One Week Left to Pre-Order the First Weirloom Jeans

I’ll be honest with you (I always am); launching a brand is freaking hard! Especially for a perfectionist with a strong tendency for self-doubt like me 🫣

I announced Weirloom to the public just four weeks ago. It feels like it’s been months. Maybe that’s because I’ve been working on it for over two years at this point.

The early response was better than I’d ever dare dream of. And orders came in!
A lot of you said incredibly kind things—and I’m grateful for all of it.

After five weeks in launch mode, I’m feeling that ‘campaign fatigue’ now. Because there are a lot of ends that gotta meet.

But we’re just one week from the pre-order deadline of the ‘First Edition’, so this is my last push.

Building a Brand While Launching It

Weirloom started as an experiment, really. I wanted to test the waters with something minimal and honest. And I’ve been building it as I go. It’s something I’ve wanted to do for some time.

A few years ago, I took an online course about building online courses (real meta, right). One of the fundamentals for success with online courses is to make an MVP.
A minimum viable product:

It’s like a blueprint or a prototype. Something that’s “good enough” to make customers pull out their credit cards. But you only really produce it once you’ve got those orders in.

I wanted to do the same with my jeans. I’d seen how it’s worked for brands like Benzak (who launched as a Kickstarter more than a decade ago) and Gustin (who are still producing this way!).

So I sourced the denim, developed the prototype, built the website, and pushed the “launch” button. And it took off!

In hindsight, there are a few things I would do differently today. Like launching without requiring customers to pick their size (because the size grading hadn’t been finalised)—that’s come back to bite me a bit now, because I actually really need to know which sizes to produce.

(So if you’ve placed a pre-order, and you haven’t confirmed your size yet, pleeeease get back to me on that email.)

Then, Life Interferes …

At the same time, my son just started school—and it’s been more of a challenge than we expected. Being the work-from-home-dad I am, I’ve been picking him up around 1 p.m. most days, which means my workdays are (exceptionally) short and my focus is split.

I’ve also got financial commitments. I won’t be able to retire after I’ve sold these 100 pairs 🤣 Every cent I make on this batch will be reinvested into the next, and the profits from that batch will be reinvested again, and so it continues.

If I’m lucky (and smart), maybe I’ll be able to start paying myself a salary from Weirloom sometime around 2027. Until then, I need to keep doing what I’ve been for years; hustling … no, sorry, consulting 😜

And right now, I’m in-between clients, wrapping up my last tasks for Anerkjendt, which means I’m out taking meetings and pitching myself to stay afloat while I’m also investing money in getting Weirloom off the ground.

No complaints, just sharing my reality.

One Week Left of the Pre-Order Price

The good news is: Weirloom is happening!

I’ve committed to making 100 pairs. The Candiani denim is delivered and paid for.
And my manufacturer in Portugal—who’s been so incredibly generous and supportive—has agreed to produce this super small run so I can launch it this way, on pre-order.

Now, you’ve probably seen that little blue badge on the product page that says “pre-order price.” Next to it is a crossed-out €250. That’s what jeans like these typically retail for: Italian selvedge, made in Europe, small batch.

This isn’t a trick price. I don’t believe in that kind of marketing. It’s just the simplest way that I could figure out to display a comparison of what jeans like mine normally cost, and what I’m selling them for, when you pre-order.

Because that’s the thing—and I realise this might come across as super sleazy—that €180 (with free worldwide shipping!) that’s the pre-order price.

Any pair that’s not sold on pre-order will go into stock. And once they do that, the price will go up.

Pre-ordering gets you one of the (super limited) 100 ‘First Edition’ pairs at the best price. And pre-order window closes in a week. Production starts May 26. Jeans ship end of June.

If you’ve already pre-ordered, thank you. But if you’ve been watching along, thinking about it, told yourself “I’ll place my pre-order later”—well, later is soon too late.

So What About the Details?!

I know some of you have been waiting to see final design details—like the back pocket signature (arcuate), the labels, the buttons, the pocket print.

And honestly? I was really hoping I could share those with you by now. But I might’ve spent a little too long getting them “just right”—so I don’t have a fully finished prototype to show you yet.

What I do have is this black and white preview of the back pocket signature (not in colours because the thread colours in the test aren’t accurate), and a rendering of the patch I did myself:

If that was the last push you needed, well then:

Wait—This Isn’t What You Signed Up For, Right?

Listen, I know this is the Denimhunters newsletter, and maybe you’re getting tired of hearing about Weirloom. That’s totally fair, and I’m really thankful for your patience with me (although I think, if you’re subscribed here, this is relevant to you).

For those of you who’re here mostly for the denim nerdery or want to hear about other brands too, I’ll be back with more of the usual soon. In the meantime, here are a couple of classic Denimhunters reads to tide you over:

• How to Cuff Your Jeans (without looking like a doofus)

• The Best Selvedge Jeans Buying Guide

• Loopwheeled T-Shirts Worth Every Penny

• or an explanation of (what the heck) selvedge is?!

Thanks for reading—and for being part of this.

Best,
Thomas