factory tour
We, along with other stores in the Forum Group, recently visited their state-of-the-art LA facility to gain some insight. In the beginning, AG owner Mr. Ku created, designed and engineered the technology-driven factory himself. To call him a perfectionist is an understatement: those who know him well say he’s a genius. A few examples: Ku recently replaced all AG washing machines in order to save significantly on water and electricity. The new machines use only 40 percent of the water and electricity of the old ones, while doubling capacity. The water purification system is so advanced that you can virtually drink the water! Sewing machines were reconfigured with special feeders so that the tension on the thread remains perfectly constant from beginning to end of the sew. Needles (angled so they never tear the fabric) are replaced daily, rather than weekly, which is the norm at other factories. An average pair of AG jeans is touched by 75 pairs of hands; aged jeans by 100. Fabric is allowed to rest for 24 hours after it’s rolled out (modern stretch fabrics need this recovery time); it’s then laser cut 40 layers high, rather than 100. These extra steps might not be immedi“AG’S EXCLUSIVE ately appreciated by the consumer, but TECHNOLOGY SERVES TO CREATE they ultimately make for a better-looking A BETTER PRODUCT, and more comfortable garment, not to mention a safer planet. AND A BETTER There are 25 artists in AG’s design PLANET.” department, under the direction of Mark Wiesmayr. “The fabric is precursor to the jean,” he tells the group. “A good 90 percent of our fabrics are proprietary that we develop with the mills, mostly in Japan. (Our inventory here is 1.2 million yards.) We use some American denim and only the finest components like Italian hardware and findings and YKK zippers, manufactured to the exact size and fit of each jean model.” Wiesmayr lists three criteria consumers use to judge jeans before purchasing: the look, the touch and the fit. “Then for repeat purchases, they judge by performance after wearing and washing. This is why testing is such a huge part of our process. Bleaching can cause denim to lose tensile strength, One does not gain a reputation as the “world’s best denim as can abrasive stonewashing, so we’re using some advanced manufacturer” or the “world’s best-fitting jean” by accilaser techniques. We also test for color consistency, shrinkdent. Nor does one invest in a mirror-image second factory age, etc. There are 52 quality control checks in the process.” if business is not booming in the first. AG’s 480,000-sq.-ft. As if his engineering expertise were not enough, Mr. Ku is LA facility produces about 50,000 pairs of jeans weekly! Its also a scratch golfer; he’s recently created a golf collection new 470,000-sq.-ft. facility employing 1,200 people in centhat’s already in demand at country clubs and pro shops. But tral Mexico will produce about the same number. his heart remains in denim, in creating a better product, and How did AG, in just over a decade, grow to this stature? a better planet, for generations of AG wearers to come.
AG Jeans:
The Art of Denim
TOTALLY ECO-FRIENDLY AND STATE OF THE ART, AG COMBINES NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH OLDWORLD CRAFTSMANSHIP FOR VIRTUALLY PERFECT JEANS! BY CRAIG ANDRISEN
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