Type II 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.


The Type II denim jacket is a bit of an odd duck in jeans history. Levi’s only produced the model number 507XX Type II for less than a decade, between 1953 and 1962, before it was replaced by the iconic Type III trucker jacket we all know today, but that brief period left a strong impression on vintage collectors and repro brands alike.

The Type II was only a modest improvement of the Type I jacket, which reigned from 1906-1952, the most notable addition being a second pocket and side tabs, while the pleats and boxy fit remained unchanged.

It seems as though many of the Japanese denim brands prioritize a Type II repro before considering the more prevalent Type III and below we have some of our favorite offerings, including one that’s a bit more out there.

1. Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1953 Type II Selvedge Denim Jacket

Levi’s Vintage Clothing has undoubtedly been producing a repro of the Type II for longer than Levi’s did originally. The in-house line has chosen to recreate the inaugural year of the Type II, stitch for stitch down to the leather patch below the collar. Details are slim on Levi’s website, the cotton is 100% organic, but the country of origin is simply imported.

Available for $405 at Levi’s.

2. Unique Garment 13.2oz. Urban Type 2 Denim Jacket

Do you live in a city? This is apparently the jacket for you! Naming conventions aside, Unique Garment Co. delivers on their brand with a one-of-a-kind “Rain-Drop” denim that’s woven from short-fiber cotton warp yarns and long fiber weft yarns to give a unique texture and fade to the jacket. They’ve also lengthened the body and shortened the sleeves slightly and added the modern convenience of hand-warmer pockets.

This unique piece can be yours for $315 at Corlection.

3. Sugar Cane 1953 Type II Unsanforized Raw Denim Jacket

One thing you might notice from old photos is that people used to wear their pants a lot higher, practically at navel-level. As a consequence, jackets were cut much higher to match. For those that don’t go all the way with their repro, that has lead to some unfortunate denim-bare midriffs.

Have no fear, Sugar Cane is here to cover you up with a pitch-perfect Type II that’s just a little bit longer in the body. Make sure you size it extra long though — this one’s a shrinker.

Available for $234 at Redcast Heritage.

4. Momotaro MXGJ1108 15.7oz. Black x Black Type II Jacket

I swear to you, that’s an actual picture of a jacket up there and not just an outline. Momotaro has totally blacked out this version of a Type II:  black warp, black weft, black stitching, and even black iron buttons. This is also not your standard fit Type II with a slimmer fit and a longer body and the fabric is made from 100% extra-long-staple Zimbabwean cotton to ensure it’ll be soft to the touch and long-lasting as well.

Available for $336 at Redcast Heritage.

5. Dawson Denim – Lot 27 16oz. Indigo Type II Jacket

If you’ve found yourself caught between the Type II and Type III trucker jacket, Dawson Denim may have your answer. Although they call their Lot 27 Type II and it’s got the characteristic knife pleats on the placket, they’ve worked in some elements of the more modern trucker into the design with a more angular cut from the shoulders to the waist and a slightly longer body. Think of it as a Type Two-and-a-Half.

Each jacket is made to order in Dawson’s workshop in Brighton, England, using vintage machinery, custom hardware, and raw Japanese selvedge denim.

Available for 320 GBP (~$400) at Dawson Denim.

Plus One – Studio D’Artisan 4584 “Awa-Ai” Natural Indigo Sashiko Type II Jacket

East meets West in our final Type 2, which uses sashiko, a traditional Japanese stitching technique for stretching every last bit of use out of a piece of fabric. Studio D’Artisan hasn’t preworn this Type 2, even though the extremely light shade of the natural indigo dye may look it. The Awa Shoai process is extremely labor intensive as it requires not only growing the indigo plants, but also fermenting their leaves for 100 days, and then hand-dyeing the yarns 12-14 times to achieve the specific shade. Fabrics made from Shoai indigo are all completely unique and no two of these jackets will be exactly alike.

Available for $540 at Redcast Heritage.