Chicago-based Dearborn Denim and Apparel marks 8 years on the West Side

CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — This week's Made in Chicago highlights Dearborn Denim and Apparel, a West Side business that’s making cool clothes at comfortable prices.

It was 2016 when Robert McMillan founded Dearborn Denim and Apparel, which still produces its clothing in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood at a facility near Arthington Street and Cicero Avenue.

“The name is Dearborn Denim, but we also manufacture button-down shirts [and] sweatshirts — not only for our brand but also for other brands throughout the United States,” he said. “We have, currently, about 65 operators now, 70 employees.”

McMillan walked WBBM Newsradio through the process of manufacturing jeans, which he said begins with cutting.

“Right now, we’re looking at the cutting table,” he said. “You start with big, old rolls of denim. They’ll range between 100 pounds to 500 pounds. Raise them up with the chain hoists [and] put them on the fabric spreaders.”

In about three hours, those denim rolls would be rolled into beautiful clothes.

There's a Dearborn Denim store located on North Clark Street near West Foster Avenue, but their products can also be purchased online .

“In 1900, 25% of apparel consumed in the United States was actually made in Chicago,” McMillan said. “Now, less than 2% of apparel consumed in the United States is made in the United States.”

He added: “You really have to have a great product at a great price that’s providing customers value, and then they can be proud that it’s made in Chicago or made in the U.S.A.”

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