On December 31, 2017, the doors closed on North Carolina’s White Oak plant — the first, and now last, big textile mill in the U.S. to make true, vintage-style denim. Our correspondent tracked down the secret to classic blue jeans, and their unexpected future.

The Secret to Vintage Jeans originally appeared in Craftsmanship Quarterly, a multimedia online magazine focused on artisans, innovators, and the architecture of excellence. You'll find many more stories, videos, audio recordings, and other resources on our site — all free of charge and free of advertising.

Written by BRIAN HOWE

Introduction by SUMMER BROWN

Narrated by GORAN NORQUIST

Produced by LARRY ROSEN

Music by MIKE SNOWDEN