American-Made Jeans
American jeans used to mean Levi, Wrangler, and Lee, to name a few. Today, Levi jeans are made overseas. Wrangler and Lee brands are owned by VF Corp., which also owns Chic Jeans, Riders, and Rustler brands. VF Corp. has manufacturing plants located in the United States , as well as other parts of the world. So, while it MAY be possible to find a pair of Wrangler or Lee jeans made in USA , it's a bit like looking for a needle in a haystack. Likewise, jeans made for LLBean, Landsend, and the GAP are imported.
Luckily, there are a surprising number of American-made jean options available. The following list is my crack at a definitive (almost) listing of jeans still made in USA. I have divided the brands into two categories: traditional "serious" jeans and up-scale luxury jeans. Admittedly, my groupings are somewhat arbitrary, but jeans that cost over $100 a pair (or often multiple hundreds) are not for cleaning out the barn or garage! And lastly, there are quite a few brands of luxury, distressed jeans that usually are made from imported denim, available at high-end department stores (if those are still a thing...)
(Prices and denim sourcing verified March 2020)
- All American Clothing (Arcanum, OH): men's jeans made in USA from American denim, $55 - 60, gusset jeans, no rivets, of heavy weight (15 oz) denim in regular and carpenter, plus cotton canvas work pants. [Affiliate: I earn commission on purchases through this link]
- Buddy's Jeans (New Hebron, MS): men's jeans (including husky) made in USA (North Carolina) from American denim, $50, original, relaxed fit, and cowboy jeans, made from 14 oz. prewashed denim.
- Certified Jean: men's and women's jeans made in USA from American denim, $74 - 88, made from organic cotton grown, milled, and sewn in USA
- Dearborn Denim (Chicago, IL): men's and women's jeans, made in USA from Mexican denim, $65 - 75, most styles without rivets, denim dyed using real indigo.
- Gusset (Bon Aqua, TN): men's and women's jeans made in USA from American denim,$68 - 83, regular, carpenter (some with flannel lining), and motorcycle jeans (about $135), made from denim, stretch denim or cotton duck, with the gusset insert in the crotch seam
- Kimes Ranch (formerly Longhorn Jeans) (Scottsdale, AZ): men's and women's jeans made in USA from imported denim, $99 - 120, Western-style jeans, made with riding in mind. Imported denim, mid-rise, relaxed fit, boot cut. Women's has a smidge of spandex.(Men's "Cal" style made with US denim)
- L.C. King (Bristol, TN): men's jean made in USA from American denim, $70 - 89, denim regular, carpenter, and overalls, plus hickory (railroad) stripe, white cotton drill and brown duck.
- Round House Brand (Shawnee, OK): men's and kid's jeans made in USA, $70 - 80 (kid overalls $50), overalls and jeans (classic, cowboy, carpenter and painter jeans) of denim, stone wash, brown duck, camo (overalls only) and natural drill
- Texas Jeans (Asheboro, NC): men's jeans made in USA from American denim, $30 - 49, original, slim fit and carpenter jeans
- Union Line: men's jeans made in USA from American denim, $50 - 55, Union-made, jeans and carpenter jeans, no rivets
- AGAVE (Los Angeles, CA):men's relaxed fit and slim fit jeans, women's skinny jeans made in USA from mostly Italian denim and micro cord, $98 - 198, with a California casual vibe.
- American Giant (San Francisco, CA): men's straight leg jeans made in El Paso, TX with denim woven in Georgia, $138. Denim with a smidge of spandex for stretch. [Affiliate: I earn commission on purchases through this link]
- Aviator (Los Angeles, CA): men's and women's travel jeans made in USA with Italian or American fabrics, $135 ($95 without hidden pockets), featuring hidden zipped pockets in front and back to protect your valuables. Some styles made from quick-dry fabrics.
- Brilliant You Denim (Greensboro, NC): men's and women's jeans made in USA from American denim, $55 - 69, mid and high rise jeans with stretch inserts in your choice of fabrics at inner and outer thigh seams for comfort and custom fit
- Bullet Blues (Coral Springs, FL): men's and women's jeans made in USA from American denim, $160 -175. relaxed fit and boot cut jeans, made in LA from US-made stretch denim (cotton with a smidge of spandex)
- Ginew (Portland, OR): men's and women's jeans made in USA from Japanese denim, $235, made with black rivets and hardware and handcrafted leather patches. Ginew means "brown eagle" in Ojibwe.This Native American-owned manufacturer also makes jackets from denim, American waxed canvas cloth, and Pendleton wool blanket linings. [Affiliate: I earn commission on purchases through this link]
- Origin USA (Farmington, ME): Delta 68 Jeans, $128 (or 2 for $99 each), in "legit fit" with a reverse yoke, a bit of stretch, triple stitched seams, rivets, boot cut, and shark fin back pockets.
- Rufskin (San Diego, CA): men's jeans made in USA with denim from Japan, $139 - 192, low-cut styling (she blushes!)
- Tellason (San Francisco, CA): straight and slim-fit men's jeans made in USA with denim from Japan, $230, plus denim shirts and jackets. [Affiliate: I earn commission on purchases through this link]
- Todd Shelton (East Rutherford, NJ): men's jeans made in USA with denim from Japan, $275, jeans with a slim, urban silhouette (my words, not theirs!). [Affiliate: I earn commission on purchases through this link]
- Wies Made (Petaluma, CA): men's and women's denim jeans made in USA with American denim, $248 - 338, vintage styling in raw or wash denim, plus denim jackets and knitwear. "Farmed, milled and sewn in USA." [Affiliate: I earn commission on purchases through this link]
Nordstrom is a good source for US-made luxury jeans made with imported denim, including MOTHER and AG jeans, with prices of $100 - 200+
| Nordstrom is a good
source for US-made luxury jeans made with imported denim, including
MOTHER and AG jeans, with prices
of $100 - 200+ |
