The first attempt came in 1980 when Big John asked its fabric supplier, Kurabō, to make denim on old Toyoda shuttle looms normally used to make sailcloth. They then used the selvedge denim as the selling point for Big John Rare—an ¥18,000 ($225 in 2015 dollars) pair of jeans with imported Talon zippers, real copper rivets, and a label made from traditional washi paper. At three times the cost of a normal pair, Big John Rare found few customers. Moreover, its failure scared off other mass manufacturers
