Casual Pants

[LabGuy]

I started buying casual pants (khakis) from Amazon called Amazon Essentials. They were only $20 or so. They fit okay and looked nice until they started to fade after a few washes. Then the buttons started breaking. Both the front button and the back pocket buttons. After DW sewed on a few replacement buttons, she said, "You need to quit buying cheap pants from China!"

So, I looked at buying some casual pants from the great American company known as Brooks Brothers. They were having a sale and I saw some nice pants that retailed for $118. After the discount, I paid $63. So, I was very excited to get them 2 days later until I noticed the tag, "Made in China."

My wife was like, "Send them back!" But I felt obligated to keep them and at the same time wanted to let BB know how disappointed I was. So, I left a review there before posting my experience here.

 

[Doc4]

I noticed the tag, "Made in China."

Made in Canada:

Big Bill Men's Flat Front Pant Codet Wrinkle Free™ - 1501

www.gostwear.com

 

[LabGuy]

Made in Canada:

Big Bill Men's Flat Front Pant Codet Wrinkle Free™ - 1501

www.gostwear.com

Nice! Thanks.

Maybe I will do a google search for some Made in the USA pants and let folks review those that they have tried.

 

[Hachet]

Great thread. Thanks for bringing this to my attention.

 

[LabGuy]

American Made Men's Clothing | Bills Khakis | Made in USA - https://billskhakis.com/ Made in USA
$155-195 Ouch!

All American Khakis | All American Khakis - https://allamericankhakis.com/ Made in USA
$80-90 3 different styles/weights and lots of colors

All American Men's Casual Pant - Made in USA

Check out the deal on All American Men's Casual Pant - Made in USA at All American Clothing

www.allamericanclothing.com

$48 only one style khakis in 2 colors. However, they do have lots of jeans. I can vouch for the jeans!

Pants - https://jackdonnelly.com/collections/pants Made in USA
$98 only one style and one color (3 fits)

Men's Casual Pants & Shorts | Duluth Trading Company

Every man needs a pair of trousers or khakis for days when he needs to look spiffy. Ours look great, fit right and are built tough enough to work in.

www.duluthtrading.com

$60-70

Anyone with experience with any of these Made in USA khakis? Know of any others?

 

[tsellati]

Just playin' the numbers game. Consider the fact your prices ranging from $20 (Amazon Essentials) to $60 (Duluth Trading Co. to $195 (American Made Men's Clothing). So the Duluth pants would need to last 3 times longer than the Amazon Essentials and the American Made Men's Clothing pants would need to last nearly 10 times longer. Otherwise, you could just stick with the Amazon Essentials and plan on replacing them more often.

Tim

 

[EspressoAndAftershave]

While I agree with buying better quality , the word "Chino" is the Spanish word for Chinese. Khakis were the original cotton twill trousers (Thank you, Sir Lumsden! Thanks again, Brits!). Chinos came along later, in the Spanish-American war, and used less cloth. They're wrongly conflated, and are, technically, two different creatures. Why do I mention this? Because the Chinese have been making cotton twill trousers for a long time. Personally, Dockers gives great bang for the buck, imo. I'm not crazy about their politics, but damn it, they make a smashing pair of khakis.

 

[LabGuy]

...the Chinese have been making cotton twill trousers for a long time. Personally, Dockers gives great bang for the buck, imo. I'm not crazy about their politics, but damn it, they make a smashing pair of khakis.

Good point. I think the Chinese are limited only by the company that has hired them to make the item. If the company is only budgeting $1 for labor and $1 for materials, you get a crappy item.

Also, I do not want to subsidize extremely low pay and terrible working conditions.

 

[Shakey-and-twitchy]

Big Bill cargo pants in Marino wool!
when did the Canadians get soft.
i love the original heavy wool.

 

[tankerjohn]

Economically priced, American-made clothes are out there, but you have dig a bit deeper than the big box and department stores. I’m going to order some jeans from here in the fall: Work Jeans & Denim Apparel - Men's Clothes Made in USA | Prison Blues - http://www.prisonblues.net/

Nothing inherently wrong with Made in China. I think quality is more about a label’s specs and quality control. There are good factories in China. But I do hate sending my money there in the Xi Jinping era, even if it’s just a spit in the ocean of China’s export market.

 

[Doc4]

Nothing inherently wrong with Made in China. I think quality is more about a label’s specs and quality control. There are good factories in China. But I do hate sending my money there in the Xi Jinping era, even if it’s just a spit in the ocean of China’s export

"Yes, but ..."

Most if not all companies relocating production to China are doing so to save on labour costs so will seek those opportunities and accept the shoddy workmanship that comes with.

Don't pay a Scottish teenager a dollar a day to flip burgers and expect Gordon Ramsay ...

 

[AimlessWanderer]

Otherwise, you could just stick with the Amazon Essentials and plan on replacing them more often

I buy cheap and often for most things. That said, even the cheaper items tend to give me at least two or three years of use, and some items much longer. I don't see the point of buying things that last longer than my need for a specific waist measurement

 

[Marco]

My favourite casual trousers are chinos and they are proudly "Made in Italy".

 

[Raven Koenes]

I just need to do better. I wore plaid shorts, a tie-dyed t-shirt, socks with Christmas trees, and Crocs yesterday. When my wife got home she said, "You didn't go out in public like that?" I responded

 

[Doc4]

When my wife got home she said, "You didn't go out in public like that?" I responded ...

"It's my quarantine tuxedo."

 

[Leo501]

I'm a fan of Lee khakis. Usually wait for a sale at Kohl's so as not to pay the near $50 full price. Mine have lasted for years and lot's of regular washings.

 

[OldSchoolYoungin]

You can often find Bills on eBay for much less than retail.

 

[patten1969]

I have had good luck with J.Crew chinos. The quality has always been good, and I have a few pair that are several years old and are holding up well.

 

[buckeye_pi]

Economically priced, American-made clothes are out there, but you have dig a bit deeper than the big box and department stores. I’m going to order some jeans from here in the fall: Work Jeans & Denim Apparel - Men's Clothes Made in USA | Prison Blues - http://www.prisonblues.net/

Nothing inherently wrong with Made in China. I think quality is more about a label’s specs and quality control. There are good factories in China. But I do hate sending my money there in the Xi Jinping era, even if it’s just a spit in the ocean of China’s export market.

I was just reading the same thing about Paul Stuart's new made to measure line. Apparently they are now made in China where they used to be done by Samuelson in Canada. However, it was pointed out that Paul Stuart supplies their fabric and their specs as far as workmanship. Doubt Paul Stuart would want to hurt their rep with shoddy suits. The money savings is in the labor in China as opposed to Canada.
If the vendor is screened carefully there can be decent work coming from anywhere.

 

[Sabre]

Cordings have UK made chinos for £99.00, whilst over in Regent Street Brooks Brother's have Malaysian made chinos for £155.00. I would assume the higher price is because BB have more sales and discount offers. Their property portfolio is also more expensive. However Lands' End have a retail price of £50.00 but near permanent discount offer of 40%. They can be bought as low as £14.50.