Round House Jeans, founded in 1903 in Shawnee, Oklahoma, sells its USA-made jeans for $70 a pair at a profit margin of 5% or less, NBC News reported on August 13, 2025.
How the numbers work
Vice President David Antosh, whose family has run the company for more than six decades, told NBC News that Round House cuts and sews jeans from 100% USA cotton by hand and pays above-market wages. He said the company also sells jeans sewn in Bangladesh from USA cotton for $40, at margins around 20%. Those profits subsidize the USA-made line and the Shawnee factory.
“Our profit margins are extremely low. We make hardly any money on these jeans.”
David Antosh, Round House Jeans, to NBC News
Antosh said his biggest challenge is staffing. He trains every new hire from scratch, and about three-quarters quit within the first few months. He said tariffs hurt rather than help, because higher costs on imported jeans leave less money to subsidize the USA-made line. He told NBC News that even a 100% tariff would leave Bangladesh production cheaper than Oklahoma.
Why it matters for Made in USA
Round House shows how some heritage makers survive: a mixed lineup in which imported products help pay for domestic ones. That model only works if each product’s origin label is accurate, so shoppers know which pair they are buying.
It also shows a downside of tariffs for some domestic makers. When imports and USA production share one balance sheet, raising import costs can squeeze the USA side as well. Workforce training, not just pricing, remains the bottleneck for USA apparel.
FAQ
Where are Round House jeans made?
Round House makes jeans in Shawnee, Oklahoma, from 100% USA cotton, and also sells a separate line sewn in Bangladesh from USA cotton.
What margin does Round House make on USA-made jeans?
5% or less on a $70 pair, according to NBC News.
How do tariffs affect the company?
Antosh said higher costs on imported jeans reduce the profits that subsidize the USA-made line.
Source & credit
Originally reported by NBC News (Jing Feng and Vicky Nguyen) on August 13, 2025: Heritage comes at a steep price for this Oklahoma denim-maker