OldBlue Co.
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just realized we got a dedicated thread in this cool forum. thank you so much, lando!
meanwhile, i just posted some of our new collections at the web. please take a visit to our modest web if you have a spare time.
http://www.oldblueco.net/index.php?act=category&cid=91
along those new line ups, we also released our first ever repro pair, '44 WWII repro.
_This is our first ever repro article. We decided to make the repro out of Levis 501 '44 pair because we think it's one of the most interesting, in term of its details and history, piece of jeans that's ever made.
First thing first, we try to source the closest fabric as the '44 pair, in term of their weight and texture. The weight of denim was supposedly lighter (to save on raw materials). For the LVC repro, denim weight is usually 12 ounces, compared to the 12.5 or 13 ounces of the 1937 and 1947 jeans (Quoted from Paul T). As a result we got this beautiful 11.5 ounces (roughly 12 ounces after shrink) selvedge shrink to fit xx denim from White Oak's Cone Mills, USA. With the same softer shade of indigo, as they said the fabric in '44 pair was. The regular straight signature 501 cut is also used as the main pattern of this repro jeans.
During World War II, to comply with wartime rationing requirements, Levi Strauss & Co. simplified the features of their 501 jeans. To save materials (metal, fabric and thread) for the war effort, the cinch back was removed, along with the watch pocket rivets and crotch rivets. The trademark arcuate stitching design was no longer sewn on, but instead painted on, to save cotton. As a history based repro, our '44 pair is also have those features.
We also use the same theme buttons as those 501 '44. The button was engraved with a symbol of peace in form of a laurel leaf. The laurel leaf is widely used to symbolize the triumph of the human spirit. And instead of green herringbone for the front pocket lining, we use selvedge olive duck fabric, from Japan. The selvedge fabric is only featured in one side of the pocket. As one of our signature rationalising effort.
And for the lather patch material, we use a deer tanned cow hide leather, from USA. The leather has a supple and soft feeling as the main characteristic of deer skin, but it has the strength of the cow hide leather._
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Holy cow!.. Stunning mate!..
Just ordered these:
8.25" CUT - 15 OZ DARK INDIGO KAIHARA
I'm pretty sure I fucked something up checking out though… Shipping came to 5.49 $ or something...
All in all I'm very curious as to see what I get for only 85 €!..
thank you mate! and be sure to let me know once the package has arrived. cheers
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I hope the rise works for you, Eli!
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So yeah: shipping (EMS) wàsn't 5.49 $ but we fixed that… yax also managed to get my pair hemmed before shipping it out... I'm really impressed with his friendly and speedy service!.. Can't wait for the jeans!.. Thank you, yax!..
yeah i'm sorry for that mate. still do not know what happened to the web's check out system as it never acts like that before. and it's been a real pleasure. hope you'll be satisfied with them. cheers
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I just forgot to choose EMS… So it was my fault!..
Got my Oldblue jeans!.. Pics and review later on. Got a free hickory totebag with it!.. And it's freakin NICE!.. Thanks for that mate!.. The tags and the extra jeanssample are excellent as well. The Oldblue label is BRILLIANT!..
Reminds of the new Triple Works logo.
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Good stuff Eli!
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Model 8.25" CUT - 15 OZ DARK INDIGO KAIHARA (http://oldblueco.net/index.php?act=detail&id=124)
Cost: 975.000 IDR (85 €), postage not inc.
Japanese denim and hardware, handcrafted in Indonesia.Now, this is one of the newer brands that caught my attention… No bullshit attitude, their write-up of the label's philosophy is simply this:
Inspired by the working class throughout the days, from cowboys, mine workers, factory workers, and every blue collar workers who shed their sweat everyday. Oldblue Co. bring back the essence of jeans which is a clothing to be worn outside and an everyday wear. Like back in the days when jeans and other clothing was just a tool that people use to build their nation.
We offer a pair of jeans in the simplest and the most basic possible way. No gimmick, no washes, no excessive marketing, no expensive packaging. Only a pair of well constructed jeans with a decent fabric and ready to be worn everyday. Every pairs of Oldblue Co. jeans are proudly cut and sewn by the hand of talented and hard working Indonesian workers. We only brought the best fabrics and put our heart on every stitch.
