Cooper Bomber Jackets are now a thing of the past.  American Mystique, along with many other leather jacket retailers carried Neil Cooper's line over the years, but Cooper Sportswear is out of the business and has been for several years now.   American Mystique and other sellers of this time honored styling now offer other brands and their own labels.  Unfortunately, the 'Cooper Bomber Jacket' is no more.  Neil Cooper USA and Cooper Sportswear is now another American Apparel Manufacturer that is no longer providing jobs or products for Americans.  We do wish Neil and his hard working employees well in their future.

It is a very sad thing to see an American Manufacturer die out, especially a company that had been in business since before WW I, and had achieved some celebrity status with many Americans and Europeans.   When the US Navy returned to using the Type G1 Navy Flight Jacket during Desert Storm in the later 1980's, Cooper was Contracted to provide that order.  Veterans from World War II and the Korean Conflict often contacted our store, remembering with fondness the 'Cooper'  A2 Bomber Jacket they had been issued while in the Military ---wanting to replace their order reditions.   Plus, many new customers came to love the Cooper A2 Cowhide Version.    Now, there are no new Cooper replacements available.

The American Leather Bomber Jacket Industry is suffering from its loss.  Cheaply made foreign competition has reduced the total industry to just two major manufacturers.  In 2002, Cooper, Schott, The Cockpit (formally the Avirex label), and Excelled Leather and Sheepskin Company where the last four major producers of military leather jackets.  Now that Schott of New England has reduced it's own Military Jacket line up to only one civilian styling, Excelled and The Cockpit are truly the last two 'majors' standing atop the US Leather Manufacturing Market.  Currently, The Cockpit is the Official US Air Force Contractor and the other is the Official US Navy Contractor.  There are a few minor companies that do some custom work for leather jackets, but at a very high price tag.    Still, their small custom shops are unable to keep up with large contract productions to fulfill both civilian market and stringent military needs.  There are only two American leather manufacturing companies left that truly have the factory floor space at their disposal and the business acumen to meet current production levels for all Military and civilian markets.

Next time you buy a imported leather jacket, just remember where your money truly went.  Imported leather companies not only under price their American counterparts, but also receive huge subsidies from their home governments so they can consistently undersell the U.S.  market.  The wholesale price from a U.S. Factory for a good solid leather garment is around $ 160.00 to $300.00 depending on the quality and workmanship.  Imported leather from a foreign factory $5.00 to $20.00 depending on your bargaining skills ---quality does not matter when you are bargaining for cheap cuts dyed solid black.