schott nyc factory tour

My Not-So-Perfect Schott NYC Review

As someone who has tested over 2000 jackets and 500 pairs of shoes, I know quality materials when I see them. So when it came to finding my perfect leather jacket, Schott NYC seemed like an obvious choice given their heritage.

But after eagerly ordering some of their bestselling pieces, I wasn‘t fully convinced the steep prices reflected real value. Read on for a blunt breakdown of what lived up to expectations – and what fell short.

Brief History: From Raincoats to Rebels

Schott got its start in 1913 when brothers Irving and Jack began producing raincoats in Lower Manhattan. After experiencing some success, they opened a factory and by 1928 had pioneered the first leather motorcycle jacket with a zipper closure.

Over the following decades, Schott became synonymous with counterculture icons like James Dean as their iconic Perfecto jacket spread far beyond motorcycling circles. Expanding their catalog, they also introduced quintessential military staples like the bomber and peacoat.

Today the third generation of the Schott family continues to make their premium range of leather jackets, footwear and accessories in the USA. Their products are sold globally through high-end retailers and at 6 flagship stores.

While innovations have slowed in recent years, Schott NYC remains dedicated to old-world craftsmanship. The question is, does their century-old heritage still stack up for contemporary customers? I conducted some hands-on research to find out.

Testing Methodology

To secure an impartial assessment, I directly ordered a cross section of bestselling Schott items for men and women. Over the past month, I‘ve thoroughly evaluated their construction, comfort, versatility and value:

• Classic Perfecto Leather Jacket
• Cropped Washed Lamb Moto Jacket
• Double Rider Pebbled Leather Jacket
• Shearling Lined Denim Jacket
• 6" Service Boot
• Jodhpur Boot
• Chelsea Boot

Additionally, I compared these against similar offerings from Belstaff, Acne Studios, Allsaints and Sandro Paris.

Now let‘s analyze some of Schott‘s greatest hits and see which are truly iconic – versus which are poorly executed classics.

Perfecto Leather Jacket: Rebels With a Cause?

No Schott review would be complete without discussing the legendary Perfecto. This was the world‘s first leather motorcycle jacket when it debuted in the 1920s.

Over nearly a century of fine tuning, the Perfecto still delivers on angular styling with its asymmetric front zipper and signature accents like zippered sleeves.

I tried on the slim fitting model in classic black. Immediately it shapes a quintessential bad boy silhouette thanks to the thick steerhide and silver hardware. Zipping it up I felt practically bulletproof.

The reality is this jacket offers ample abrasion resistance. Its durable construction should withstand decades of daily wear. Schott even proudly warrants it for life.

Yet when I inspected it up close, a few things stuck out. First off, at almost $1000 I expect near flawless execution. But loose topstitching and uneven seams on certain panels gave me pause.

For a similar price, British brand Belstaff offers vintage inspired models crafted in Italy from fine calfskin. While their hardware may not be silver, the buttery leather and precise details feel a notch above Schott‘s.

Ultimately is the Perfecto worth the premium? Devoted Schott fans would say unequivocally yes. For me it falls into that awkward space between standard and luxury quality without fully justifying either price point.

||| |:-|:-| | Quality |7/10| | Value |6/10| | Uniqueness |5/10| | Overall Rating |6.0/10|

Cropped Washed Lamb Moto: Recycled Nostalgia

Vintage style moto jackets have enjoyed renewed popularity in recent years. Hoping to capitalize on this, Schott created a washed lamb version with an of-the-moment cropped cut.

I must admit the retro appeal of this one initially pulled me in. I love me a good flannel collar. And the waist length showcases outfits in a flattering way.

Schott manages to soften the whole look thanks to the lighter lambskin fabrication. Sizing down for my usual trim fit, it draped nicely over jeans and a sweater. Initially things seemed promising.

But upon reflection, this feels like a blatant ploy to recycle an existing silhouette they already produce. And the $750 price point frankly seems outrageous for what amounts to a fabricated trend reboot.

