CEO Lawson Whiting calls Canada’s move ‘disproportionate response’ to levies imposed by Trump administration
  • @Substance_PEnglish
    22•14 hours ago

    TIL - Levi Strauss & Co., one of the world’s most iconic denim manufacturers, a brand that exemplifies many aspects of the American Dream, is made in:

    Bangladesh Cambodia China India Sri Lanka Vietnam Bangladesh Cambodia China India Sri Lanka Vietnam Mexico Nicaragua Haiti

    Not anymore made in the USA. Changing economic realities and global manufacturing has changed things for decades, trade agreements have been the reason why Americans can afford their lifestyles. So get ready to pay upwards of $300 for a pair of jeans people.

    • nickwitha_k (he/him)
      3•5 hours ago

      To be fair, they were probably made with forced labor from prisons (aka slave labor) prior to off-shoring. So, probably a net positive for ethics.

      Also, fun fact, the heir to the Levi Strauss fortune just bought himself the mayorship of San Francisco.

    • @JordanZ
      7•12 hours ago

      Levi’s vintage collection already has pairs in the $300+ range. The $50-60 msrp they’re asking for their thin as paper normal jeans now is robbery. I’m aware they’re available much cheaper but msrp is just a benchmark for comparison. I have some jeans from high school(decades ago) that are still in decent shape. Yes, I still fit in them fine and wear them constantly. Any normal pair I’ve bought in the last couple years are already trash. Their quality is abysmal now.

      Not to mention it’s exceedingly difficult to find regular not ‘stretch’ jeans. The 505’s are available in both but the stretch version is everywhere and most online places don’t specify. The stretch are thinner and are even more garbage than the non-stretch. Not to mention I’ve gotten 505’s from multiple countries of origin and the patterns are not the same. The pocket depth being a glaringly obvious one. Phone doesn’t fit in any that come from a particular country but fine from others.

      The vintage collection depending on what you buy has some actual heft to it(downside is they’re hot), are generally selvage denim, and come in way more sizes that the normal jeans don’t. On extreme sale they’re worth it…last pair I got for like $80 down from msrp of $267. Those have actually lasted the ~7 years I’ve owned them. Haven’t seen that price again though. Think closest as of late was like $140-160…No thanks.

      That became way more ranty than I thought it would…apparently I’ve got some strong feelings about jeans.

      • @Substance_PEnglish
        2•11 hours ago

        Hey, don’t get me wrong; I’m a big fan of jean culture and reminiscing about the past. My wife loves low-waist fashion, but when we’re on the street, we both get thrown by seeing young trends with high-waisted late 80s-style jeans or new 90s-style acid wash nonsense and overly ripped threads. As for the quality, I think we’ve done a 180 on what denim was actually made for (hint: not fashion). It stands as a kind of euphemism for the state of commercial American fashion culture. I never thought a pair of 501s would be retailed as a throwaway fashion accessory, also I can’t help but acknowledge that the “American Made” tag hasn’t been the case for many years.