From farm field to cotton mill: The making of America's denim

By Wayne Drash, CNN
October 30, 2009 10:10 a.m. EDT

Trion, Georgia (CNN) -- Christopher Wolfe has a Tough As Nails, I Love America attitude. His pride swells along with his tattooed biceps. He's a dying breed, a blue-collar American working on a product as American as apple pie.

Blue jeans.

"This is our lifeline," Wolfe says.
Those jeans you squeezed into this morning? It's likely they began right here at Mount Vernon Mills, one of the last functioning cotton mills in America and the nation's No. 1 producer of denim.

In a tiny enclave of northwest Georgia, Wolfe and 1,200 of his colleagues churn out enough denim per week for 800,000 pairs of blue jeans.

Most U.S. mills shut down years ago, unable to compete with cheap overseas labor. And in another sign of the global economy, the fabric woven here is rarely sent to American plants to be turned into jeans. Instead, the fabric is shipped mostly to factories in Mexico. The jeans then carry labels that read "Made in Mexico of U.S. fabric."

Blame NAFTA. Blame outsourcing. Blame corporate greed for the selling out of America's manufacturing soul.

"I'd rather see people over here work, instead of struggling -- instead of giving somebody in another country a chance to make money that [Americans] should be making," says Wolfe, 31.

He's got a scar across his forehead, a shaved head and goatee. Like a pair of well-worn blue jeans, he's rough and tough.

Some workers here are second- and third-generation employees, following in the footsteps of their fathers, mothers and grandparents. Wolfe's dad and brother work at the mill.

You can see the pride in their faces: Made in U.S.A., baby. "We contribute a lot to America," Wolfe says with a smile.

He's a father of four young daughters. He makes about $9 an hour. He toils for them, for his little girls, so they can have a better a life.

"This mill here," he says, "it feeds my family."
It has been in existence since 1845, when slaves handpicked cotton in the South. Back then, mill workers spun the cotton into fabric and shipped it to factories in the North.

It's said Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman came through Trion, Georgia, during the Civil War and decided not to burn the factory down. The reason remains town lore. Some speculate the Union general might've been treated to the charms of Southern hospitality at the local hotel (wink, wink).

What's a good Southern tale without -- dare we say it? -- some yarnspinning.

"Boss Man" who fights for workers

Inside, you can't help but marvel at the scene around you. Hundreds of spools of thread churn all at once, with computer-like precision. There's a million-square-feet of manufacturing space, much of it Canadian rock maple hardwood floors. It's clean with a brilliant shine. Thread shoots every which way, as if Spider-Man came through.

We make the Wrangler rodeo cowboy jeans that all the rodeo guys still wear.--Don Henderson

The sweet, distinct smell of cotton permeates the mill -- like that of nature in a hardwood forest, with the faint hint of a wet Labrador retriever.

When you walk through with general manager Don Henderson, the workers pause. They glance at "Boss Man". Many stroll over to shake his hand. How you doing? Everything, OK?

Henderson is one reason this place is still in business, on American soil. He has an aww-shucks attitude. He'll tell you it's those men and women out there on the floor that keep it going. He's got pride in the plant, in his workers and in his family.
His father worked for 39 years in the spinning department. His brother retired from the plant after 42 years, having started when he was 16 and eventually making his way into management.

"If I had the ultimate say-so, we would be right here for the next 100 years," says Henderson, 64, who has worked in the plant for 40 years.

While the nation's manufacturing base has shrunk, Mount Vernon Mills is a rare exception. The tiny town of Trion -- pronounced Try-On, as in "our residents always 'try on,'" 78-year-old Mayor Benny Perry says -- has a staggeringly large annual budget for such a small town. Its $12 million, mostly from taxes the mill pays, provides a state-of-the-art public school, park space and athletic fields.
If the mill shuttered, "it would destroy the town," Perry says.

In its heydey, the mill had 5,000 workers in the 1940s and 1950s. The company owned everything in town back then, from the tiny mill houses that surround the plant to the town hospital where Henderson and many of his co-workers were born.
As a result, Trion doesn't have a quaint town square. The mill is the centerpiece.
About two years ago, when the nation's recession hit hard, the plant had to layoff about 200 workers. "It was awful," Henderson says.

To save as many jobs as possible and to maximize efficiency, the plant switched to two, 12-hour shifts. That's down from three shifts, five days a week.
The denim for jeans goes to companies as wide-ranging as Wal-Mart to JCPenney to Dickies to Polo and other high-priced brands. Henderson's most proud of the mill's ties to cowboys.

"We make the Wrangler rodeo cowboy jeans that all the rodeo guys still wear," he says. "We make the fabric right here and have been for -- gosh -- 30 years."
Henderson holds up one roll of distressed fabric that's nearly ready to be shipped. It's denim that once was used for lower-end clothing. But yuppies like the look. Henderson chuckles and shakes his head.

