INTERNET DISCLOSURE: In case you are wondering - I paid full price for these jeans. I have not received anything from Duluth Trading Company for this review. I found out about these jeans while looking for something else. Just wanted you to know I am not a shill for DTC!
A couple of years ago I heard about some jeans that were going to be manufactured in Michigan - in Detroit. I was excited - until I learned the price was going to be almost $200 a pair. Motor City Denim broke my heart. I was prepared to pay more than the $35 I pay for Arizona jeans for something made in the US, but $175 for jeans is NOT in my budget. (I Riffed about Motor City here)
I am happy to report I found an excellent alternative - jeans made in the USA for just $84.50 a pair. I found them at the Duluth Trading Company. Not only are they made in this country - by a 5th generation family run operation using domestic cotton - but they feature a gusset in the crotch that makes them very, very comfortable. The gusset is a diamond shaped pieced of fabric sewn into the crotch that makes a lot of shifting around and adjustment unnecessary.
Bought my first pair 3 weeks ago and I have worn them for a total of 8 days now including two days of extensive travel time and I am very pleased with the results. They are very heavy weight (remember how sturdy Levi's USED to be??) made of 14.5 oz 100% cotton denim. They look sharp (Julie says they make my butt look good!) and all the stitching and seams are top notch (triple stitch down the legs). I started with the dark denim and will be ordering a second pair in the "washed" color.
Received my "stone washed" pair two days ago. Really like them - they are more comfortable that the dark denim pair - probably because they have been broken in for me. My only complaint with these jeans is that they don't offer them in black.....yet!
You can read about them here: USA MADE JEANS HERE