Meet Our Brands: Railcar Fine Goods
Some clothes are made, others are constructed. In fact, the word fabric, a cloth made by either weaving, knitting, or felting fibers is derived from an only slightly older word: fabricate — a word commonly associated with machine parts and custom motorcycles.
Founded in 2010 by a long-time LA metro mechanic, Railcar Fine Goods is an independent denim brand from Monrovia, California, specializing in quality garments inspired by traditional American workwear.
Driven by the belief that large-scale factory production leads to inconsistent quality and error, Railcar founder Steve Dang leverages his expertise in fixing and tuning passenger trains in building vintage-inspired selvedge denim fashion. Dang believes that the only way to truly stand behind a product is to build every garment in-house from start to finish.
And while Steve may not seem like your typical designer, he applies his mechanical skillset and craftsmanship in an inspired and creative way. Every stitch and angle has its function and, as Railcar will tell you, with function comes beauty.
Railcar garments are built from Japanese and American selvedge fabrics, handpicked for quality and authenticity. The denims used are sourced domestically from Cone Mills Denim® and Kaihara Mills for the exotics. A proprietary Railcar denim was released for their 15 oz. Spikes X034 Super Slubs, a favorite in our shop.
Within the 1000 sq. ft. Railcar workshop, a small team of sewers and leatherworkers source the highest quality raw materials to design, cut, and assemble every pant, shirt, and jacket on manual and vintage Singer and Union Special sewing machines.
Days in the Railcar workshop can be long, but no corners are cut by the close-knit team. Each item is built with a focus on tradition and quality to ensure longevity and so that the team can guarantee the quality and specifications of each item that leaves the shop.
The Railcar team pours everything they have into their products; they are dedicated to producing the best products that they can make. After all, they wear the gear and it needs to perform for them every day and staying so close to the products and process allows them to offer the best service possible.
Accordingly, the Railcar label has become synonymous with unwavering quality that makes every piece an instant collectible.
One of the first brands we’d brought into our shop’s hand-selected portfolio, Railcar stood out for their meticulously built garments and unique story.
With an eye on expansion, but firmly rooted in tradition, Railcar recently acquired their own Draper Loom. It sits quietly in a back corner of the workshop awaiting restoration
Next time you’re in Monrovia, stop by to see where and how these great threads are made and check out the Draper along the vintage 1965 Morris Mini Cooper S. Swing into the onsite Railcar Barbershop for a hard part, a clean undercut, or a fresh fade.
When we began working together, I asked Steve for advice on his approach in an ultra-competitive industry. He told me ‘I guess my big advice is that you need to go all in. Most things you’ll have to just go through- just keep trucking through it. I’ve heard, and still hear, plenty of advice. To be honest, lots of it is no good. If I’d listened to the wrong people, I’d be out of business right now. So far Railcar had been real successful. We’ve been lucky with our partnerships. It actually sells faster than we can make it.’
With meticulous, small-batch production and healthy demand, one might suggest that you take a look at the collection and, if you find an item of interest, act quickly.
Best,
Cliff Carey
founder, American Reserve Clothing Co. Inc.
“May your story be well-clothed and written in vibrant ink on smudged and dogeared pages.”
