# Carpenter Jeans Made in America



## Berg

Thanks for the info. I'm always looking to "buy local" like local tool store instead of mail order. In this case "local jeans" instead of China (or where ever). I see a new pair of jeans in my future.

[You with Cobb County Fire? Greetings from Bow (NH) Fire Rescue. Stay safe Bro]


----------



## HokieMojo

another US brand is

http://www.pointerbrand.com/

I'm looking for someone that can make me cargo pants and ponter offered to sew extra pockets on. I'm thinking I'll take them up on it.


----------



## craftsman on the lake

Alas, and I hate to say it. These pants are in the $40+ dollar range. I purchased my last pair of jeans at Walmart for $8.50 and this is their non-sale price. They're good jeans. Don't flame me for pointing this out. It's a fact of life. I wish it weren't so. That's 5 pair for around $50.
sigh…...


----------



## Julian

Those cheap walmart jeans are just that. CHEAP! I bought a pair of their levis, and they sure aren't the levis I grew up with. They are very thin denim and aren't made to last, as mine tore after only a few weeks on wearing them on the job.


----------



## HokieMojo

i hate to say it, but there is a HUGE difference in the standard of living for the people that makes these products. Many people here complains that they can't make a good living because of imported furniture where people often work without safety equipment, in crowded poorly lit locations, with no dust collection or workers compensation when they are injured.

These American companies are not trying to rip anyone off. In fact, they almost always have efficient operations with small profit margins. The reason you are paying more is so that workers are not living in poverty and so that materials are handled safely with regard to the environment.


----------



## Gio

AMEN! I've been to the far-east and you or anyone you know would not live like they have to, making their wages. We live in the greatest nation in the world and we shouldn't feel guilty about that. We are the MOST generous peoples of the world too. We have rebuilt most of Europe, Japan and other countries and now are sending boat loads of our money to the middle east for oil. From countries usually run by dictators.

Some day we'll get smart and drill here and drill now, buy here products made here and create/promote opportunities not entitlements. Until then if it wasn't for God's grace where would we be?.


----------



## craftsman on the lake

I don't think I'm that hard on jeans Julian. I never looked but they must be made overseas. I'd like to buy the US made ones but can't justify paying 6X more for them. I think we have to realize that Some jobs just aren't going to be available in the US any longer, no matter how much we wish or hope. According to the NEA 7 out of 10 jobs of 12 years ago no longer exist in the United states. We need to upgrade or fall behind. No matter how much we want to we won't be going back. Many people are hanging on to the older ways but those who do will be left behind. There is no argument regarding this. It's a done deal. There has been a period, and still will be, of retooling and re-education. Unfortunately the overlap between then and now will cause some real hardships for some people caught in the middle.

Gio said that we rebuilt most of the world after the War. This is true. But the only reason we could do this was that 90% of the people had been moving off the farms for 30 years and moved into cities and towns for the industrial revolution. There were riots and actual sabotage of factory machines out of fear and the changeover. The Changeover was hard on many but it happened and there was no stopping it. The word 'sabotage' actually comes from the word Sabo, which are wooden shoes worn by some immigrants that they threw into the gears of industrial machinery. There was no stopping it and there will be no stopping this either. Remember the past but grasp the future.


----------



## interpim

I can always use a little more room in the "gusset" LOL


----------



## NBeener

HokieMojo: very well said.

*[Short rant ahead: may not be suitable for small children, the elderly, or those with known heart conditions]*

We hear, all too often, that it's the unions that make it too expensive to manufacture in America. What you DON'T hear about is that most of the nations that are taking all of the mfgr'ing away from the US have (virtually) no labor laws (children, long hours, no breaks, etc.), nothing akin to OSHA, pay a wage that hardly constitutes a "living wage," even in countries with exceptionally low costs OF living, and aren't troubled with nasty little stuff like the EPA. Chemicals loooong banned here are still in abundant use in "third-world" countries … having all the ill effects that we deem unsuitable for /our/ bodies.

They use what they want, dump where they want, hire who they want, fire who they want, treat people however they feel like it, and do whatever they can to maximize profits.

