American Flannel

How a Band of Entrepreneurs Are Bringing the Art and Business of Making Clothes Back Home

By: Steven Kurutz

Narrated by: Shawn K. Jain

"I can confidently say this will be one of my favorite books of 2024.”—Stephen King, bestselling author (and onetime millworker)

“American Flannel is a wonderful book—surprising, entertaining, vivid and personal, but also enlightening on the largest questions of America's economic and social future.”—James Fallows, co-author of Our Towns

The little-engine-that-could story of how a band of scrappy entrepreneurs are reviving the enterprise of manufacturing clothing in the United States.

For decades, clothing manufacture was a pillar of U.S. industry. But beginning in the 1980s, Americans went from wearing 70 percent domestic-made apparel to almost none. Even the very symbol of American freedom and style—blue jeans—got outsourced. With offshoring, the nation lost not only millions of jobs but also crucial expertise and artistry.

Dismayed by shoddy imported “fast fashion”—and unable to stop dreaming of re-creating a favorite shirt from his youth—Bayard Winthrop set out to build a new company, American Giant, that would swim against this trend. New York Times reporter Steven Kurutz, in turn, began to follow Winthrop’s journey. He discovered other trailblazers as well, from the “Sock Queen of Alabama” to a pair of father-son shoemakers and a men’s style blogger who almost single-handedly drove a campaign to make “Made in the USA” cool. Eye-opening and inspiring, American Flannel is the story of how a band of visionaries and makers are building a new supply chain on the skeleton of the old and wedding old-fashioned craftsmanship to cutting-edge technology and design to revive an essential American dream.

©2024 Steven Kurutz (P)2024 Penguin Audio

Critic reviews

“An engrossing cross-country tour of business owners who are working to reinvigorate a flagging industry. In [Kurutz’s] excellent telling, the triumphs and setbacks of this crop of industry pioneers will leave a lasting impact while instilling hope for the future.”—Booklist

“Kurutz’s well-crafted story is one of makers defying the odds, as well as lessons in the many harms of throwaway culture.”—Kirkus Reviews

“[An] encouraging report the efforts of entrepreneurs working to bring clothing manufacturing back to the U.S… The profiles humanize the machinations of the clothing market, finding in the entrepreneurs’ plights an all-American tale of resilience and self-sufficiency in the face of steep odds.”—Publishers Weekly

True patriotism identified!

I like the details and although not stated, it shows how lazy most Americans are. Saving a dollar is not worth losing another industry. WAKE up, don’t WOKE up. Help your country, not China.
Both political parties are guilty of letting other countries destroy America. Would’ve preferred no swearing, as it was not necessary to tell the story. Real good listen overall.

Incredible and honest look at the heartbeat of America

This book gave me hope on so many levels that the scrappy, determined America I grew up in is not gone. A 30 year veteran of the Textile industry, I was familiar with the experience the writer spoke of. I just wasn’t aware that anyone knew—or was paying attention to—the fact that there is a remnant of mavericks still trying to bring our goods home and rebuild the communities that were destroyed when they left. Thank you for shining a light. Thank you for an honest account. And thank you for the encouragement.

Great read, sad story

Really enjoyed the book from start to finish. The tales of bold, forward thinking, ‘never say die’ Americans who struggle, and seemingly succeed everyday.

Great stories of people and places over profit.

Thank you for the read and the knowledge.

Interesting read

Not exactly sure what I was expecting. Quite a process! It’s a shame that we don’t make more products in the US.

Eye opening regarding the state of American manufacturing - not just the textile industry.

Anti conservative political comments through the book. Not needed. The issue is that we have traded our jobs and security for lower prices. Nothing comes without a cost.