WEEK 6 BOC: How Can Jeans Cost $300?

        In my personal opinion, I think jeans that cost more than $100 are a bit too pricey for me. I would probably buy a few high-priced jeans and compare them to ones that I get for $20-$50. The reason why jeans are in the few hundreds is because all the detailed work that goes into it, the stitching, wash and embroidery. “Jeans brands also try to stand out from season to season by using patented materials, such as rivets and stitching, and by using special washes and distressing methods. These might involve dying, pressing, and even using sandpaper and drills on the raw jeans. These methods can be particularly expensive when done in the U.S., where factories must meet more stringent environmental and labor standards than in many low-cost nations.” (Wall Street Journal) It is also expensive because the labor is done here in the U.S. It is more expensive to manufacture jeans here than anywhere else. “True Religion is one of the industry's giants, making 4 million units of clothing a year. He estimates that his $300 jeans could sell for $40 if he manufactured in China.” (Wall Street Journal) Once you add up all the work and machinery used to create these high-priced jeans, they are usually around $150 and then sold for a much more at retail price. “Most any piece of clothing contains parts and services from potentially dozens of providers: from fabric and button makers, to designers and seamstresses, and wholesalers and sales agents. After all this, designers and retailers say the typical retail markup on all fashion items, including jeans, ranges from 2.2 to 2.6 times cost.” (Wall Street Journal) I think that you are not only buying the quality and look of the jean, but also the brand name. This article is a good eye opener to people who wonder why and how jeans can cost $300+.