Introduction

A new limited-run collaboration between Wrangler and Nashville's Imogene + Willie is putting a vanishing piece of American textile history on sale. The jeans are cut from a dwindling stash of Cone White Oak selvedge fabric woven on antique shuttle looms at the once-thriving Cone Mills plant in Greensboro North Carolina. For denim enthusiasts this is not just another drop it is likely one of the last opportunities to own a new pair of jeans woven from the iconic American fabric before it disappears forever.

What Happened

The partnership draws from an archival Wrangler design the 10MWZ Cowboy Cut first released in 1964 and reimagines it in a midweight 14.75 oz sanforized selvedge dyed a deep Galaxy Blue. Each pair bears Wrangler signature leather patch W stitching on the back pockets and an Imogene + Willie tag and is sewn in the USA. The collaboration stems from a broader story when Cone Denim Mills shut its White Oak facility in 2017 brands scrambled to secure whatever remaining fabric they could. Imogene + Willie famously emptied its bank account to stockpile what it could and today's release represents a small final slice of that effort.

Why This Matters

Cone White Oak selvedge is more than a material choice it is a cultural touchstone. For decades the Greensboro mill supplied fabric to Levi's Wrangler Lee and countless other brands weaving the fabric that helped define the American blue jean. With the mill closed and no large-scale selvedge production left in the U.S. each remaining roll becomes increasingly precious. The collaboration highlights both the scarcity and the enduring desire to keep American-made denim alive especially as newer efforts like Mount Vernon Mills work to revive the legacy using restored White Oak looms.

Key Takeaways

  • The Wrangler x Imogene + Willie jeans are limited to 292 pairs cut from genuine Cone White Oak selvedge.
  • The denim comes from a soon-to-vanish stash making this release one of the last of its kind available new.
  • Imogene + Willie stockpiled the fabric after learning of White Oak's closure emptying its operating budget to secure supply.
  • Other brands from Levi's to small specialists have also released limited runs from remaining Cone deadstock in recent years.
  • Mount Vernon Mills is working to restore White Oak looms in Georgia which could eventually replenish American selvedge production.

Conclusion

For anyone who has followed the evolution of American denim this collaboration offers a rare tangible connection to a fading era. Unless a new supply of Cone White Oak emerges these 292 pairs may represent one of the last chances to own a new garment woven on the original shuttle looms that helped shape the nation's denim identity. If you have been considering a pair now is the time to act because when they're gone the era of newly produced Cone White Oak selvedge may truly be over.