Brands making jeans in the USA are paying more and finding fewer domestic fabric sources, Sourcing Journal reported on August 12, 2025.
Losing the mills
The 2017 closure of Cone Mills’ White Oak plant in Greensboro, N.C., after 112 years left a gap in premium USA-made denim. Tellason, which cuts and sews in San Francisco, had been White Oak’s fourth-largest customer. It bought a year and a half of fabric before the closure, then moved to Japan’s Kaihara Denim. Ginew shifted to Japanese mills and Vidalia Mills in Louisiana, which stopped operating in 2024 and was headed for auction.
Patriot Jean Co. uses all USA components and sews in El Paso. It buys fabric from Mount Vernon Mills in Trion, Ga., which Sourcing Journal called the only denim manufacturer in the USA.
The cost problem
“The single greatest challenge to producing denim apparel domestically is cost.”
Dr. Erik Brodt, co-founder, Ginew, to Sourcing Journal
Sourcing consultant Christine Rucci estimated a USA-sewn jean made with tariffed Chinese fabric costs about $78 to make before shipping. She said many USA trim suppliers require orders of 10,000 to 20,000 units.
Why it matters for Made in USA
Many USA-sewn jeans use imported fabric. Under FTC rules they need a qualified label such as “Made in USA of imported fabric.” AAFA’s Stephen Lamar told Sourcing Journal that the all-or-nothing standard can discourage partial USA production because qualified labels rarely command premium prices. With just one USA denim mill named in the story, a fully USA-made jean depends on very few suppliers.
Related: Round House jeans and the margins of USA-made denim and Origin USA’s push to scale USA denim.
FAQ
Why did USA denim get harder to source?
The closure of Cone Mills’ White Oak plant in 2017 and Vidalia Mills in 2024 removed major USA sources of premium denim.
Which USA mill still makes denim?
Sourcing Journal named Mount Vernon Mills in Trion, Georgia, as the only denim manufacturer in the USA.
Can jeans sewn in the USA from imported fabric say Made in USA?
Only with a qualifier, such as “Made in USA of imported fabric,” under FTC rules.
Source & credit
Originally reported by Sourcing Journal (Angela Velasquez), August 12, 2025: The High Cost of Staying American: Denim Brands Fight to Keep Production in the USA