Cone Denim Opens White Oak Web Shop
Cone Denim’s White Oak facility is Greensboro, N.C., is well-known among jeans makers—especially those who love American-made denim. In recent years, the company has been tracking down vintage selvage looms and refurbishing them to expand the mill’s selvage denim offerings.
But for consumers (and very small-run manufacturers), Cone Denim’s minimums made their products unavailable. Until now. The mill recently launched the White Oak Shop online (whiteoakshop.com) with a selection of premium selvage denims available in smaller quantities.
The show features Cone’s Natural Indigo, dyed with real indigo grown in Tennessee, as well as White Oak shirting fabrics. The shop also featured information for new designers looking to learn about the “unique intricacies of working with authentic vintage denim.” There is information about denim manufacturing and the “inherent character woven into the fabric.” Plus, visitors will find guidelines for cutting selvage garments and a history of Cone Denim and the White Oak facility. Cone has been making denim at the White Oak mill since 1905. Today, the facility houses American Draper X-3 fly shuttle looms for selvage constructions, as well as wide-width denim looms, and serves as Cone’s R&D center for global denim innovation.
“The White Oak Shop is very exciting and opens the opportunity for us to work directly with denim enthusiasts and aspiring designers via the Internet who were previously limited by minimum order quantities,” said Kara Nicholas, vice president product design and marketing, in a statement. “Vintage constructions from American Draper fly shuttle looms are not available anywhere else in the world, fueling the natural passion and inspiration for denim designers and their connection to White Oak.”
Founded in 1891 by brothers Moses and Ceasar Cone, Cone Denim celebrated its 125th year anniversary this year. In addition to the White Oak mill, the company produces denim in Mexico and China. It is part of the International Textile Group, which also includes Burlington Industries.