A quick browse online showed me Acne Studio‘s contemporary take on the overshirt jacket retailing for $900. Their Swedish minimalism and attention to contemporary detail easily justify asking a premium versus Schott‘s creation.

For the money, I‘d rather hunt for a vintage moto on eBay. Or at half the cost, Allsaints produces much more compelling lamb and suede cropped jackets actually suited for current styling needs.

Unless you find it on deep discount, I‘d pass on this contrived fusion piece from Schott.

||| |:-|:-| | Quality |5/10| | Value |3/10| | Uniqueness |4/10| | Overall Rating |4.0/10|

Where Craftsmanship Shines Through

Despite some misses on reinvented classics, Schott continues upholding their heritage of quality in key staples.

Take the 6" Service Boot for instance. Nothing fancy, just a sturdy Goodyear welted work boot cut from thick domestic leather.

After testing it alongside options from Red Wing and Wolverine, the Schott clearly stood out. From the structured toe box to the durable riveted hardware, every detail reinforced a boot built for hard labor.

Slipping them on felt natural, like I was putting on a well loved favorite. The look stays faithful to 1940‘s military issue boots with subtle upgrades like contrast eyelets and a modern traction sole.

Beneath the rugged exterior though, my feet enjoyed complete comfort walking several miles a day. For $350 these boots deliver on all fronts and should last decades if properly maintained. They exemplify what Schott does best.

Key Takeaways: A Mixed Bag

In some ways Schott seems stuck in the past, recycling outdated silhouettes and retaining their trademark styling long past relevance. But when it comes to staples done the old fashioned way, nobody does it better.

If you want a jacket or boots capable of surviving years of abuse without losing their integrity, Schott won‘t let you down. Their local manufacturing and family owned business practices also appeal to the conscious consumer in me.

Yet attempts to reinvent classics like the Perfecto or modernize styles to chase trends rarely work in their favor. Maybe some traditions aren‘t meant to be tinkered with.

At the end of the day, I applaud their efforts but walk away feeling underwhelmed. Getting the right fit and aesthetic requires too much trial and error for what they ask wallet-wise. For me Schott embodies homespun charm more than international luxury.

I may not have found my perfect Schott yet, but certain key pieces definitely warrant consideration – if you catch a good sale. In the end quality speaks for itself, no matter your generation or preferred style tribe.

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Video: How Jason Schott of Schott NYC Is Driving the Brand’s Made-in-America Heritage

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December 8th, 2017 at 1:43 PM EST

Jason Schott, chief operating officer and fourth-generation family member of Schott NYC, talks about how the 104-year old company values its rich history and the craftsmanship behind their jackets and defies conventional manufacturing rules.

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Even if the name Schott NYC doesn’t ring a bell right away, you’re probably more familiar with the company than you’re aware of. Schott NYC is the brand behind the classic leather motorcycle jacket—the one worn by Marlon Brando, James Dean, Bruce Springsteen, The Ramones and other iconic American figures—and despite the odds, has kept the production of its jackets in the United States for over one hundred years. Jason Schott, chief operating officer of Schott NYC and fourth-generation family member to lead the company, spoke about how the company and the family behind it has embraced the idea of freedom throughout its history.

Schott NYC was started in 1913 in New York’s Lower East Side neighborhood by Jason’s great-grandfather Irving Schott and his brother Jack. The two began making fur-lined raincoats and selling them door-to-door, eventually opening up a factory and store of their own. The brothers soon revolutionized the way jackets were made—they were the first to insert zippers into their jackets, which led the U.S. Air Force to commission them to create pea coats and bomber jackets for the country’s soldiers in World War II.

Following the war, the classic leather motorcycle jacket, also known as the Perfecto, became all the rage with America’s youth after Marlon Brando sported it in The Wild One. Decades later, Schott NYC’s jackets are still associated with the idea of “the rebel.” As Schott explains, “There was such a strong connection between that jacket and the bad boy mentality, that the jacket was banned from schools. However, as we now know, there was really no stopping it. It’s forever been the uniform of someone who wants the freedom to express themselves in their own way.”

