Tellason

Tellason embodies American denim in its purest form: Cone Mills and Kaihara selvedge, sewn in San Francisco by local craftspeople. No celebrities, no trends, just honest, raw, durable jeans.

Tony Patella and Pete Searson have known each other since 1990. Late 2008, mid-recession, they decide it's the perfect time to start a denim brand. The name is a portmanteau of their surnames: Patella + Searson = Tellason. Their first phone call goes to Cone Mills' San Francisco office.

First jeans ship in 2009. The earliest pairs use Japanese Kurabo selvedge, but Patella and Searson find Kurabo shrinks an extra half-inch even after sanforization. They switch exclusively to Cone Denim White Oak, Greensboro, North Carolina - the last selvedge mill in the United States.

Three exclusive denims follow: 12.5oz blue-line selvedge (2009), high sulfur, fades to green-grey. 14.75oz red-line (2011), 40% indigo, deep blue, high-contrast fading. 16.5oz orange-line (2012), 22.4% indigo, low sulfur, maximum contrast. Everything sewn in a decades-old garment factory in San Francisco. Rivets, Tanner Goods leather patches, thread and pocket canvas - all American.

Construction details are signature: a hidden red tab inside the right back pocket reading "legal" - tribute to Levi's without violating the trademark. Back pockets half-lined with white canvas, T-stitched in blue thread. Blue chain-stitch hem. And crucially, reverse yoke construction for backpack resistance.

When Cone Mills shuttered White Oak in December 2017, Tellason had stockpiled enough rolls. They now supplement with Japanese Kaihara. Production remains entirely in San Francisco. "We throw up a little when we see 'Designed in San Francisco' and 'Made in China' on the same tag."

On enthusiasts: "Tellason makes the best raw denim that I've tried." On enthusiasts: cited among the best denim brands. No celebrities, no collabs, no trends. Just American selvedge sewn in San Francisco by people who have no intention of leaving.