Oldblue Co., tailored for hard workers.
First of all, there's the service… Username "yax" on here seems to run things... He helped me throughout the process, even got my jeans hemmed at the production facility free of charge. Took 7 days (not working days, just one week) to get here. No custom fee. Well packed and came with a free hickory tote bag (which is really beautiful, I refer to my previous post for pictures).
First impression: denim is rigid, a bit streaky (which I love), not slubby or hairy àt all, nice and dark. The denim alone is worth the money, honestly.
Fit: I went with a 32". Have to admit I am more of a 33" waist these days but I went with the measurements of thigh, knee and legopening rather than waist. Took 5 minutes to get into and yes they're a little tight at the waist but they'll stretch. The rest of the fit is pretty much golden. Slim straight. Legopening is wide enough to fit boots underneath.
Things I really like:
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those red hickory pockets are out of this world man... Truly beautiful, and very heavy duty. A pity the back pockets aren't lined and fitted with hickory as well!.. Any ideas of making a shirt out of the stuff?.. ???
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the contrast stitching is beautiful!..
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price. You can't get around it: these are cheap… You can't get new Levi's for that money in €urope... (And even if I could: why would I?..)
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brand philosophy also shows in the tags, the details like crotch rivet,... No bullshit...
Three things I'm not crazy about/ have mixed feelings about:
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rivets on the coinpocket... Scratches my knife and hands...
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backpocket stitching seems a bit uninspired but maybe it just has to grow on me...
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leather patch is thin and also a bit 'dull'. The logo sewed on the inside of the waistband on the other hand is absolutely brilliant. Why not integrate that design on the outside?..
All in all you get SERIOUS value for money, outstanding service, and a beautiful, sturdy pair of jeans that will last you a very long time... These are probably the best jeans one can buy to be introduced in the world of good, untreated denim!.. Spread the word!..
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Great pictures and review Eli!
From you words I though they would fit really tight but then I saw the pics and I'm with you. They will stretch and aren't that tight looking (I've seen a lot worse and then those people claimed the jeans fit comfortable ) -
They certainly do look good.
I'm with you on the back pocket stitching - it's neither here nor there.
I do, however, like the leather patch. Perhaps not the most original desine but I like the way they've done it, and the hand-written sizing is a great thing; it really shows that this item did not come off a huge production line.
How are you coping with the rise? A bit low by your standards, yeah?
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Won't be working in them for another week, but it's certainly not ballbusting low!.. Squatting works like a charm… We'll see!..
I too liked the handwriting on the leather patch!.. Just used to big ole slaps of leather for patches...
Waist: upgraded from tight to snug. Slept in them
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sold out in the 34" and i'm definitely no longer a 32"
how much shrinkage in a wash do you think?
i can go years without washing denim but fit is everything for me.
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oh PLEASE do them in the 33" yax
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Seul
hi eli, thank you so much for the review mate! really couldn't ask for any better and honest review. and quite amazed when i read that you needed 5 minutes to put them on. from what i saw, the fit is really not that tight. however i hope you can stretch them enough into your comfort degree.for the hickory fabric, honestly we do not have any plan to make them as a shirt material. beside from being a dead stock fabric, i think i can get a better use of them as a pocket lining fabric.
and for the patch design and material, basically i just want to do something different using that thick card, which was called 'leather-like' patch by levis back in the '50s. suddenly just got tired using leather made patch. and also to differentiate them from our selvedge collections. and thank you for your idea about using the 'union label' into a patch, quite interesting indeed!
RocknRoll
a bit about the arcuate making process, while we're talking about it. not really clear-cut i know, but i hope that you can get the basic idea
hassinator
received and replied your email mate! btw do you still want the dark indigo kaihara in size 34? i can check the stock of them in our stockist here, maybe they still have the 34. please do let me knowand in the matter of sizing, honestly maybe we will stick on this 'even size only' rule for quite some time. one of the consequences on being such a small scale production
