The Mister Freedom® APPALOOSA, introduced during Fall 2013, was our first traditional “western snap” shirt and has been released in a variety of denim-related fabrics.
Its fancier legacy is our Dude Rancher today, with more elaborate pattern work inspired by flashier vintage cowboy fashion. The OG design of the APPALOOSA — discussed here — blends humbler and more plebeian utilitarian roots, mostly lifted from a vintage 1950s Roebucks denim snap shirt (SEARS’ iconic workwear house brand rolled out in 1949.)
Our choice of painted metal snaps over the more obvious front closure option of pearl snap buttons — a detail inspired by 1950s Ranchcraft type shirts, JC Penneys’ own workwear house brand — helps separate our APPALOOSA from the average contemporary western shirt.
After the initial 2013 goat rodeo of releasing the first batch of the APPALOOSA in mixed yardages of NOS denims of unknown origins and specs, we re-cut the pattern in 2015 in an unassuming NOS HBT stripe denim fabric (with amazing patina potential), followed by a small batch of double indigo twill in 2016.
We decided to pull the pattern out of retirement this year, and sourced out a special NOS 2×1 “Liberty” denim fabric. Classic dark indigo blue warp, sturdy 10 Oz., slubby texture, dry hand, wide loom (i.e. no selvedge), produced by the legendary but now-defunct Columbus Mills, in Columbus, Georgia, USA.
Following the regrettable closing of Cone Mills’ White Oak plant in 2017, Columbus Mills terminated its traditional denim-producing activities in 2018.
Another sad story for American manufacturing. In the aftermath of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement, a US bi-partisan groundbreaking treaty from 1994 establishing a tariff-free three-country accord), it became hard to compete for our domestic Textile Industry, and even harder to survive with Chinese denim pouring in the US at $1.25 a yard…
Long-standing American brands like Wrangler® — after the takeover from fast fashion conglomerate KONTOOR who now owns Wrangler® and Lee® — seized the opportunity to relocate manufacturing in Mexico (where they could pay factory workers ~30% of what they were required domestically), enjoying as well the less stringent local Environmental and Labor Laws. Who doesn’t like a pair of “authentic” jeans retailing at $40? The home consumer was happy. The staff from the likes of Columbus Mills getting a corporate layoff notice because their CEO opted for shareholders’ profits and offshoring over long-time employees’ job security? Not so much.
On a lighter note, from the looks and feel of the raw “Liberty” denim yardage, the APPALOOSA is bound to deliver some impressive evo results with normal wear and wash routine. I have yet to break-in my new shirt, but will keep you posted!
The Mister Freedom® APPALOOSA Western Snap Shirt is designed and made in California, CA., in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co. Cut from NOS “Liberty” denim fabric milled in USA by now-defunct Columbus Mills in Georgia.
