Mister Freedom® CALIFORNIAN LOT.64-JC, indigo-dyed 14 Oz. Jungle Cloth edition.
mfsc FW2021 Sportsman Catalog.
Made in USA.
Alert the media, the MF® Californian is back, and this time in non-selvedge fabric!
The Lot.64 is our most-popular five-pocket pattern, featuring a straight leg, slightly tapered, button fly, and a classic 1960s silhouette.
“Jungle Cloth” is a trade name for heavy warp-faced corded fabric, in which the cords run in the warp (vertical) direction. This all-cotton grosgrain fabric of the corduroy family is high density, rugged, water-repellent and windproof, and has roots in 1920s civilian flight gear. It is commonly associated with US Navy foul weather deck personnel clothing, with the iconic N-1 and its many iterations in Heritage fashion.
Why it was called “Jungle Cloth” remains a mystery to me, and the earliest mention of the fabric I could find is in a 1914 book titled “Hunting in the Arctic and Alaska”, in a chapter listing the author’s personal outfit of choice for a cruise in the Arctic:
Jungle Cloth is described as “Modified Bedford Cords” in a volume of “Standard Commodity Classification” from 1945. Its US production ramped up during WW2 due to large US Government contracts for the US Navy. The Crompton-Shenandoah Plant in Virginia handled a large chunk of the wartime production, having adapted its long-established velveteen-milling machinery to meet the mil-specs Jungle Cloth demand.
 Excerpt from US Senate hearings on Trade Agreements, 1955. This interesting 1955 “Trade Agreements” US Senate official document discusses the struggle of the American fabric milling industry, overwhelmed by cheaper labor competition from Italian and Japanese factories at the time. During the hearings, a Crompton-Shenandoah representative mentions “the average hourly earnings in the cotton textile industry are about $1.35 (in the US) , the Italian textile hourly average wage is 24 cents, the Japanese 13 cents… The best Japanese velveteen, and it is good, is for sale in New York, duty paid, at 21 cents per yard lower than our manufacturing cost…”
Fabric milling in the US struggled until the 1980s, and is today a shadow of what it once was, although domestic textile manufacturing has seen a revival in recent years.
It is also quite ironic that in 2021, Japanese and Italian textiles are considered premium and are very costly, and that domestic production in Japan and Italy is now constantly challenged by unbeatable competition from China, Bangladesh, India, South East Asia, Haiti, South Africa… Hard to compete indeed with $95/month wages such as those of Bangladeshi garment workers. Gambatte Nippon!
Our premium Jungle Cloth is milled in Japan and indigo-dyed by Japanese experts to a dark shade of indigo blue. This vintage mil-specs fabric initially developed by Buzz Rickson’s is an old MF® favorite. It has been previously featured on our Riders, N-1Z Deck Pants, M-17 Parka, and Mulholland Master. It ages beautifully and the patina of indigo-dyed Jungle Cloth is quite impressive.
(Note that his fabric is very light-sensitive, so store appropriately to avoid sun fading/fold marks.)
For pocketing, we opted for some older NOS olive green HBT. To keep a low profile, we went for tonal stitching and, due to the Jungle Cloth heavy ounce, chose cotton-wrap poly thread for sturdy construction and seam resistance.
The Californian LOT.64-JC blue jeans “Indigo Jungle Cloth” edition are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
High density 14 Oz. “Jungle Cloth”, 100% cotton grosgrain, period mil-specs, the notorious shell fabric of 1940’s US Navy N-1 deck jackets, dyed to a deep and dark indigo shade. (The face is textured by dense vertical cords, and the reverse feels soft and brushed.)
Milled and indigo-dyed in small batches in Japan.
PATTERN:
Inspired by traditional 1950′s-1960’s era blue jeans, original Mister Freedom® classic fit.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket blue jeans pattern, featuring a straight leg with a slight taper and a classic mid-to-high rise.
* Button fly.
* Non-selvedge leg outseam, overlock.
* 100% cotton NOS olive green HBT pocketing.
* Tonal MF® original “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Hand-debossed black tea-core veg-tan cowhide leather MF® branded patch on rear pocket.
* Tonal stitching, classic MF® Californian gauge combo, sturdy black cotton-wrap poly thread.
* Coin pocket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket bartack stitching.
* Original MF® metal cast tack buttons combo, ‘oxidized’ silver for fly, brass for waist.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (Army green).
