AJC producer Fraser Jones bought a pair of American-style jeans in Tokyo and began wondering how Japan became a global hub for premium selvedge denim. Denim was once deeply rooted in the American South, from cotton fields to the mills that produced the fabric. Today, some of the world’s most coveted denim is made in Japan, where American denim traditions have been preserved and reinvented. In the latest episode of “Curiosities of the South,” Fraser travels across Georgia and beyond to explore the history of American denim, the decline of Southern denim manufacturing and how Japanese denim makers helped preserve the traditions behind selvedge denim. He also examines whether American denim manufacturing can make a comeback. Chapters: 0:00 - Intro: Why Japan Makes America's Jeans 02:15 - The Last Selvedge Mill In America 03:23 - What is selvedge denim? 04:25 - How Selvedge Denim Is Actually Made 08:13 - When The South Made The World's Clothes 10:31 - How Georgia Created Japan's Denim I...