YES. As of late 2012, Vanson has been exclusively producing garments within the United States. Stock from El Salvador still exists and likely will remain, in pieces throughout different styles, for some time. We stand by the quality of these garments still, but currently do not offer the option to have Vanson products, with the exception of some cottons, produced anywhere but at our main facility in Fall River, MA.

 

You certainly can and we thank you for it. However, we currently have no options available for your garment to be made anywhere else.

 

There are 2 main factors that contribute to the long delivery issues that we have faced for the past couple of years.
1. Raw materials supply. Like other manufacturing segments our supplier base has contracted. Many of the suppliers are smaller and do not have available stock at hand and we have to wait for their production cycle to occur. Several of our suppliers have gone out of business and we have had to source new ones, or change the specification of what we use.
2. Labor hours and hand made quality. We make our items in the same meticulous way we have for 35 years. We have improved efficiency with some technologies, but nothing takes the place of hand cutting and individual sewing machine operators. We typically sell more items each week than we make, we continuously run a backlog.

Yes we have a pricelist and this can be faxed, mailed or emailed to you. No we no longer print a full catalog. We rely on our website. Old catalogs can be found and, while many of the products in them are still available, many are not. Old garments can be produced as per request, but these requests come with additional fees. Please contact us for further details. The 225 page catalog we printed in 2000 is available as a pdf at:

No we do not make boots, or saddlebags nor do we sell helmets.

 

Our dealers have their own criteria for selection based on their climate, customer demographic and other fiscal constraints. In the past few years the later element has become the significant deciding factor. Some dealers do not stock but will special order a requested item. We make a lot of items, it can be a challenge for a dealer to anticipate the items you are expecting to see. Our own delivery issues can be a factor for stocking dealers as well.

 

The Firenze (fuh-ren-zee) leather is cowhide that is approximately 1.mm thick. It has been tumbled to increase the softness and texture. It is very durable and strong and is more typical of the weight and feel of other industry standard leather.
Our competition weight black cowhide is 1.4-1.5 mm thick and produced with a proprietary process that results in a smoother, stiffer appearance. This product is very carefully crafted and requires several steps to produce. It is extremely strong and gives our products that characteristic look and longevity that Vanson is known for.

 

An oddity is a term we use for the product we make when you order something that is different from our standard specs. We make nearly as many special ordered items as standard ones. If you request a lining or hardware change then your order will be an "oddity". The minimum charge for an oddity is an additional 15%. Other changes, such as fit, or stripes, or pocket configuration will add additional charges to your order. Oddities cost more in production because of special handling and more work being done to them.

Leather should be air dried at room temperature. Do not force the drying time with heat, this will shrink and stiffen the leather. A good shower is an opportunity to condition the leather with our leather balm.

 

Mix a solution of diluted mild dish or laundry soap. Wipe your garment down with a soft cloth, don't be afraid to use the secret weapon of elbow grease. If you have a lot of bug juice and road grime you will need to loosen it by rubbing the surface. Do NOT scrub. Then wipe off the soap residue with a clean wet cloth using water only. The final step should be a light coat of Vanson leather balm while the garment is still damp.
A couple thin layers of balm is better than one heavy layer. Too much leather balm can leave the surface sticky with excess wax. A couple of cleanings a year is sufficient to preserve and protect the leather.

 

Wear it. Roll it up and use it as a pillow when you watch TV. Unroll it and roll it the other way. Work it with your hands. Wear it more….

 

Our computer system requires a number and letter specification.
4L is a large.
1XS = XS
2S = S
3M = M
4L = L
5XL = XL
6XXL = XXL
7XXX = XXXL
84XX = XXXXL

 

Yes, our webstore order screen has some limitations. Behind the scenes we are building a new site. However in the interim you should put any information you cannot fit in the fields provided in the special instructions area.

We ship to many countries outside of the USA. However these orders are subject to all applicable duties, taxes and international freight charges as well as currency differences, and must be prepaid in full. We will contact you with this information before we process your order.

No, we will not work on any other manufacturers garments. We will not be able to match materials, or construction methods.

 

No

 

All of these variables come together to help our pattern department construct a complete mathematical snapshot of you. Weight can be an indicator of shape, as can age. We compare your set of measurements to a large database collected over the years.
While you may actually be the same height and weight as you were at 18 you are most probably not the same shape. When comparing you to this database we will want the pull the correct age category. We would no more compare an 18 year old to a 58 year old as we would the opposite.