Despite the challenges of modern domestic manufacturing, while most of their competitors have moved production overseas, Schott NYC has continued to thrive as a family-run business, and the majority of their products are still manufactured in the United States. Over 200 leather jackets and other apparel items are produced in its Union, New Jersey factory, and the company still uses a similar process, as well as much of the same machinery, used by the founding brothers. While keeping manufacturing in the U.S. can be costly, Schott explains that money that would otherwise be put toward marketing initiatives are instead invested in production and craftsmanship of the product. “Instead of focusing on marketing, we tend to let the product speak for itself,” he says.

There are currently about 100 operators who work at the Schott factory and create the jackets piece by piece. The company uses U.S. domestic cowhide—again illustrating the importance it places on the superb quality of its materials—which is individually inspected and cut by hand one piece at a time. Schott explains the value of the company’s workforce, which would likely be difficult to truly replace if the company were to move overseas. “There are 30 to 35 steps that a jacket will go through throughout the factory, so there are a lot of people, and decades of experience, involved in the process,” says Schott. “Our people work really hard, and there’s an incredible amount of knowledge and skill here that is really rare to find.”

While Schott is a family business, leadership isn’t easily handed over to anyone in the family—Schott started out by sweeping the floors and loading trucks. After a stint as an accountant for five years, he returned to the company. According to Schott, the family has avoided nepotism by making sure that every family member involved in the company brings something new to the table. “We have an unwritten rule that in order to become a family member working in the business, you have be employable somewhere else and bring us new skills,” he says. “Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

As for the future of Schott, he says he hopes to see many more generations to come, as well as a lot of new twists on old ideas. He says, “We’re sewing our names into these jackets, so it comes with a tremendous sense of pride and responsibility to make sure that people always have an emotional connection to them.”

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• The American List
• Factory Tours

Field Trip | Schott Factory Tour

Not too far into the bio on the Schott website you will find this sentence: “We are a true-blue, real-deal, piece of Americana.” It really can’t be put any better, so that is all I really need to say. A few weeks back I took a little trip out to the Schott factory in New Jersey to see the nearly 100 year old company in action. After seeing the facilities and meeting the good people from Schott, I left with a renewed sense of appreciation for a company with devotion to not only quality, but to the people and place that made them what they are. It takes a lot of sticktoitiveness to resist the call of overseas labor and continue to manufacture domestically. I also left with the feeling that my life was not complete without a perfectly worn-in Perfecto leather motorcycle jacket. Schott Bros. Inc has been making quality outerwear for motorcyclists and military men in the New York City area since 1913 when Irving Schott founded the company on the Lower East Side of Manhattan. Still to this day a family run business, Schott is doing what they do best, making a good product at a fair price. So do yourself and your fellow Americans a favor and buy a Perfecto .

[tylr-slidr userID=”7393890@N04″ groupID=””]http://www.flickr.com/photos/mkwilliams/sets/72157622362981096/[/tylr-slidr]

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Comments on “ field trip | schott factory tour ”.

Great factory tour! Nice to see a good company like Schott getting some deserved coverage.

It’s official … I have leather jacket fever. These are beautiful. Must’ve been a blast to see them all come together.

wait a second. Check the box on the left: it says: MADE in CANADA! They are using labels with MADE in USA on it which are made in Canada!

Another nice profile/tour Michael. I just tried on a Schott Cafe Racer early last week. I couldn’t get over how palpable the quality was. The jacket just felt rugged, but insanely comfortable. Definitely added to the wish list.

Very nice pictorial!

I just inherited a vintage Schott from the 70s, looks like it’s maybe a 141. Perfectly broken in, and very comfortable.

Purchased a Schott pea coat which was made in the U.S.A, and it has been outstanding! I am not sure if it was made in the factory you highlighted, but I ma very happy with it. You have to be careful though, since they do sell product that was imported.

