How to Profit from Locally Sourced Jeans 11/2/2009 8:07:59 AM



There are countless brands of jeans in the market, most of them manufactured all over the world, with components sourced from multiple countries and assembly done in others. If you wear them, chances are, they were made in a sweatshop in China, Mexico or another third world country.

In order to compete in the global economy, factory owners agree to produce goods at the low prices demanded by overseas clients. Factory elites and multinational corporations reap the profits, and shoppers around the world rejoice at the affordable prices. Despite common perceptions, consumers buying higher-priced jeans are not necessarily supporting higher salaries for workers. For example, while you might pay 50 dollars for a pair of jeans, the cost of manufacturing them in a Chinese factory is around five dollars. The total compensation for the labor of the workers who made the jeans? Often no more than one dollar, shared by the 20-25 people involved in making one pair of jeans. The rest of the money goes towards advertising, store rentals and back to the retail corporation and middle men.

Now, there's an alternative with the opposite approach promoted by Raleigh Denim, a North Carolina company whose jeans are 98 percent local. Run by a husband-and-wife team, Raleigh Denim uses nearly all local materials, with everything from thread to denim produced within 200 miles of its workshop. Its distinctive selvage denim, for instance, comes from Cone Mills’ White Oak plant, a 100-year-old local mill that weaves the fabric on the only original shuttle looms still working in the US today. All of Raleigh Denim's design, pattern-making, cutting, sewing, washing and finishing, meanwhile, are carried out by hand in the company's Raleigh workshop. No automated equipment is ever involved; rather, the couple prefers to incorporate traditional construction methods and vintage sewing machines. Every pair of Raleigh Denim jeans is handcrafted and signed by its maker, with unique touches such as an x-ray of the hip joint printed on the inside pocket.

The owners often travel around the North Carolina and Tennessee border looking for old factories and needle towns to pick up such ancient technology. And the result are authentic, though modern, original denim designs which smack of care and intrinsic quality. They also have over the past year quietly built a loyal following among denim lovers and retailers like Barneys and Steven Alan.

There are a lot of denim brands in the world and it's amazing that all of the design, development, pattern making, sourcing and even the construction is done by hand by Victor, Sarah and a small staff from their workshop.

Impressions:175
AddThis Social Bookmark Button

  Related Posts (See All...)
House in a Can
Haute Couture for Rent
Trashy Apparel
The Netflix of Clothes Swapping
Would You Live in a Gas Tank?

  Most Popular Posts
Cool Green Business Ideas
Resell old Mannequins and make money
Silverware jewelry: A green moneymaker
Get Rich Recycling Shipping Containers
The business of rainwater harvesting
The Green Seal of Approval
From trash to treasure: The Scavenger Project
Make your own Biodiesel and save big bucks
Can you make money with discarded milk jugs?
Keep your money in… a license plate?



Create & buy Cool Green Gifts at MyGreenCreations.com


For more Cool Green Products, visit our Online Store:
Like what you see?


Blog Categories:
Alternative Energy
Business & Investments
Electronics
Glass, metal, rubber, etc.
Green Design
Junk Art
Plastics
Renewable Resources
Reuse old stuff
Save the World

Blog Archives:
February 2010
January 2010
December 2009
November 2009
October 2009
September 2009
August 2009
July 2009
June 2009
May 2009
April 2009
March 2009
February 2009


Tags:
agriculturealgaealternativearchitectureartbagsbatteriesbeautybeesbiodieselbiofuelbiogasbooksboxescaqrboncarcardboardscarscelebritieschildrencleaningclothingco2communitiescommunitycompostcomputercomputersconstructioncontainerscraftsdatingdeathdegradabledesigneducationelectronicsenergyentertainmentenvironmentfarmingfashionfoodforestfurnituregiftsgoldhandbagshealthheathotelsinvestmentinvestmentsiphonejobsjunklandfilllandfillslocalmailmarketingmetalmethanemoneymushroomsmusicnaturalnetworkofficeoiloldonlineorganicpaperpeepetsplasticplasticspollutionpoopooprainrecyclerecyclingrelationshipsrenewablerentrentalresuereuseseatbeltssewagesexyshippingshoppingsolarspacesuppliessustainabletirestoystradetradingtransporttransportationtrashtraveltreesupcycleurbanurinevendingvideoswastewaterwindwoodyoutube
 
 
 

Privacy policy | Terms of use | Bookmark Us
Copyright 2009. LivePaths.com
Design Credits