Review: Blue Gold: American Jeans

Never throw away your jeans--or denim anything for that matter.

That's the takeaway from watching Blue Gold: American Jeans recently. It's available on Netflix and Amazon Prime.

In fact, check out your parents' and grandparents' attics for old denim clothing. No matter how worn and raggedy, vintage denim is worth big dollars in the collectible market.

I cringe when I think of my old Sasson and Jordache jeans I blithely donated to Goodwill when that fashion jean craze waned.

I wring my hands in despair when I think of darling hubby's old Levi 501 XX that he replaced when they developed holes from years of wear. We could probably buy a new luxury vehicle if we had those to sell now.

American Jeans Truly Are Blue Gold

Blue Gold: American Jeans is a fascinating documentary released in 2014 and narrated by actor Edward Burns.

Written and directed by Christian D. Bruun, the film tells the remarkable story of blue jeans, a garment created for gold miners in America in the 19th century. From those humble beginnings, jeans have spread all over the globe, with all cultures embracing them. One fact they brought out is that American blue jeans are called Texans in some countries. I love that!

The film profiles fashion designers and those in the forefront of jeans culture as well as vintage jeans experts and traders who travel the highways and byways of America in search of blue gold: denim clothing made in America.

Sadly, like so much industry and manufacturing, jeans-making left these shores during the 1990's. In 2003, Levi Strauss followed the other jeans makers to China, India, and other cheap labor countries. Only 2 or 3 "boutique" jeans brands are now made in America.

The documentary has some thought-provoking scenes of factories filled with children and old people, sitting on crates and working long hours at monotonous jobs in the manufacture of jeans for the new century.
All in all, this documentary is entertaining and educational. It's also consciousness-raising.

You'll never again look at a pair of $25.00 jeans in a discount store without thinking about how they came to market at such a low price.

You also may find yourself visiting every thrift store near you, looking for the elusive 501 XX Levi's made prior to 1980.

Watch the trailer for Blue Gold on YouTube. Learn more about the film at Blue Gold: The Movie.

Takeaway Truth

I guess the policy to adopt is never throw anything away! You might be throwing away blue gold. Another good policy would be to support manufacturers that truly do make in the U.S.A.