Levis White Oak Cone Denim

In december the cone mills white oak plant stopped production and when it did the world of american made denim was forever altered.

Levis white oak cone denim. Late last year we received probably the worst news possible in the american denim scene. The greensboro north carolina facility was the last and oldest operating selvedge denim mill left in the united states. Here the denim is made on american draper shuttle looms the last remaining in operation anywhere and as far as cone is aware of a variety that never made it to. Shop selvedge denim jeans that feature attention to every detail.

The white oak shop lives on as a tribute to the talent legacy and innovation that will forever be the heart and soul of cone denim. Cone mills was one of the last producers of american selvedge denim and had been supplying levi s with its xx 501 selvedge denim since back when woodrow wilson was in office 1913 give or a take a few years. The white oak plant was the last remaining selvedge denim factory left in the united states producing at scale. If you ve recently found yourself on the hunt for a pair of jeans utilizing cone mills white oak denim before there are none left to be had you may be in luck by way of none other than levi s themselves.

Cone s famed selvedge denim has been made in the white oak plant since it was purchased in 1905 and so called because the plant once stood in the shadow of a giant oak tree. In 1915 levi s and cone mills made what s called the golden handshake an agreement saying cone mills would produce all of levi s proprietary xx denim more widely known as their shrink to fit denim. Cone s denim heritage dates back to 1891 and fuels the natural passion and inspiration for denim designers and their connections to our historic white oak mill which produced denim from 1905 to 2017. At the turn of 2018 one of the us s last and oldest selvedge denim makers closed its doors ending the longest standing partnership in american selvedge denim history.

With the apparent closure of cone mills white oak plant announced late 2017 it seemed as though white oak s part in the agreement had run out. After 112 years in operation cone mills white oak closed its doors in 2017 bringing an end to a long standing partnership between levi s and the north carolina mill. Cone mills white oak shut. Levi s premium quality selvedge denim for men come with a clean tailored look.

One of the greatest tragedies in heritage denim was the closure of cone mills white oak plant at the end of 2017.