The last looms weaving selvedge denim in America

The nearly 80-year-old Draper shuttle looms once helped produce the denim behind generations of Levi's 501s, one of America's most iconic blue jeans. After surviving multiple mill closures, 45 of these historic machines have found a new home in Trion, Georgia. Restoring them isn't just about saving old machines. It's about preserving a way of making denim that modern mass production largely left behind. Their story is part of the latest episode of "Curiosities of the South," which explores how America lost much of its denim industry, how Japan became the global leader in premium selvedge denim and whether American-made jeans can make a comeback. Watch the full episode on September 21. Credits: 🎥: AJC | Cone Denim | Getty Images | New York Public Library | Paramount Pictures | UNC-Chapel Hill | Warner Bros. Entertainment Subscribe to the AJC's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/ajcvideo?sub_confirmation=1 Follow the AJC: Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/ajc Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/ajcnews Twitter/X - https://x.com/AJC Subscribe to the AJC: https://www.ajc.com/ #short #AJC #documentary #denim #selvedge #fashion #history