All props to Schott and all that but let’s face it. The stuff that Schott makes for the Japanese market is far more interesting. Schott in my opinion had it back in the day but not anymore – at least not here in the USA.

A homegrown company I haven’t heard about before on the blogs. Keep ’em coming!

Great! Now every “menswear” brand is gonna do a Scott collab…

Seriously, this is one company I’m just not interested in revisitting. Maybe my kids in 20 years can find this brand cool but I definetly don’t. I wore it and for some reason I just can’t see myself going back there.

It seems like you’re just looking for anything made in the US just because it’s made in the US ? Even if it has absolutely no style to it. Schott is a Mall Brand ! Are you going to do a a Wall-Mart factory tour in China ? I hate to say it but your blog is becoming “COMMERCIAL” feels like it’s run by a corporate think tank to increase the sales of the Linquor Store for J-Crew. With all do respect of course !

Due respect !

You sound like an idiot. Schott is a family run business with a factory in New Jersey and the Perfecto is one bad ass jacket. If that is what you really believe, go find another blog to read. I’m not going to miss you. —ACL

How in God’s name is Schott a (sic) “Wall-Mart” brand? Admittedly its not my style but that doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the effort and the classic aesthetic they’re going for. People need to realize just because a certain label doesn’t appeal to their aesthetic doesn’t mean it was or is made for people who have no sense of fashion.

llevo confiando en esta marca 25 años y es calidad total

I just spent the last ten minutes poking around the Schott website. I used to have an old police issue Schott leather jacket ages ago, that thing was awesome. Looks like there’s hardly a dud in the bunch. The Perfecto is certainly a classic, but for my money I’m thinking that the green army-style parka with the fake fur on the hood may just be something I can’t live without this winter.

Anything made by on industrial equipment by old ladies in New Jersey is alright by me.

I want that American Flag patch.

The jacket captioned as “Omaha motorcycle police issue Perfecto” looks great — I prefer those snap flap pockets and the more restrained collar. Having trouble finding that model on their site though. Any ideas?

Hey Micheal,

That made in Canada box makes me laugh ! “Made in the USA” tags that are made in Canada ! Amazing !!

Just a point to how connected Canada and the U.S. are…all horse leather for American made jackets comes from Canada…much label making and sewing often was done in Canada. I believe that there were companies sewing for U.S. companies like Schott a while back… Dominion tanners when they finally closed their last Tannery in Winnipeg sold the business to Horween in Chicago. All strange and interconnected…Iike our cars, and endless other consumer items included all (65 %) of U.S. oil..so remember to be nice to your Canadian neighbors, lol.

ACL has nothing but respect for Canadians.

Hey, N, on the home page, highlight “men”, then click on “Perfecto”, I saw it there. See, I have time to point these things out while I save my pennies for one…but I gonna be a bad ass wearing one on my cycle! Thanks, Michael.

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Schott NYC® is inspired by the classic American style but remains at the forefront of current trends. The urban vibe of New York , the practicality of military clothing, and the flair of riders are all influences that have shaped our collections since 1913.

Dive into our world with flight jackets, bomber jackets,  B3 sheepskin jackets, peacoats, varsity jackets , and of course, the legendary Perfecto® jacket . Our aesthetic is decidedly vintage, yet unisex. We believe fashion should be inclusive . A significant portion of our ready-to-wear items is designed to be worn by both men and women .

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Schott NYC B-3 Bomber jacket LC1259 Marron BROWN

From the U.S. Air-Force, B-17 and B-24 bomber aircrafts were unpressurized so the unheated cabins got awfully cold at high altitude. This is why this B-3 sheepskin bomber jacket was invented : it kept the air crews warm during their perilous missions during WW2. The LC1259 allows for high isloation, you can count on it for the coldest winter days. Its old-looking leather gives it a vintage and authentic dimension.

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• Leather welted seams
• Heavy duty hardware
• Buckled collar
• Waist adjustment straps
• 2 front handwarmer pockets

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