BLUE WILL - National FFA Organization

ONLY
BLUE
WILL DO!

Seventy-five years of tradition surround the fabled FFA jacket. Made of blue
corduroy from the beginning, the jacket has undergone gradual changes
over the years—changes that have had a significant impact on the jacket’s
look and fit.
While researching the jacket’s history to develop a commemorative version
for the 75th Anniversary celebration, we discovered that beyond subtle styling
changes, the original national blue color had been modified to a shade that
seemed more purple than blue. Likewise, the corn gold in the FFA emblems
looked more orange, and much of the detail in the original emblem was lost.
In an effort to restore the jacket to be more like the original, the National FFA
Organization, with support from the board of directors, has developed a threeyear
plan. The following outlines what we’ve done and where we’re headed.
Travelers Rest FFA (SC)
(back row, l to r) Jessie Terrell, Trent Eskew and Noel Crawford
(front row, l to r) Chris Baker, Cody Dean and Sarah Andrews
Fall of ’03 – Official FFA Jacket Price Reduced to $45.00
It was crucial to find a way to restore the jacket’s lost elements while at
the same time maintaining or lowering its price over the next several years.
Because the jacket must weather through a member’s years of service,
reducing the quality of the materials was not an option. Many foreign
factories offer excellent workmanship with lower overhead and labor costs,
so we looked to offshore sources for the cutting and sewing of some of the
jackets. Producing a portion of jackets overseas at a lower cost enables us to
sell the jackets to members at a reduced average retail cost. FFA members will
receive jackets with an overall higher quality (i.e. more stitches per inch and
better trimming/detailing) for less money.
Some facts about the production of the jackets:
• The fabric is still made of 100 percent American cotton that is woven into
corduroy, dyed and finished in North Carolina.
• The fabric is shipped from North Carolina to factories in Van Wert, Ohio or
South Vietnam, where the jackets are cut and sewn and emblems attached.
• All lettering and embroidering is done in the Van Wert, Ohio factory.
Even the jackets that are assembled in South Vietnam are shipped there for
the final touches.
• 60% of the jackets shipped each year are sewn in the United States.
• The option to request a domestically assembled jacket is available at an
additional charge of $10.00/jacket.
Spring of ’04 – Official FFA Emblem Restored
to Original Color & Design
Blue Ridge FFA (SC)
Over time, the original color and
Randi Leigh Baxley
detail of the emblems used on the
front and back of the jacket has
been altered. When the contract for
producing the emblem came up for
bid in 2003, suppliers were asked to
restore the design and color of the
original emblems. Manufacturing of the
new emblem began in the fall of 2003
and jackets with the new emblems
began shipping in the spring of 2004.
Blue Ridge FFA (SC)
Carrie Lewis
Fall of ’04 – Official FFA
Jacket Color Returns to
National Blue
The color of the jacket’s corduroy
has ranged from shades of blue to
shades of purple through the years.
We worked with our fabric supplier
in North Carolina to set a new
standard for the blue corduroy.
The color was selected based on samples from the archive of jackets at
Universal Lettering, the Ohio company responsible for the jackets embroidery.
The first fabric was dyed in the Spring of 2004 and is currently being cut and
sewn into jackets. Beginning in August, with the start of the new school year,
members will notice the transition to the new blue jackets.
ONLY BLUE WILL DO!
restoration of the official FFA jacket
Fall of ’05 – Jacket Fit Changed to Reflect Today’s Students
Over the past few years, many members have expressed concerns about the
fit and comfort of the official jackets; it has been more than 15 years since
the jacket patterns have been updated. To address this issue FFA hired the
Clemson Apparel Research Center at Clemson University to create new
patterns that will fit today’s students more appropriately. These jackets are currently
being developed with the help of members from several South Carolina
FFA chapters. Samples of the new jacket will be available for students to try on
at this year’s National FFA Convention. The difference in fit will be significant,
so it will be imperative to order next year’s jackets according to the directions
provided in next year’s catalog. There will no longer be a need for students to
order jackets several sizes larger; if, for example, a student measures at a size
38, he or she can order a size 38 and rest assured that it will fit properly.
Shipping of the new jackets with adjusted fit will start in August of 2005.
Anderson FFA (SC)
Sam Kirby
Clemson University
Sara Betts
Anderson FFA (SC)
Mark Sanders
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To Order Toll Free 1.888.322.2668 or www.ffaunlimited.org
Fall of ’05 – Jacket Styling Details Restored
Along with changes to the fit of the jackets, FFA will be re-introducing some
of the early details, such as the double-needle welt stitching that was originally
used on the side seams, underarms, sleeves and shoulders. Bringing back
key elements that have been lost over time will result in more durable, higherquality
jackets with increased wearability. The outer appearance of the jacket
will remain the same. The jackets featuring the improved fit will also feature
the updated details, and will begin shipping in August of 2005.
West Oak FFA (SC)
Michael Lyle and Meghann Deaton
State FFA Secretary (SC)
Allison Waggoner