Description
※ Please note: This item is currently located at our Shanghai store. Depending on your order, it may be shipped from either Shanghai or Taipei.
TCB (Two Cats Brand) Jeans is a denim brand based in Kojima, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan.
The brand operates its own sewing factory under the same name, developing original products with a focus on every detail to recreate the charm of vintage eras.
The TCB 1890 No.2 Jeans is more than a reproduction of how a pair of jeans looked over a century ago. The project began with the study of an original pair of Levi’s No.2 Jeans from around 1890, with TCB examining not only its construction and details, but also how denim itself would have been spun, dyed and woven during the late 19th century.
One of the most important aspects of the project is the fabric. Unlike modern yarns, which are produced to highly consistent specifications, cotton yarn from the 1890s showed considerable variation in thickness and character. To recreate this irregularity, TCB developed the denim using a combination of five different yarns with varying thickness and unevenness, rather than relying on a single uniform yarn. The result is a fabric with the natural variation and texture associated with very early denim.
The warp yarns are rope-dyed with natural indigo through 14 dyeing cycles. TCB deliberately omitted some of the pre-treatment processes commonly used in modern dyeing, allowing subtle inconsistencies in the colour to remain and bringing the finished fabric closer to what might have been produced under the conditions of the 1890s. The denim is slowly woven on traditional shuttle looms, weighing approximately 9.8oz off the loom and becoming a denser 11.4oz after washing and shrinkage.
The same attention extends to the construction. Details such as the early three-piece buttons, a cinch buckle based on the 1855 Hartshorn Buckle patent, and the two-colour “Rainbow Stitch” were recreated through the study of vintage garments and historical references. Even less obvious elements—including the crotch construction, rivet placement and impressions, and the faded print found inside the front pocket—were carefully investigated and reproduced.
The “The Best Value” marking also reflects the historical position of the No.2 Jeans. As Levi’s rivet patent expired in 1890 and competition in the market began to increase, the No.2 is believed to have offered an alternative to the company’s top-tier No.1 jeans. By revisiting these details, TCB has created something that goes beyond reproducing the appearance of an old pair of jeans—it attempts to recreate the way jeans were actually made at the end of the 19th century.
At a time before industrial production became as standardized as it is today, variations and imperfections were simply part of the manufacturing process. It is precisely this irregularity that gives the 1890 No.2 Jeans its distinctive character. With wear and washing, the natural indigo and deliberately uneven yarns will continue to develop, creating a texture and fading pattern unique to each wearer.
- Design inspired by Levi’s No.2 201 jeans from the 1890s
- 100% cotton
- Natural Indigo Dyed
- 11.4 oz denim fabric
- Features linen patching and single back pocket
- The fabric shows strong irregular texture and vertical fading contrast
- Uses No.7 warp yarn and No.6 weft yarn
- This fabric was originally manufactured in the 1890s
- The crotch is constructed with overlapped stitching for enhanced wearability
- Unlike vintage rivets placed for aesthetic rather than structural purposes, TCB places rivets inside the crotch seam for reinforcement
- Rivets are installed using a two-hit method, recreating the dented finish of hand-hammered rivets used in the era
- Equipped with a “Hartshorn Buckle,” based on the 1855 design by Mr. Hartshorn
- Features “Rainbow Stitching,” a single-needle sewing technique used before the development of chain stitching
- Historically accurate suspender buttons only; no belt loops on this model
- Fit is slightly wide with a moderate rise, easy to style and fashionable
- Recommended to choose the same size as your 1940s jeans
- Made in Japan
Size Measurements (One Wash)
30: Waist 38.0 / Front Rise 29.5 / Thigh 28.0 / Inseam 96.0 / Hem Width 19.0
32: Waist 40.5 / Front Rise 30.0 / Thigh 29.5 / Inseam 96.0 / Hem Width 20.5
34: Waist 43.0 / Front Rise 30.5 / Thigh 30.5 / Inseam 96.0 / Hem Width 21.5
36: Waist 45.0 / Front Rise 31.0 / Thigh 31.0 / Inseam 96.0 / Hem Width 22.5
38: Waist 47.0 / Front Rise 32.0 / Thigh 33.0 / Inseam 96.0 / Hem Width 23.5(Unit: cm)
