Cone Mills to Close White Oak Plant, Last American Selvedge Denim Mill

[Feraud]

I am sure most of you are aware but if you've not heard..
https://www.heddels.com/2017/10/cone-mills-close-white-oak-plant-last-american-selvedge-denim-mill/

International Textile Group announced today that they will be ceasing operations at the Cone Mills White Oak Plant in Greensboro, North Carolina on December 31, 2017. The White Oak Plant had been in operation for over 110 years and will be the last selvedge denim mill in the United States.

 

[El Marro]

I hadn't heard that, what a shame!

 

[handymike]

Noooooooooo!

 

[Fanch]

The loud sucking sound of American jobs and equipment being transferred overseas just got louder. Maybe someone locally in NC or stateside will buy the equipment and continue operations, although I can also envision a foreign company buying the equipment.

 

[MeachamLake]

I'm no denim expert, but I'm pretty sure Cone Mills went bust about a decade ago...was this just some sort of continuation of that company that has now failed under new ownership? Clearly there's something not right with their model for the same brand to go belly up twice in ten years.

With the crazy prices some guys pay for Japanese selvedge denim, there must have been something awry for them not to be a success? I'm intrigued to know more about this.

 

[Feraud]

The loud sucking sound of American jobs and equipment being transferred overseas just got louder. Maybe someone locally in NC or stateside will buy the equipment and continue operations, although I can also envision a foreign company buying the equipment.

I hope at the very least some company is able to purchase and make use of the machinery.

 

[Superfluous]

I hope at the very least some company is able to purchase and make use of the machinery.

I read somewhere that the buyer is moving the machinery overseas and continuing to make selvedge denim there.

 

[AeroFan_07]

This seems to happen once a company is acquired by a Private Equity Firm. Profit is what it is, but few people actually value long-term legacies anymore. Very sad indeed for those involved.

 

[kowalski]

it is sad information ! very sad ! I'm a collector LVS . i like/ love (?) Cone mills denim from USA
and answer;

......can thank every American who has purchased the majority of their denim from elsewhere. It is as simple as that.....

 

[ProteinNerd]

With the popularity of the selfedge denim market these days (and the luxury prices it commands) I have to believe it was completely mismanaged for it to go under...


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[Blackadder]

Sad news. Interested to know how LVC will deal with this.

 

[kowalski]

Sad news. Interested to know how LVC will deal with this.

Maybe buy all machine from Cone ?

 

[arkadijs]

I can't believe in it! The whole era leaves!
Adherents of the Japanese denim can argue that loss isn't big. But fabric of Cone Mills factory has the delights: she rather soft even in the raw state, quietly grows old like a vintage denim, has smooth texture   —  for many such material is associated with the real jeans.
The parental company International Textile Group with 10 plants will keep the headquarters in Greensboro worldwide. But with closing of factory of 170 people who worked at it all the life can lose work. There will be enough stocks of a ready denim still for some time, but it is interesting how Levi’s Vintage Clothing and other small brands which still relied on Cone Mills will behave.
If you planned purchase of jeans, perhaps now it is a high time to look narrowly at something from Cone Mills   —  across few years they can become the real rarity.

 

[dudewuttheheck]

It's sad on a technical level, but there is a chance for smaller denim mills to pop up now in the US. I hear Ryan Huston may do some denim soon.

Also, not to be a jerk, but I've never been partial to Cone denim. To me, the only sad part is the loss of jobs for the workers there.

 

[Edward]

I am sure most of you are aware but if you've not heard..
https://www.heddels.com/2017/10/cone-mills-close-white-oak-plant-last-american-selvedge-denim-mill/

That's a shame, though not really surprising. It seems most of the really hardcore denimhead market has moved on to obscure Japanese brands, while the sort of mainstream market a plant like this probably needs to survive I imagine simply doesn't exist any more, as US-made goods become increasingly seen as an expensive luxury, with much cheaper product available from elsewhere.

I hope at the very least some company is able to purchase and make use of the machinery.

It'll certainly be interesting to see where it goes.

I read somewhere that the buyer is moving the machinery overseas and continuing to make selvedge denim there.

Any clues as to where? It'll be interesting if it's not Japan but somewhere else... Most of the affordable selvedge jeans I've seen in the UK have been manufactured in Turkey (including both Freddies and that German brand that does the ones for SoF), going back at least these last twenty years. It'll be interesting to see if the machines go somewhere like that rather than Japan, or whether it will be a new player which emerges with them or an upgrade of "authenticity" on the part of an existing player.

With the popularity of the selfedge denim market these days (and the luxury prices it commands) I have to believe it was completely mismanaged for it to go under...

Not necessarily. There are only so many people in the world will pay £200 and up forf a pair of jeans; many, many more want 'em for £30 or less, to the ponit where I doubt anything US-made would be viable at the price point.

Sad news. Interested to know how LVC will deal with this.

Probably carry on buying denim spun on the same machines from wherever they end up - or switch ot one of the Japanese providers?