Sewing up sales by the seat of their pants.

• Position: Japanese designer Kiichi Tsunemi puts in large order with Taylor Togs Inc., jeans manufacturer

Kiichi Tsunemi has North Carolina right where he wants it -on the seat of his pants.

It all began in the mountain town of Micaville, where Tsunemi, a representative for Tokyo-based A&T International, had gone to look for some blue jeans at Taylor Togs, a 20-year-old cut-and-sew operation. A generic "Texas Brand" label didn't rope Tsunemi in. Instead he came up with a label featuring the N.C. seal surrounded by the words "North Carolina/Terrific Feeling/ Your Way of Life."

Taylor Togs President and owner Grier Lackey didn't argue. After all, Tsunemi was talking about 10,000 pairs, followed by a second run of 12,000 - a $250,000 order. "It was totally his idea and design," Lackey says. "We had nothing to do with it." The label also sports the words "Heroic" in one comer and "Mighty" in another.

Another label says, "North Carolina. Made in the U.S.A." There's a touch of irony in all this. Lackey had to...