Martha Teague is 63 and has worked in the mill for the past 35 years. She says other company towns had bosses that sold them out, that cared more about the dollar than its people.

"It just gives me a good feeling to be a part of that family of Mount Vernon Mills," says Teague, who has a son working at the plant.

"It has educated my children and gives us a house and everything we have really."
Wolfe wheels 13,000 yards of yarn into the dimly lit "ballroom." It's placed among a heap of others. "We're lucky to have what we got. Other small towns, they don't have that."

He turns and walks away in the orange glow of the ballroom.

You want to know a secret? A $12 pair of jeans often comes from the same roll of denim as a $150 designer pair.

www.brandofthefree.net

DC Party Capital

Wow - Fall has arrived and the holidays are right around the corner! Hope you are enjoying this crisp and colorful time of year. We are keeping very busy, but as always taking some time to enjoy life!
Grab a cup of coffee (or your beverage of choice) and take a moment to check out BOTF's latest release - D.C. Party Capital! Your request for some long sleeve styles came through loud and clear. Party Capital is available in long sleeve, a perfect addition to your tee wardrobe or great for gifts.

Be sure to use the coupon below for a great discount!

Three reasons Brand of the Free Designer Tees stand out in a crowd:

· Super soft ring spun cotton with designs that continue to turn heads. Look at the new "D.C. Party Capital" on our web site. http://www.brandofthefree.net

· "American Made" which keeps money in the US and helps our economy by employing local American workers at a fair wage.

· 100% organic cotton (and regular cotton in select styles) while using non toxic water based print inks. This makes for toxic free, clean and healthy garments that are environmentally sound.

If you're in the DC, MD, VA area come and see us most Saturdays at the historic Eastern Market on 7th Street near Pennsylvania Ave. in DC. We will be in the Hine School parking lot across the street from the main market.
As always, we would love your input. If you have any ideas or comments please let me know as they are always welcome.

Coupon GOGREEN35

Brandofthefree.net

Sustainability meets consumerism with WeBuyItGreen.com

WeBuyItGreen.com has put together a great online directory of Green goods and we wanted to say two thumbs up but someone beat us to it.

Here is a fitting article by Joshua Adam Hicks reprinted with his permission.



Sustainability meets consumerism with WeBuyItGreen.com
By JOSHUA ADAM HICKS
Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer May 11 2009

Jay Kilby has found a way to mix bargain shopping with sustainability.

The Interlake High School social-studies teacher created
WeBuyItGreen.com, an online directory of environmentally and socially responsible goods that includes everything from makeup to pets.

The site isn't about consumerism alone. It also has multiple informational elements.

Kilby researches each of the available products to make sure they're worth the green tag, but his site offers a review function that allows consumers to ask questions of merchants in case they're still skeptical.

For those who don't know what makes a product sustainable, there's an article on green certification, as well as an eco-library that helps buyers make informed choices.


The latest element Kilby has added to his site is a "green neighborhood center" that allows communities to organize all variety of initiatives – whether its ride sharing, boycotting, or setting up grocery deliveries from organic farmers.

Kilby said his involvement with sustainability efforts have grown since he started teaching a section on global warming for his contemporary world affairs class.

"I just became interested as I dug into this, and it sort of became an obsession," he said.

Kilby's colleagues say his enthusiasm is rubbing off on students.

"He's really great with getting them excited about the possibilities of neighborhoods and communities going green together," said fellow teacher Ryan Rahlfs. "He speaks passionately about that, and the kids respond."

Bellevue Reporter Staff Writer Joshua Adam Hicks can be reached at

jhicks@bellevuereporter.com or 425-453-4290.

http://www.brandofthefree.net/ Better Apparel for a Better World! www.twitter.com/brandofthefree

Uncork the Fun

Has it really been over a month since I’ve blogged? Things have been extra exciting here at Brand of the Free. Area wine festivals are in full bloom, and we participated in our very first Vintage Virginia’s 28th Annual Wine Festival in Manassas, Virginia this last weekend. It was totally a blast! What an impressive festival, featuring 50 wineries, arts and crafts exhibitors, and incredible food and music!

It was a party, complete with exceptional Virginia wines, fabulous music and delectable food. We took a few minutes to grab some amazing crab cake sandwiches from Sherri’s Crab Cakes. All I can say is YUM! Joe got a chance to sneak away from our booth to sample some wonderful Belle Mount wines. Ray and Catherine Petrie are the proprietors and were very warm and down to earth. We definitely plan to visit their vineyard for a weekend getaway!

