I'll Never Get Old

[mbarrick]

...because I'll die from a fucking aneurysm first as everything gradually goes to shit.

I went to buy jeans today.

Years ago buying a new pair of jeans took all of five minutes. I've been wearing the same brand (Levi's) forever because nothing else fits me the way I like. I've tried some other brands in the past that I didn't like much, with some exceptions that never stayed in production long, and always came back to the Levi's.

Since the last few pairs of jeans I bought were a little inconsistent with the inseam length, I chose to try on the jeans before I bought them this time. And good thing I did. I tried on eight pairs of jeans with waist sizes marked 33 to 36 and inseam measurements marked from 30 to 34 to find three pairs that were *actually* the size I wanted (34/32).

So I did a little research as to what the hell happened. Seems the days when I could just buy my size by the number and trust that they would, in fact, be the size they claimed to be ended when the jeans sold in Canada stopped being made in Edmonton by well-paid labour in decent conditions. They stopped making jeans in Edmonton in 2004. Now, thanks to NAFTA, Levi's sold in Canada are made in Mexico (which is still better than the ones in the States, which are made who knows where these days.)

While the made-in-Mexico jeans I bought a few years ago did have the problem with the inseam length being inconsistent, they weren't anywhere near as bad as the ones I got today. I have no doubt this further decline in quality has everything to with Levi's getting in to bed with Wal-Mart in 2007. Wal-Mart bullies their suppliers into cheaper and cheaper manufacturing, on the threat of utterly killing formerly reliable brands by no longer carrying them, so companies with formerly decent products get forced to make their things cheaper and crappier and go further afield for cheap labour just to keep the Wal-Mart distribution channel open.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/walmart/view/

Comments

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

I don't shop at Wal-Mart either. I bought these at Sears. It really doesn't matter. Once a retailer gets caught in the Wal-Mart trap, their product goes to shit universally because of the pressure Wal-Mart puts on them.

[mbarrick.livejournal.com]

Take a look at the documentary I linked to at the bottom of the post. It does a great job of explaining exactly how Wal-Mart has screwed us all.

[annamaryse.livejournal.com]

We boycott Walmart and its evil twin LOWES... I don't know if there are Lowe's or home depot in Canada but they are evil for the same reason... that, and that their sales practices are making it impossible for independent retailers to stay in business and remain competitive.

Regarding size being inconsistent, further detail on this is that they cut patterns out in batches... and if you cut through multiple layers of fabric, the measurements go off... then the next person cuts the patterns out using cloth from the last batch rather than actual pattern pieces, until quality control goes out the window and so does the actual sizing, it's like a giant game of broken telephone. Too bad too, Levi's used to care.

I think the only good Levi's are made in SF. Or the Levi's they USED to make there. Sorry to hear about this.

[seymour-glass.livejournal.com]

i agree with you...it's tough to even boycott them because they screw the manufacturer and that effects all of their products...usually i now buy at mountain equipment coop for most of my pants...i know they at least ensure there are fair trade practices at their factories...and the clothes seem to last a little longer...though i still wish it were possible to find some good clothing still made in canada...