American Reserve Selvedge Type II Denim Jacket

Story

A reserve collection of USA-made, deadstock Cone Mills 1968 selvedge denim jackets—limited to under 200 made

When an El Paso, Texas garment factory shut down, our Design Director, Nick Kemp, got a text from a friend that there were a few vintage sewing machines left behind up for grabs. Rather than leaving with machinery for his personal workshop, he returned home with untouched rolls of 1968 Cone Mills White Oak denim, still preserved in their original factory wrapping.

Finding this deadstock yardage was a rare piece of luck. Before closing permanently in 2017, Cone Mills was the last major selvedge denim mill in the United States. For over a century, they set the standard for American manufacturing, and this rigid, 60s-era fabric is archival proof of their prominence. It’s also Nick’s preferred vintage.

“The 1968 quality was always my favorite denim that the White Oak plant produced,” he said. “It’s incredibly nostalgic for me because it was the very first selvedge denim I ever purchased back when I was young and just learning how to sew. I jumped at the opportunity to secure it, knowing this was likely my last chance to get my hands on a genuine piece of history.”

Woven on hulking, 1940s Draper X3 shuttle looms, the resulting fabric has a tangible character and noticeable texture that modern, high-speed machines can’t replicate. Nick turned his historic find into a limited batch of jeans and trucker jackets, making just under 200 of each. Claim yours while you can—once this limited reserve collection is gone, it’s gone for good.

Features

• Crafted in the USA from deadstock Cone Mills 1968 selvedge denim
• Rigid 100% cotton construction will earn a personalized patina over time
• Updated 1950s design featuring integrated hand-warmer pockets set low on the seams
• Finished with a custom leather patch

Fit & Sizing

• Features a classic fit inspired by 1950s denim jackets, take your usual jacket size
• For the best personal fit, compare the measurements of one of your best-fitting jackets to the garment measurements below

Garment Measurements

	XS	S	M	L	XL	XXL
Chest	41	43	45	47½	50	52½
Shoulder	19	19½	20	20⅝	21¼	22
Body Length	26	26¾	27½	28¼	29	30
Sleeve Length	34	34¾	35½	36¼	37	37¾

All measurements are in inches.

How to Measure - Chest: Measure straight across from edge to edge, starting 1" below the armhole, multiply by 2 - Shoulder: Measure straight across from shoulder seam to shoulder seam. Again, it’s easiest to measure across the back of the garment - Body Length: Start at the top of the shoulder where it meets the neck seam, and measure straight down to the hem - Sleeve Length: Start at the center of the back of the neck, measure straight across to the shoulder seam, and then follow the edge of the garment to the cuff. Pro tip: it’s easiest to measure across the back of the sleeve

Materials & Care

This deadstock denim is a relic of the Cone Mills White Oak Plant in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1905, White Oak was once the largest denim mill in the world—and the last major denim mill in the USA when it closed its doors in 2017. It was woven on vintage Draper X3 shuttle looms from the 1940s. These machines sat on original heart-pine floors, and the vibration of the looms on the wood created slight, organic inconsistencies in the weave, giving the denim a unique "chatter" and character that modern, high-speed machines cannot achieve.

• 100% 13.5oz Cotton
• Machine wash cold with similar colors on delicate cycle, do not bleach, tumble dry low or hang to dry, do not dry clean, iron low temp