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT:
The CALIFORNIAN Lot.64-JC comes UN-WASHED. These jeans are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing:
- Cold soak for about 30-40mn, with occasional hand agitation.
- Machine spin dry and line dry.
- Wear briefly before fully-dry to set creases, then hang until fully dry. (Do not use heat dryer)
I went with a W31, for a snug top block and straight leg silhouette. I am about 5’7, 150 lbs. This fabric hardly stretches but softens with wear, and is very comfortable.
Disclaimer: Color crocking (temporarily bleeding onto other lighter-colored textiles) is to be expected and will temporarily ‘stain’ light color garments worn as under layers. Indigo rub-off should wash-off eventually. However, expect blue legs for a while.
Also, this fabric is very light-sensitive, so store appropriately to avoid sun fading/fold marks.
CARE:
Wash sporadically, only when needed. Spot clean with a damp rag to remove dirt/mud rather than wash.
When full cleaning is required, turn pants inside out to limit fabric marbling, set machine to DELICATE and wash in cold water with mild eco-friendly detergent designed for delicate fabrics.
Heavy indigo crocking is to be expected for a while, so wash separately from all other garments. Indigo blue marks on the washing machine walls can be removed with a damp rag soaked in laundry detergent.
Do not use a heat dryer, hang dry instead.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles red brick HQ, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2021
 
Mister Freedom® Ranch Blouse & Californian LOT.64 BB “OKINAWA” edition.
Sportsman catalog, mfsc SS2019 RESTOCK.
Made in USA.
These two numbers were initially released during FW2017.
All sizes of the popular Mister Freedom® “OKINAWA” Californian Lot64BB and Ranch Blouse are back in stock for SS2019.
Fabric and specs are exactly the same as the original release.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, and our Los Angeles brick & mortar store.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2019
Mister Freedom® “CALIFORNIAN” Blue Jeans.
Made in USA.
Our popular classic five-pocket jeans are called “Californian” because they are made in California, USA.
The MF® Californians come in five timeless basic cuts rounded-up by main Lot numbers: Lot.44, Lot.54, Lot.64, Lot.74 and Lot.674.
Through the years, we have issued various iterations of these Lots, showcasing assorted selvedge denims and trim options, released in the USA in rigid/loomstate form only:
* Californian Lot.54 (Yellow paper flasher, 2010): The original issue, straight leg, button fly, classic 1950’s silhouette. Issued in 12.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.44 (Box packaging, 2011): Similar pattern, buckle back added, straight leg, button fly, classic 40’s-1950’s silhouette. Issued in about 37 types of NOS denim twills.
* Californian Lot.44R (Reissue, w/o packaging, 2018): Same as Lot.44 but issued in NOS Cone 13.Oz sanforized denim twill.
* Californian Lot.64 (Red paper flasher, 2013): Straight leg, slightly tapered, button fly, classic 1960’s vibe. Originally issued in 13 3/4 Oz. indigo denim (SC1966).
* Californian Lot.64US (Army green paper flasher, 2014): “Uncle Sam” edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, button fly, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 13 3/4 Oz. indigo denim (SC1966).
* Californian Lot.64OK (Orange paper flasher, 2014): “Okinawa Advisor” edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, button fly, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 14 Oz. “Okinawa 301” indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.74 (Aqua green paper flasher, 2015): Tapered, our slimmest leg, zipper fly, classic “1960’s youth” vibe. Originally issued in 12.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim, then in NOS 12.5 Oz. wheat denim.
* Californian Lot.654 (Yellow paper flasher, 2015): Pattern and fit of our classic Lot.64, button fly, with the bells and whistles of our original Lot.54. Issued in NOS 12 Oz. Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64E (Red/White stripe paper flasher, 2016): Special “US Presidential Election” Edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, button fly, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 16.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.674 (Ivory white paper flasher, 2017): Top block of the Lot.64 mixed with tapered leg of the Lot.74, button fly, issued in “Okinawa 301” 14 Oz. sugarcane fiber indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64BB (Dark navy paper flasher, 2017): Lot.64 with added Buckle-Back cinch, button fly, issued in “Okinawa 301” 14 Oz. sugarcane fiber indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64OG (Venice Beach Sunset paper flasher, 2018): Pattern and fit of our classic Lot.64, button fly, issued in NOS 15.5 Oz. organic Cone Mills denim.
