e
Made-in-USA Pants Guaranteed to Last for 25 Years
These were my favorite work pants right here, Carhartt's Loose Fit Canvas Carpenter Jeans. I bought them just over two years ago. They're comfortable as hell and have good utility with all of the pockets and hammer loops, but despite the name, they're certainly not made for a carpenter—I don't even work in the trades, and here's what they look like now:
A tape measure clip has made short work of pockets on both sides. 
The coin pocket has been abraded by nothing more than the physically-smooth Zippo lighter I carried (before I managed to quit smoking).I'm not breaking rocks in a salt mine or clearing logjams on the Mississippi, just shuffling plywood through my weekend warrior shop. Under such use, shouldn't a $50 pair of pants last longer than two years, particularly from a workwear brand? Or am I out of touch with the times? Either way, when I tried to replace them this week, I discovered Carhartt no longer manufactures them in my size. So that's the end of the line for me and this model.
During a search for more durable pants, this Kickstarter campaign caught my eye. Manuel Rappard is the founder of jeans company RPMWEST, and recently launched The Quarter Century Pant project. While these are not branded as workwear, Rappard's aim is to provide "the most durable pants you've ever had" and is backing that up with a crazy 25-year guarantee. What's even more insane is the price: Just $85 a pair, yet they're actually manufactured in America.
For those curious about what makes these pants different from a materials perspective, Rappard explains:
What is 3-Ply twill? A plied yarn is one where multiple strands of yarn — already spun yarn — are put together and twisted in the opposite direction from that in which they were first twisted. A 2-ply yarn has two strands; a 3-Ply yarn has three.
Any time you ply your yarn, you’re making it stronger. This is because twisting adds strength; multiple directions of twist add even more strength. You’re also tucking some of the surface of the yarn inside, away from the elements and wear and tear. Plied yarns will always be stronger and sturdier than singles yarns.
But this is only one reason to ply your yarns. Plying can also even out unevenness. Plying regularizes yarn, and also changes how the yarn behaves, how it feels, and how finished fabrics made from it behave and feel. You will notice that our pants are incredibly soft and durable.
Enter a caption (optional)Success for the campaign came swiftly: At press time it had netted $65,000-plus on a $20,000 goal, and there are still 31 days left to pledge.
Enter a caption (optional)-
o1Favorite This
-
Q8Comment
Directory Company Profiles
Core77
Industrial Design
Resources
Industrial Design
Resources
-
Core77 Directory
Find the Best Industrial Design CompaniesGo -
Fresco Design
Fresco supports world-class brands with world-class design. Based in the Boston area, a leading inno...
-
Sundberg-Ferar | Product Innovation Studio
Sundberg-Ferar, a product design firm, helps the world's leading durable product companies to turn c...
-
Studio1642
Get the website and videos your business needs in weeks, not months. Enjoy personalized, high-qualit...
-
TactileTactile is a product and UX design firm founded in 2004. Blending physical and digital design, we cr...
-
Tandem Product Design
With a stellar record of design and engineering successful products with World Class brands since 20...
-
Pq Design Group
PQ Design Group is the preferred partner for ambitious startups and global brands, offering a pragma...
-
Spatial Dynamics
Spatial Dynamics is a hardware product design and development agency located in Cambridge, Massachus...
K
{Welcome
Create a Core77 Account
Already have an account? Sign In
By creating a Core77 account you confirm that you accept the Terms of Use
K
Reset Password
Please enter your email and we will send an email to reset your password.
Comments
Yea, but who can keep the same size butt for 25 years?
I use both of those extra side pockets every day. clik ; http://agenobat69.com/ But I wrote this post because I was amazed that anyone could make a U.S.-manufactured pair of pants with a 25-year guarantee.
I've been wearing outlier slim dungarees (2 pairs alternating) to work for about 4 years now and they don't have any signs of wear at all.
I am glad to see a lot more talk about quality pants. I have bought several pants which fall under the category of (work pants that are also slim, dress pant looking...). Which would be Dickies slim and also an American Apparel pant (never go to an American Apparel or the Mall that sells Dickies slim pants if you are over 25. Or do. Then, find out why I just typed that...) Anyways. I always carry a tape measure with me for work; when the tape measure is not in use I will hook it in my front pocket. Pants that have a front outer lining of the pocket that is vertical (same as the pant that is represented in the video in which this response is directed at) is a bad receiver and unreliable for a tape measure hook. When you hook a tape measure on a vertical front pocket, it will usually fall off, dropping a tape measure on some clients floor that you are already being quite irreverent toward, Makes you maybe look bad. I usually don't care because I'm always high. But shit, Fuck Em' I am a Professional.
Whenever i see USA & guaranteed in one sentence my buttocks start sweating uncontrollably.
I want to believe, but I am skeptical. Also, unlike workwear like Carhartt, Duluth Trading, etc., these have very limited pockets. I would be sad to lose the ruler pockets and phone/notepad/tapemeasure pocket on the Flex Fire Hose Carpenter pants I'm wearing today.
Toby, the lack of pockets is why I won't actually order these pants; and I haven't quite given up on Carhartt yet, I've just ordered their "Double Front Work Dungaree/Washed Duck" for $55 in hopes they'll last longer. I use both of those extra side pockets every day. But I wrote this post because I was amazed that anyone could make a U.S.-manufactured pair of pants with a 25-year guarantee. It gives me hope for the future of U.S. manufacturing and even if these pants aren't for me personally, I hope these guys will come through, and find their audience/buyers.
Agreed - it's a bold move, at least from a business standpoint (and I hope they'll be making pants 25 years from now, good for them for aiming high). You should take a look at some of the Duluth pants, they run sort of big, but the fabrics and pockets are very well thought out.