07/07/2026

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

OR Magazine Spring 2026 (Threads) Prison Blues: "Industrial sewing machines rattle across the garment factory as workers lug stacks of denim. Rolls of raw material envelop long cutting tables where workers measure fabric, inspect flaws, and slice patterns for jeans bound for customers from America to Asia."

11/07/2025

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

At OCE, our mission is to create opportunities for personal growth and transformation through meaningful work. Few stories capture that impact better than Randalls. After more than five years at the OCE Garment Factory, Randall reflects on the skills he developed, the confidence he gained, and the purpose he discovered along the way. His gratitude is a reminder of why we do what we do - empowering individuals to succeed long after release.

02/10/2025

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

Former AIC Joe Clig shares his experience working in the OCE Garment Factory at EOCI, where he helped produce the iconic Prison Blues brand. Through the program, he gained real-world work experience, valuable skills, and a renewed sense of purposehelping him build a better future.

01/13/2025

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

"OCE is the closest thing to working an outside job as I could ever imagine. You start from the bottom and prove your way up through production, quality, and willingness to learn new things. Were rewarded for good work ethic and self-motivation."

07/23/2024

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

While the Garment Factory is known primarily for producing jeans, coats, and shirts, the Specialty Line's role in handling a vast array of miscellaneous garment and non-garment projects is often overlooked.

04/13/2022

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

Prison Blues is an American workwear brand selling starchy blue jeans and rigid trucker jackets for around $50. Its a niche labelIf Levis is the giant of the jean world, Prison Blues is more like an ant scurrying underfoot. But the brands affordable clothes have lately caught the attention of young, fashion-conscious folks in Japan. A flip through Prison Blues tagged photos on Instagram reveals a plethora of Japanese fans wearing its midnight-blue jeans and chunky denim jackets with leopard-print coats, technicolor Coogi sweaters and vintage neckties.

10/17/2019

Posted By: DreamingCode Admin

This collaborative effort between the U of O and Prison Blues brought design students together with adults in custody (AICs) in Oregon prisons. Students were able to see the working conditions within the Eastern Oregon Correctional Institution (EOCI) and speak directly with AICs about their tasks, the machines they use, and how coveted the garment factory work assignments are within the institution.