Asides from our MF® Californians, we also offer a wide range of non five-pocket denim trousers.
Available from www.misterfreedom.com, our Los Angeles brick & mortar store, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support.
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2019
   
 Californian blue jeans Lot.64OG, worn & washed (about 4-month intermitent wear.) 
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Color reference: Worn Californian Lot.64BB (Okinawa denim), worn and unworn Californian Lot.64OG (Organic denim)
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Mister Freedom® Californian indigo blue jeans Lot.64 OG , Organic cotton, NOS 15.5 Oz.Cone Mills selvedge denim twill.
Spring 2018 mfsc Sportsman catalog.
Made in USA.
If you were planning on adding a pair of jeans to your wardrobe menu, here is an “organic” version of our Californian, specifically designed for raw foodies.
?
Our MF® Californian blue jeans Lot.64 OG are cut from an older stock of premium denim from Cone Mills, and feature… ORGANIC cotton!
Not that anything about the process of making denim apparel usually epitomizes much of an eco-friendly gesture from us and the ever-booming international Denim Industry. In 2018, well over one billion pairs of blue jeans will likely change hands on the blue planet. This unrestrained consumerism means extensive farming of genetically-modified cotton (largely China and India), high water consumption of indigo-dyeing and yarn-bleaching inherent to milling denim, unnecessary chemical ’vintage’ washes favored by many contemporary labels to boost sales, cleverly-planned obsolescence of disposable fast-fashion jeans with convincing “bargain” price tags, etc…
As regular purveyors of selvedge denim wearables and members of this fine Industry, we, at Mister Freedom®, are well aware that featuring “organic denim” for Spring 2018 only buys us a temporary good conscience. The most we will claim is a determination to stick to environmentally-conscious countries for milling, sourcing and manufacturing denim, such as USA and Japan.
In any case, some time before hearing the sad news of the shutting down of Cone Denim White Oak plant in Greensboro, N.C., we secured a nice cargo of New Old Stock Cone 15.5 Oz organic denim. With an attractive raw indigo hue somewhat reminiscent of the color of rigid 501 Levi’s® one could pick-up from Army/Navy surplus stores in the 1970’s-80’s, this fabric was a perfect candidate for our Californian blue jeans family, the humble Mister Freedom® contribution to the crowded world of five-pocket jeans.
After road-testing an early proto, a few months of normal wear and a few washes later, the denim evo showed similarities with the “Malibu” denim we used on the Spring 2017 Conductor Jacket, Speedways, etc… No high contrast fading or fast indigo abrasion (unlike the sugar cane fiber “Okinawa” denim of the Lot.64 BB), no impressive Friday-special honeycombs, but a beautiful and uncommon indigo blue, a blessing for the denim-on-denim creative connoisseur who loves mixing-up his indigoes.
Feb 20, 2018 UPDATE: We received a kind and insightful email from our friend Chip at Cone Denim giving us the actual background of this specific fabric. Chip knows a thing or two about this organic indigo denim, as he personally developed it at the time:
“We (Cone Denim) partnered with Stony Creek Colors in Tennessee who are working with Tobacco farmers to change their crops into indigo plant.
This is how the fabric gets to be such a vibrant blue, and is completely unique from any other dye we have ever run in the past.
It truly is one of the greatest, and most sustainable, selvedges we put out: Texas organic cotton, America indigo plant dye, all woven here in the US.”
The pocket bag fabric we opted for is an old stock of sturdy 100% cotton woven plaid with warm saffron/yellow tones, enhanced by the most flamboyant Californian paper flasher to date, featuring an enchanting sunset in Venice Beach, California, hotter than a 1970’s Playboy® magazine fashion ad.
For the vintage packaging collector, here is a recap of the colorful Mister Freedom® five-pocket blue jeans pocket flashers released in the past 8 years:
* Californian Lot.54 (Yellow paper flasher, 2010): The original issue, straight leg, classic 1950’s silhouette. Issued in 12.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.44 (Box packaging, 2011): Similar pattern, buckle back added, straight leg, classic 40’s-1950’s silhouette. Issued in about 37 types of NOS denim twills.
* Californian Lot.64 (Red paper flasher, 2013): Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Originally issued in 13 3/4 Oz. indigo denim (SC1966).
