Roy Denim
Jeans sewn by a single artisan, pattern and hand sewing, Oakland
Roy Denim closed in late 2020. The site only sells archives - jeans made in 2020, unique pieces, mostly size 32. These aren't discounts: they're artifacts of a finished artisanal experiment. When stock runs out, there will be no more Roy.
Philosophy
Roy Denim is the purest expression of denim craft: one man, Roy Slaper, handmakes every pair in his Oakland workshop. No mass production, no employees, just a craftsman and his vintage machines.
History
Roy Slaper, born in El Paso around 1971, started sewing jeans in his Oakland apartment in the late 2000s. Zero commercial ambition - just a love of sewing and vintage jeans details. Registered the Roy brand in 2007.
By the early 2010s, he'd become a legend. Small runs of handmade jeans, Cone Mills White Oak denim, obsessive vintage detailing. He did everything: pattern, cutting, sewing, sales, machine maintenance. 'In any other company, the CEO doesn't rebuild the sewing machine.'
Closed in late 2020. GQ wrote in 2025: 'If there was one thing I would want Roy to be remembered for, it's quality.' The site now only sells archives - jeans made in 2020, unique pieces. Artifacts of a decade-long small-scale manufacturing experiment. When they're gone, they're gone.
Iconic Products
Roy Jean (archive)
The last Roys. Archive jeans made in 2020, Cone Mills White Oak denim, entirely hand-sewn by Roy Slaper. Unique pieces, mostly size 32. Some have alternate tags, unusual pocket fabric - Roy was sewing for himself, not to sell. 'These are artifacts of an experiment in small scale manufacturing.'