Type I Denim Jackets – Five Plus One

Five Plus One is our weekly series of buyer’s guides. We pick a specific category and dig up five great options along with one that’s a little outside the norm.


When most folks picture a denim jacket what they’re really picturing is a Levi’s Type III, but things really got started with their original, 506XX jacket from the early 1900s. Now known as the Type I, you can learn all about Levi’s denim jackets in our Levi’s Denim Trucker Jacket Overview: Type I, II and III article. And you can shop them below here.

1) Levi’s Vintage Clothing: 1936 Type I Jacket

Type-I-Denim-Jackets---Five-Plus-One 1) Levi's Vintage Clothing: 1936 Type I Jacket

Levi’s Vintage Clothing currently makes a great version of the Type I, as you might expect, called the 1936 Type I Jacket. Named after the year the Big E was used by Levi’s, this jacket has all the details of a Type I: single, flapped chest pocket, a pleated and cinched back, and a two-horse patch on the inside. While it would be cool to see a LVC jacket without a flap on the chest pocket, as was the case for the very earliest Type I’s, this pattern is still far more recognizable.

Available for $304 from Hinoya.

2) Oni: 01507-NIXX “Natural Indigo XX Denim” 17Oz. Type I Jacket

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Denimheads sure love their textured denim, and it’s great to see Oni embracing that on something as traditional as a Type I jacket. Their 01507-NIXX 17Oz. is made in Japan from an unsanforized, natural indigo dyed  17oz. denim that is heavily texture with slub, nep, and fuzz throughout.

Available for $311 from Redcast Heritage Co.

3) Bryceland’s: Type I Jacket

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Bryceland’s might not be the most well known denim manufacturer, but they did a hell of a job putting together their Type I. Made in Japan from a 13.5oz. denim, this jacket has all the details we’ve come to love: single chest pocket, donut riveted wrist, back cinch, front pleats, and *ahem* some sort of red tag on the front?

Available for $4,500HKD from Bryceland’s.

4) Full Count: 2107 Type I 13.75Oz. Denim Jacket Raw

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Full Count’s 2107 Type I Jacket is as classic as they come, featuring all the Type I design notes we’re used to:  13.75oz. unsanforized denim, and made in Japan construction. Honestly, what else is there to say? It’s a loving recreation of one of the most famous styles of denim jackets ever produced from a brand that knows denim history from the front pleats to the back cinch.

Available for $390 from Clutch Cafe.

5) TCB: 1930’s Type I Denim Jacket

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Most of us have never owned a Type I denim jacket—after all, it’s far from the most popular stye of denim jacket, despite its importance in denim history. So for all you denim historians who aren’t entirely sure if you’ll find yourself reaching for whatever Type I you end up with in your closet, TCB’s 1930’s Type I Denim Jacket is a great option. Coming in at quite a palatable price, this jacket still has all the Type I details you’d expect and an unsanforized, 12.5oz. denim that looks to have a beautiful texture.

Available for $201 from Redcast Heritage Co.

Plus One – Studio D’Artisan: 15Oz. Indigo Kasuri Type I Denim Jacket

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When it comes to the highest tier denim brands, choosing the best fabric for the garment is of the utmost importance. Studio d’Artisan’s 15oz. Indigo Kasuri Type I Denim Jacket features, as the name correctly identifies, a 15oz. Kasuri Denim. The fabric is hand-dyed in Japan and features great depth and variety of color, vertical stripes, and a ton of texture. Finished with black coated copper buttons and the requisite back cinch, this is a piece that would look good in any denim collection.

Available for $407 from Corlection.