* Californian Lot.64US (Army green paper flasher, 2014): “Uncle Sam” edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 13 3/4 Oz. indigo denim (SC1966).
* Californian Lot.64OK (Orange paper flasher, 2014): “Okinawa Advisor” edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 14 Oz. “Okinawa 301” indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.74 (Aqua green paper flasher, 2015): Tapered, our slimmest leg, classic “1960’s youth” vibe. Originally issued in 12.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim, then in NOS 12.5 Oz. wheat denim…
* Californian Lot.654 (Yellow paper flasher, 2015): Pattern and fit of our classic Lot.64, with the bells and whistles of our original Lot.54. Issued in NOS 12 Oz. Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64E (Red/White stripe paper flasher, 2016): Special “US Presidential Election” Edition. Straight leg, slightly tapered, classic 1960’s vibe. Issued in 16.5 Oz. NOS Cone indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.674 (Ivory white paper flasher, 2017): Top block of the Lot.64 mixed with tapered leg of the Lot.74, issued in “Okinawa 301” 14 Oz. sugarcane fiber indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64BB (Dark navy paper flasher, 2017): Lot.64 with added Buckle-Back cinch, issued in “Okinawa 301” 14 Oz. sugarcane fiber indigo denim.
* Californian Lot.64OG (Venice Beach Sunset paper flasher, 2018): Pattern and fit of our classic Lot.64, issued in NOS 15.5 Oz. organic Cone Mills denim.
The Mister Freedom® Lot.64 OG are designed and manufactured in California by Mister Freedom®, in collaboration with Sugar Cane Co.
SPECS:
FABRIC:
New Old Stock Cone Mills (Greensboro, N.C., USA) 15.5 Oz. indigo twill denim, Organic cotton, solid white selvedge ID.
Pocket Bags:
NOS 100% cotton woven plaid fabric, saffron/yellow check pattern.
DETAILS:
* Classic vintage five-pocket pattern.
* Button fly.
* Selvedge leg outseam.
* New Old Stock woven plaid fabric pocket bags.
* MF® original white “M” stitch design on rear pockets.
* Hand-debossed natural veg-tan cowhide leather MF® patch on rear pocket.
* Twelve types of 100% cotton threads (gauge and color combination) used for construction. Main colors are yellow and orange, with white accents.
* Coin pocket with concealed selvedge.
* Selvedge button hole fly placket.
* Hidden back pocket reinforcement rivets, with top pocket reinforcement zig-zag stitching.
* Unlined rear pockets.
* Original silver-color ‘oxidized’ MF® metal cast waist/fly buttons.
* Unmarked copper riveting for pocket opening reinforcement.
* Original MF® paper pocket flasher (Venice Beach, CA., enchanting sunset edition).
* Made in USA
SIZING/FIT:
The Californian LOT.64 OG (organic cotton) blue jeans come UN-WASHED and are cut so that the measurements match the labeling AFTER an initial cold soak/line dry. A tagged W32 x L34 will shrink to approximately 32 inches x 34 inches after a soak/dry process. Note that this specific denim is pretty much sanforized and will not move much.
We recommend the usual protocol before wearing: cold soak for about 30mn/spin dry/line dry/wear briefly when still damp to set creases/line dry until fully dry.
The word is to go for your usual mfsc (Mister Freedom® x Sugar Cane) waist size. I opted for a Waist 32 in the Lot.64OG, my usual size in the MF® Californian family.
As with all denim twills, slight back-and-forth shrinkage/stretching will occur for a while, fluctuating according to the wearer’s body, activities and initial fit.
Please refer to sizing chart for approximate raw/soaked measurements.(Soaked = 30mn cold soak, spin dry and line dry, ie. minimal shrinkage.)
 
CARE:
Wash your jeans when needed and necessary. Machine wash inside out to avoid marbling. Cold water, gentle cycle, eco-friendly mild detergent. Line dry.
Patina will develop according to activities and frequency of wear.
Available RAW/unwashed ONLY.
Sizes
W28 x L32
W29 x L32
W30 x L32
W31 x L32
W32 x L34
W33 x L34
W34 x L34
W36 x L36
W38 x L36
Available from our Los Angeles brick & mortar HQ, from www.misterfreedom.com, and fine retailers around the World.
Email [email protected] or call 323-653-2014 with any questions unanswered above.
Thank you for your support,
Christophe Loiron
Mister Freedom®
©2018
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