In the midst of all the festivities lies the true essence of the Wine Festival Experience…the wonderful people we met! So many friendly people stopped by our display, and it was a pleasure getting to know them a bit. We are honored and appreciative for all the support we received at the festival and every day. Thank you!

Our next weekend destination is Great Grapes in Cockeysville, MD on June 13-14. We have been hearing that it is one of the most “happening” festivals around! C’mon and join us…and stop by our booth. We look forward to meeting you!

http://www.brandofthefree.net/ Better Apparel for a Better World!www.twitter.com/brandofthefree

Five Simple Steps toward Greener Living

In honor of Earth Day, I thought I would talk about some simple ways to green up your world! Hopefully, some of the ideas that I’ve found will be helpful.

Because of my quest for knowledge, and the desire to make positive changes in my daily life, I come upon many green websites and blogs. Although I applaud any person or business that is taking a stand for the environment and sustainability, I am seeing a trend that troubles me. It seems that no matter how hard someone tries to do the “green” thing, there is always someone else accusing them of not doing enough. Sometimes it almost makes you feel like “what’s the use”. Well, I believe that any positive change is a step in the right direction, and I applaud your interest in looking for ways where you can make a difference.

For those of you who are seeking a greener lifestyle, I found five easy ways to get started. The funny thing is, as you learn to make positive choices, your concepts change. You start to look at the world differently and realize that your choices affect the people and the earth around you. Don’t be overwhelmed-just commit to making a few changes at a time. Collectively, we can all accomplish great things when we all take responsibility as individuals.

• Carry reusable totes to use instead of plastic or paper at the checkout line. In my opinion, American made and organic cotton is the best. However, any reusable bags you already have will work fine! For my weekly grocery shopping, I use 5-6 carry totes. This saves about 20 plastic bags per week, and over 1000 per year just for my family!
  
• Save on electricity in any way possible. This may mean doing some wash cycles in cold water, line drying clothes, using a toaster oven instead of the big oven, unplugging appliances when not in use, or turning off lights when not needed. Also, compact fluorescents use about 75% less electricity than incandescent bulbs. Now that’s a great reason to switch!
  
• Find ways to save on gas. Some tips: drive at the speed limit, keep tires properly inflated, schedule regular tune ups, combine errands so you make less trips, carpool.
  
• Shop your local Farmer’s Market. By supporting local farmers, you can save gas by shopping closer to home, use your dollars to help keep farmers in business, and the added benefit is fresh, delicious and nutritious food for you and your family! And while I’m on the subject of food, make sure that you eat all that food instead of letting it sit and go bad! You can freeze leftovers for soups or casseroles, or have a weekly “leftover smorgasbord”.
  
• Use filtered tap water instead of bottled water in those pesky plastic containers! Invest in a reusable bottle to refill. I love to refill in glass bottles, however that is not always appropriate, especially for children.

Hopefully, you found a few things to get started on. Please share your ideas-I would love to hear them! Happy Earth Day!

Please go to http://www.thedailygreen.com/going-green/latest/going-green-5-first-steps for more info.

http://www.brandofthefree.net/ Better Apparel for a Better World!
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Emeco — Aluminum American Made Chairs

Our friends at American Pride, American Products have written great article on the American company Emeco.

Emeco has been around for quite some time and claimed their place in history when they won a contract during WWII to manufacture long lasting aluminum chairs for the Navy. Check out the article here and follow some of the many links to get the full story of this pride of Pennsylvania.

For more news on the many products Made in Pennsylvania go to http://pennportal.wordpress.com/



Brand of the Free - Better Apparel for a Better World

Brand of the Free Displays at Go Green America Expo

Brand of the Free ended March on a high note by participating in the Go Green America Expo last weekend, displaying their American made organic graphic tees. The event was held at the Montgomery County Fairgrounds on March 28th & 29th, and was located in Gaithersburg, MD. This inaugural event featured about 200 eco-friendly businesses from around the region, drawing thousands of eco-conscious attendees. The Go Green event also featured speakers and workshops ranging from energy to organic cooking and foods.

“This year has already been pivotal for our growth and we are very excited to have participated in the Go Green America Expo. This is the second of many such events we will support in 2009” said Brand of the Free President (and my husband!) Joe Maluso. The interest and excitement from all the vendor businesses and attendees continues to prove that we are moving toward a positive change. Change in how we conduct business and how we live our lives by making little things count. Change in our responsibility that means leaving our environment a little better than when we found it one step at a time.”

“We look forward to working with many of our new friends and continuing to spread the message to buy American made goods and organically grown products.”

To learn more about the 2009 Go Green America Expo visit http://www.gogreenamericaexpo.com/

Buy Made in America and keep it Green.
Brand of the Free - Better Apparel for a Better World