look for a contoured waistband (you'll notice a seam that indicates the waistband was cut on a curve and sewn together instead of being one piece of fabric); this will help reduce gaping.

If you have a straight figure

Anything goes in terms of rises and styles - this body type can get away with low-riders, high-waisted cuts, light washes and heavily distressed treatments. But for jeans that flatter best, stick with a pair that has a slimmer, tighter fit and a waistband that runs (relatively) straight across the middle.
Source:
http://www.al.com/living/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/livin/125525258479690.xml&coll=1

http://www.noticemejeans.com

Cristiano Ronaldo to model Armani underwear, jeans in ads next spring

ROME — Italian fashion designer Armani says soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo will model underwear and jeans in a new worldwide advertising campaign.
Milan-based Giorgio Armani SpA says Friday the Ronaldo ads will start in spring 2010. Ronaldo signed with Real Madrid over the summer after leaving Manchester United. He also plays for Portugal's national team.
Ronaldo follows the lead of David Beckham, who posed seductively in Emporio Armani underwear in a previous campaign including billboard ads.

Source: http://www.sfexaminer.com/sports/ap/63854032.html

http://www.noticemejeans.com

Denim

DENIM
(also called blue jeans, jeans, dungarees, or levi's )
historical evolution / trend 2000 / material
-
by birgit lohmann, 2000

---
the history of denim, the fabric phenomenon
of the last centuries: the 18th century
in the eighteenth century as trade, slave labour,
and cotton plantations increased, workers wore jean cloth
because the material was very strong and it did not wear out easily.

Source:http://www.designboom.com/eng/education/denim2.html
http://www.noticemejeans.com

Shirley Restrepo

Parent immigrated to Canada from Colombia.
Born and lived all my life in Toronto and worked for other people.

I always had a passion for jeans made in Colombia. I own a pair of jeans that my Grandmother brought back from Colombia about 12 years ago. I can't believe, I am still seem, to able to fit into them. The condition is spectacular. No rips or holes in them expect for the bottom of the jeans where the jean touches the ground. It shows a bit of wear & tear and the color slightly faded.

I gave up working for someone else. From that moment, I decided, I need a new change and thought about owing my own business. I began to reevaluate my priorities and what I was passionate about. Everything has happened so fast. I am not sure what order things all came about but I have been working on it since the spring of 2008.

My new passion is making sure people feel and look confident with butt-lifting jeans.
Jeans are imported from South America, Colombia.

I am the first entrepreneurial in the family's history.