New York brand Noah opens up on the high-price tag of its garments

By

Kate Dingwall

Published
Nov 25, 2016

After years of being asked why Noah’s jackets are priced so high, founder Brendon Babenzien, who left Supreme to open Noah last year, opened up about the true production costs of the menswear label. Babenzien, in a detailed post on the brand’s blog titled, 'The Anatomy of a Jacket', described how one of the brand’s signature two-tone rain parka, is produced and priced.

This post came after a young fan of the brand approached Babenzien at Dover Street Market’s London location and questioned the designer as to why the brand’s taped-seam parka was more expensive than a similarly designed, lower-priced parka.

“We buy from reputable suppliers making high-quality textiles in countries with reasonable environmental laws," Babenzien explained.

“That means they cost more, but they contribute a bit less to environmental destruction. If this is a priority for a consumer, then there is real value there. If not, I believe it is only a matter of time before it does become a priority for everyone, and we’ll see you all eventually.”

Noah focuses on using the highest quality materials created using only sustainable methods of production. The brand chose to assemble the products at a solar-powered, family-run Italian factory, where workers are given a liveable wage, lunch breaks, and even more vacation days than the average American receives.

“Make no mistake about it,” Babenzien stated, “Every time you buy something that is made cheaply, it means someone else is picking up the cost. You save money because someone else is making less, and perhaps working in conditions that no human should suffer.”

Babenzien went on to explain the exact cost break-down of every single stage in the production chain. Each of the parkas retail for $448 but costs the brand $226.47 to produce. Out of that $226.67, $122.29 accounts for the total cost of assembly, $46.67 for import duties and transports for the fabrics and jackets, and the remaining amount reportedly goes towards zippers, patches, custom label, mesh, and nylon.

While $448 may still seem like a high price tag for some, Babenzien stresses that the remaining sales after the production cost go towards store rent, salaries, health insurance, company insurance, web hosting, shopping bags, hang tags, and photoshoots, among other brand expenses.