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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Live Reveal - Thursday 12th of June at 1700BST

    Reddit - Ask me Anything (AMA)

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    • S
      Snowy
      Joined:

      That was a great read. Some good questions and good answers. Thanks for doing it.

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • J
        jdl1279
        Joined:

        This was really informative, the turnover on the 25oz 😞 How the hell do you find profits in that? Makes me appreciate the cranky bastards that much more. The variables I was unaware of and details G covered (thread detail and count, man knows his stuff) were impressive both because he just fired it off, and because the audience seemed to care about it as it was laid out. Thanks for taking the time Giles, I learned something from it all, and that will bring me back every time.

        Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • GilesG
          Giles
          IHUK Crew
          Joined:

          Yep, last but one time we ran a weave of the 25oz, we bought back USD12,000 of 2nd and 3rd rate fabric from the mill…....

          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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          • J
            jdl1279
            Joined:

            Wow, that's gotta make folks buying from Japan sting all the more (sorry knowing as I do now I would have dug deeper, promise you'll get the balance in the long run). Do you know with all of that where you end up per pair? Sorry I can be off, profit margins and debt footprints interest me.

            Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • SeulS
              Seul
              Joined:

              Your praise and kind words for Haraki-san (and vice versa) is touching  🙂 Made for a great read, G!..

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              • D
                davito
                Joined:

                Well done G great insights like always. Thanks

                Cheers,
                David

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                • GilesG
                  Giles
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  @jdl1279:

                  Wow, that's gotta make folks buying from Japan sting all the more (sorry knowing as I do now I would have dug deeper, promise you'll get the balance in the long run). Do you know with all of that where you end up per pair? Sorry I can be off, profit margins and debt footprints interest me.

                  We work on the basis that we do not need to make the same margin off everything we sell.  Margins on silver, leather and the 25oz are awful.  If that was all we sold, we'd go bust.  But we strive for an average margin that is acceptable, so yes, we make more on some items (the IH-634S being a prime example - we make so many of them our costs are reasonably low)…...

                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                  • J
                    jdl1279
                    Joined:

                    I am glad there is some room for you after the trials of production. I understand no two things in any business carry the same margins, I have also been in the position where trouble jobs make your end barely worth the effort. The determination to get through the issues, even with a smaller margin, and then continue to expand the offerings in the difficult area is what impresses me. You have to bust your ass to make that work, tons of respect for it.

                    Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • S
                      sabergirl
                      見習いボス
                      Joined:

                      This was so fascinating to read!  Thanks for taking the time, Giles.  I'm interested to know what happens to the scrap denim that can't be salvaged for pockets or other products.

                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • GilesG
                        Giles
                        IHUK Crew
                        Joined:

                        We find projects eventually for them….

                        "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • S
                          sabergirl
                          見習いボス
                          Joined:

                          Lovely!  It would seem a shame to waste such top quality materials.  I'd love to see what little things y'all have come up with.

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • mclaincauseyM
                            mclaincausey
                            見習いボス
                            Joined:

                            Coasters!

                            Think it, be it.

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • S
                              sabergirl
                              見習いボス
                              Joined:

                              Have there been 25oz. coasters, though?!

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • mclaincauseyM
                                mclaincausey
                                見習いボス
                                Joined:

                                Paraffin something would be great

                                Think it, be it.

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • seanoconoS
                                  seanocono
                                  Joined:

                                  Just finished reading through the AMA.  Congratulations, Giles.  You knocked that out of the park.  If I weren't a huge fan of IH already, I would be after reading your thoughtful, direct, and informed responses.

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GilesG
                                    Giles
                                    IHUK Crew
                                    Joined:

                                    Where is the blushing emoticon when you need one?

                                    "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

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                                    • veloaudioV
                                      veloaudio
                                      Raw and Unwashed
                                      Joined:

                                      Well put Sean.  I was trying to think of a good way to sum up my reaction after reading the AMA but you captured my thoughts perfectly. Congrats G and IH on the great exposure.

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                                      • irishexpatI
                                        irishexpat
                                        Joined:

                                        @mclaincausey:

                                        Coasters!

                                        i want some too now.

                                        Iron Heart, Empty Wallet

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • J
                                          jdl1279
                                          Joined:

                                          ^third, since I saw Seul's my beers seem lonely.

                                          Bourbon: because living in Kentucky just makes you want to drink

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • 4c4
                                            4c
                                            Banned
                                            Joined:

                                            Very cool read…  .
                                            I always assumed IH used Supima for the US long staple cotton in the jeans. But then I read this: “OK I heard from Haraki. Fairly adamant reply:
                                            "We don't use PIMA in our denim and I won't use it."”

                                            I have this burning question about the cotton now. I should start by saying that I’m somewhat obsessed with cotton and am really impressed with the cotton used in my IH jeans and sweatshirt and my cotton obsessions are urging me to find out what variety of cotton IH uses. However, there are a few points about IH cotton that make it wonderfully unique and hard to identify:

                                            • It’s not the GE (BT toxin producing or herbicide tolerant) variety…
                                                            (which rules out about 90%+ of  US cotton…)
                                            • It’s not US Pima AKA Supima (which rules out about 3%)

                                            So that leaves about 6-7% which it could be, but it’s long staple cotton (which is rare outside of Supima cotton in the US and rules out all Upland cotton and most of the other 6-7% left over) so it must be some super rare cotton variety that’s not even on the radar of commercial cotton growers…

                                            Which all leads to the question: What kind is it? Is it a secret? Is it some rare heirloom or breed of cotton that other companies don’t find cost effective, but IH uses for its extreme durability/softness? A US Zimbabwean cotton equivalent that’s better than Supima?
                                            Vary fascinated to hear… certainly no rush though.

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