As far as passionate denim countries go, Indonesia ranks up there with best of them; so much so that even Iron Heart and Self Edge felt it appropriate to pay tribute to the region. Folta & Co. is based in Jakarta and looks to become the premiere raw denim brand in all of Indonesia. Five enthusiasts of different backgrounds founded the company in 2010. Padwin Leinardo, one of Folta’s founders, says the company was forged with the goal of innovating on simple things to create quality goods that travel well.
Their offerings thus far show a nice blend of aesthetically minded design with a focus on functionality. Their Half Button CS-1 shirt is a vintage style garment made of a 6oz. Cone Mills chambray fabric with a half-placard button set in Desert Sky blue. On the other hand, their Short-Sleeved Oxford Shirt takes cues from modern cycling wear and has an embedded with a rear waist-pocket. The CS-1 is keeps to its roots by using American-made buttons, while the Oxford sports a futuristic cat eye.
Short Sleeved Oxford Shirt, image courtesy of Folta & Co.
The denim is carefully thought out as well. Fits range from the 025 tapered to the more relaxed straight cut of the 0-28 XX. All are cut from lighter-weight Cone Mills denim in varying textures and color. Most recently the brand put out the 027-2X and the Greenish Trouser Pant.
027-2X, Courtesy of Folta & Co.
The 027-2X is a variation of their 027 straight cut made of an 11 Oz. 2×1 weave Cone Mills denim – similar to Roy’s Big Bro (CB-1) – rather than the more common 3×1 weave. This weaving method pops a little bit of the weft yarn through the warp to the outside of the pant, reminiscent of the deep blue tones found in Cone Mill’s 1930s denim that it introduced as an alternative to workwear denim. It also creates a finer, flatter twill line that Folta & Co. argues will drape better than 3×1 jeans.
Greenish Trouser Pant
The conspicuously named Greenish Trouser Pant is a spin off the classic chino trouser. Sporting a slim-straight cut and canvas pocket bags, it utilizes a chino’s classic minimalist pockets and overall design. Unlike your pair of Dockers gathering dust in your drawer, these sport a limited 13 Oz. Cone denim with a green weft. As the pant evolves, it will surely lead to a unique color contrast.
For those who are already rolling their eyes at the thought of another Cone jean, stop for a moment to look at the details that are ingrained in each pair offered. Each jean is crafted on the prerequisite Union Special machines with different colored stitching, clean minimalist arctuates, hidden pocket rivets, deerskin leather patch, Union Made buttons sourced from Japan, rope inserted into each bar tacked belt loop and a pocket tab begging for a good old Levi’s lawsuit. Considering that nearly all of Folta & Co.’s denim retail for less than 150 US dollars and there’s free shipping, you really can’t get more bang for your buck at this price point.
Images courtesy of Folta & Co.
For the future, Leinardo hopes that Folta & Co. will continue to expand its global footprint without losing its original concept or current level of quality. He also admits to fear of raising Levi’s ire, but hopes that will only lead to further innovation by Folta & Co. and other brands as well. For more info and purchase check out their website.
