An Interpretation

How to make a Pair of Jeans
by Catherine C. Cole

Modern assembly line production of jeans is a very complex and fascinating process. At its closure in March 2004, the 488 workers at the Levis plant in Edmonton were producing 17,000 pairs of jeans and Docker pants per day. In the mid-1970s it took 25 minutes to make a pair of jeans; ten years later that time had been reduced to just 12 minutes. Acid washes and other fashionable finishes were done in Brantford, Ontario, and took up to 4 hours.

Fabric was delivered to the Edmonton plant, laid out and cut to length. Some pieces were cut with manual cutters, other by a laser cutter. The manual cutters cut 120 layers of fabric at a time, for 60 pairs of jeans.

All pieces necessary to make a pair of jeans were cut from one dye lot of fabric; pieces were notched and tagged with order number, style, size and quantity. Pocket linings were cut on a different table. Remaining denim was kept on hand until after each lot was completed in case any pieces were damaged in production.

Each seamstress performed only one or two operations. Women were hired for specific operations as vacancies arose, and may have performed the same operation day after day for years on end. Sometimes they would be moved to another machine, depending upon production requirements. Computers tracked which bundles operators were working on and monitored their efficiency.

All machines automatically backstitched and cut threads to reduce the number of motions required by the operators. Operators performed minor machine repairs themselves, but the company employed a dozen mechanics.

These are the main steps in sewing a pair of jeans:

1. Attach the label to the waistband.
2. Feed fly fabric into a machine that automatically applies the zipper, sends it to a second machine that cuts it to length, then sends it to a third machine that attaches the slider.
3. Apply watch pocket to pocket and attach front pocket facing.
4. Sew bottoms of front pockets.
5. Attach zipper fly to the pants front and topstitch.
6. Topstitch the pocket and fly front.
7. Close the pocket, turn and topstitch.
8. Topstitch the zipper, and join the fronts below the fly.
9. Apply decorative stitching to the back pocket, using a machine that automatically stitches the decorative double row of stitching; one operator works two machines at the same time.
10. Hem the top of the back pocket, sewing a bundle of 60 at once; the newer machine cuts and piles the pocket pieces, whereas the older one joins them together for the operator to cut apart afterwards.
11. Attach the Levis red tab, and attach the pocket, to the back panel.
12. Attach risers to back panels; the operator lines up the pant leg and riser and feeds into an automatic machine that stitches them together and separates into piles of left and right pant legs.
13. Sew centre back seam using a flat felled seam; left and right pant legs are placed on buggies on either side of an operator who takes one panel from each buggy and joins them together.
14. Serge the outseam.
15. Sew the inseam; the most difficult operation because it is a flat felled seam, the operator must gauge the 3/16" seam allowance and make sure the fabric matches at the hems and centre of the crotch.
16. Topstitch the outer seam of the pocket using a single needle machine.
17. Apply the waistband, being careful to put the label in the centre back; a machine attachment folds the band in half and folds under the seam allowance.
18. Place the waistband in a band finisher and press the controller; the machine is automated and two machines are placed side by side so the operator can do two pairs of jeans at once.
19. Make the buttonhole automatically and attach the button using a riveter; one operator can finish 2,700 pairs of jeans in a day!
20. Attach belt loops; the operator uses two automatic machines placed together, feeding one while the other is sewing.
21. Rivet the pockets, applying 4 rivets to each side of the pants fronts; a new machine has a little light that shows operators exactly where to place the rivets.
22. Apply the leather label; each label indicates the style and size, so operators need to make sure to apply the right labels.
23. Hem, double folding and topstitching.
24. Inspect completed pants within each bundle randomly.
25. Pull the buttons through the holes before packing, and recount to ensure that there are 60 in each bundle.