For those who are strong advocates of less regulation on business: watching manufacturing in these emerging nations IS your model of what DE-regulation can lead to 

And the real irony is: many who seek to fuel their addiction to consumption of material goods by shopping at stores /like/ Wal-Mart … are the ones whose jobs are GOING away in America. It's rather weird….

[off my soapbox, now … which … incidentally … is T&G and made from a beautiful run of hickory ;-)]


----------



## firecaster

Hey NBeener, you got pictures of that soapbox? That's the funniest thing I've seen today and I'm at a firestation.
Please don't start argueing but I love to read these discussions. It's a complicated issue and the world isn't waiting for us to figure it out. And it is changing!!!

I am easy on jeans also. They last me for years. I actually bought these to replace some old ones my wife is threatening to throw out. These should last me 'till I'm wearing polyester and drooling. Oh wait. I did that yesterday, I think.
I'm going to try the Pointer brand also. There will always be a small, and getting smaller, manufacturing base. That's proven by the few folks on here that sell high end stuff. I choose to support it because I can afford to right now, in the $40 dollar range. Who knows what next year will bring. Of course, I like quality and deep pockets also.

Let's have some more opinions.


----------



## HokieMojo

I'm all for good deals. I think the US will have to realize that many people will not work for a wage that would keep our products competitive and adjust what we sell to keep up with market conditions.

I'm not saying that cheap foreign products are always bad. I'm just saying that most people looking at buying these jeans are not just looking at the product. They are voting with their dollars to support more than a company that makes jeans. They are voting to support their ideals.


----------



## HokieMojo

I've also heard Carhartt makes some of their products in the US (including jeans recently). If you wanted to be sure, you could call to check.

http://www.carhartt.com


----------



## firecaster

Carhartt makes good heavy duty stuff. I think they are moving all there stuff offshore but for heavy jeans you can't beat them. They also make a shirt I like but haven't bought because I can't justify the price versus use. It's a workshirt with more functional pockets and a pen/pencil angled slot. If I worked in a shop everyday I'd look at this shirt. It was made offshore.

I certainly can't afford to buy everything I use American Made. I pick and choose based on function and cost/benefit. Well made jeans will pay me back over time. But Carhartts are well made also. Neither are they cheap.

The world is changing. We need more high end jobs. Manufacturing jobs are good for one level of society but they, or their children, need to move up and out to keep this country growing.


----------



## okwoodshop

what does America export these days? (except manufacturing jobs)


----------



## craftsman on the lake

*Exports $1.283 trillion f.o.b. (2008)*

Export goods industrial supplies, 29.8%; production machinery, 29.5%; non-auto consumer goods, 12.4%; motor vehicles and parts, 9.3%; food, feed and beverages, 8.3%; aircraft and parts, 6.6%; other, 4.1%. (2008)

Main export partners Canada, 21.4%; Mexico, 11.7%; China, 5.6%; Japan, 5.4%; Germany, 4.3%; United Kingdom, 4.1%.[7]

*Imports $2.115 trillion c.i.f. (2008)*

Import goods non-auto consumer goods 23.0%; fuels, 22.1%; production machinery and equipment, 19.9%; non-fuel industrial supplies, 14.8%; motor vehicles and parts, 11.1%; food, feed and beverages, 4.2%; aircraft and parts, 1.7%; other 3.2%. (2008)

Main import partners China, 16.9%; Canada, 15.7%; Mexico, 10.6%; Japan, 7.4%; Germany, 7.4%.[7]


----------



## Kindlingmaker

Clothes just like tools are a hard decision to make if you have not tried or tested them before. If a lot of money is spent and the tool does not live up to the price then a lot of dollars are lost and always hard to replace and in the mean time the money has been spent so the cheaper tool now has to wait to be bought. Oh the ying and yang of life…


----------



## michstairguy

Walmart jeans are great if you support child slavery and disgusting work conditions. Companies like Walmart are the reason this country is so screwed up. Spending a few bucks extra to support the American work force is what every American should be doing its the only way we will survive. Some day your job may be given to a 10 year old that makes a quarter a day too.


----------

