Original Post: http://www.artofmanliness.com/2014/04/22/raw-selvedge-denim-introduction/
While denim jeans have been a clothing staple for men since the 19
th century, the jeans you’re probably wearing right now are a lot different from the denim jeans that your grandpa or even your dad wore.
Before the 1950s, most denim jeans were crafted from raw and selvedge
denim that was made in the United States. But in the subsequent
decades, as denim went from workwear to an everyday style staple, the
way jeans were produced changed dramatically. With the implementation of
cost cutting technologies and the outsourcing of manufacturing jobs to
developing countries, the quality of your average pair was greatly
reduced. Changes in consumer expectations altered the denim landscape as
well; guys wanted to pick up pre-washed, pre-faded, pre-broken-in, and
even pre-“ripped” jeans that “looked” like they’d been worn for years.
But about a decade ago, the pendulum began to swing back again. Men
started pushing back against the low-quality, cookie-cutter, pre-faded
jean monopoly. They wanted a quality pair of denim jeans and to break
them in naturally. They wanted to pull on the kind of American-made
dungarees their grandpas wore.
To give us the scoop on raw and selvedge denim, we talked to Josey Orr (fast fact: Josey was named after the protagonist in
The Outlaw Josey Wales), co-founder of Dyer and Jenkins, an L.A.-based company that’s producing raw and selvedge denim right here in the United States.
Note: This is not
a sponsored post. I just hit up Josey for the inside dope on denim
because he’s a cool young dude who makes awesome jeans, has an awesome
beard, and knows his stuff.
To first understand raw and selvedge denim jeans, it helps to know what those terms even mean.
What is Raw Denim?
Most denim jeans you buy today have been pre-washed to soften up the
fabric, reduce shrinkage, and prevent indigo dye from rubbing off. Raw
denim (sometimes called “dry denim”) jeans are simply jeans made from
denim that hasn’t gone through this pre-wash process.
Because the fabric hasn’t been pre-washed, raw denim jeans are pretty
stiff when you put them on the first time. It takes a few weeks of
regular wear to break-in and loosen up a pair. The indigo dye in the
fabric can rub off as well. We’ll talk more about this when we go over
the pros and cons of raw denim below.
Raw denim (all denim actually) comes in two types:
sanforized or
unsanforized. Sanforized
denim has undergone a chemical treatment that prevents shrinkage after
you wash your jeans. Most mass-produced jeans are sanforized, and many
raw and selvedge denim jeans are too. Unsanforized denim hasn’t been
treated with that shrink-preventing chemical, so when you do end up
washing or soaking your jeans, they’ll shrink by 5%-10%.
What is Selvedged Denim?
To understand what “selvedge” means, you need to understand a bit of history on fabric production.
Before the 1950s, most fabrics — including denim — were made on
shuttle looms. Shuttle looms produce tightly woven strips (typically one
yard wide) of heavy fabric. The edges on these strips of fabric come
finished with tightly woven bands running down each side that prevent
fraying, raveling, or curling. Because the edges come out of the loom
finished, denim produced on shuttle looms are referred to as having a
“self-edge,” hence the name “selvedge” denim.
During the 1950s, the demand for denim jeans increased dramatically.
To reduce costs, denim companies began using denim created on projectile
looms. Projectile looms can create wider swaths of fabric and much more
fabric overall at a much cheaper price than shuttle looms. However, the
edge of the denim that comes out of a projectile loom isn’t finished,
leaving the denim susceptible to fraying and unraveling. Josey pointed
out that contrary to what you may hear from denim-heads, denim produced
on a projectile loom doesn’t necessarily equate to a poorer quality
fabric. You can find plenty of quality jean brands from denim made on
projectile looms.
Most jeans on the market today are made from non-selvedge denim. The
pros of this have been the increased availability of affordable jeans; I
recently needed a pair of jeans in a pinch while on a trip and was able
to score a pair of Wrangler’s at Walmart for just $14. But consumers
have been missing out on the tradition and small quality details of
classic selvedge denim without even knowing it.
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| Notice on the non-selvedge jeans that there isn't a clean edge on the fabric near the seam. |
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Thanks to the “heritage movement” in menswear, selvedge denim jeans
have slowly been making a comeback during the past ten years or so.
Several small, independent jeans companies have sprouted up (like Dyer
and Jenkins) selling selvedge denim jeans. Even some of the Big Boys
(Levis, Lee’s) in the jean industry have gotten back to their roots by
selling special edition selvedge versions of their jeans.
The problem with this selvedge denim revival has been finding the
selvedge fabric to make the jeans, because there are so few factories in
the world using shuttle looms. For a while, Japan held a near monopoly
on the production of selvedge denim because that’s where most of the
remaining shuttle looms are; the Japanese love everything post-WWII
Americana, and they’ve been sporting 1950s-inspired selvedge denim jeans
for a long time now.
Japan remains the world’s top producer of high-end selvedge denim.
But there are a few companies in the U.S. producing denim on old
shuttle looms as well. The most prominent selvedge denim mill is Cone Cotton Mill’s White Oak factory in North Carolina. White Oak sources the cotton for their denim from cotton grown in the U.S., so their denim is 100% grown and woven in the USA.
Don't Confuse Selvedge with Raw
A common misconception is that all selvedge denim jeans are raw denim jeans and vice versa. Remember,
selvedge refers to the edge on the denim and
raw refers to a lack of pre-washing on the fabric.
While most selvedge jeans on the market are also made with raw denim,
you can find jeans that are made from selvedge fabric but have been
pre-washed, too. You can also find raw denim jeans that were made in a
projectile loom, and thus don’t have a selvedge edge.
Make sure to keep this distinction in mind when you start shopping for selvedge or raw jeans.
The Pros and Cons of Selvedge and Raw Denim
The Cons
Upfront costs are typically very high. There are varying price
levels for raw and selvedge denim, generally ranging from $50 to $300.
The lower-priced selvedge and raw denim jeans (like the kinds you find
at Gap) are usually manufactured in developing countries. However, there
are a few brands that make their jeans in China and
still charge $200+ for a pair.
If you want to buy a quality pair of jeans made in the U.S.A, from
denim manufactured domestically, look to spend at least $90-$120.
Always keep in mind that higher prices don’t necessarily equate to
higher quality. Higher priced selvedge and raw denim brands usually make
their jeans from the same White Oak denim factory fabric as the more
affordable brands. While the higher sticker price might reflect
stylistic details that lower priced denim brands ignore, the high price
of most designer denim jeans is often an attempt by brands to
artificially create a high value in the mind of the consumer. Remember,
price does not equal value!
They take a while to break in. Unlike most mass-market jeans
that are oh-so-soft when you first put them on, when you initially don a
pair of selvedge/raw denim jeans, they’re going to be super stiff.
Depending on the weight of the fabric, it may feel like you’re wearing
two plaster casts on your legs. Give it some time, wear them every day,
and your jeans will soon start to soften up.
Sizing can be tricky. This is based on my personal experience.
Most major jean brands use “vanity sizing” on their jeans. Which means
while you may have a 34” waist, the sizing label on the pant will say
32” to make you feel better about yourself. Most selvedge jean brands
don’t use vanity sizes (grandpa wouldn’t approve), so you can’t use the
size of your Old Navy pants to gauge what size you should buy in
selvedge and raw denim. You’ll need to actually measure yourself (we
show you how below).
Also, I found that most selvedge/raw denim jeans aren’t designed for
guys with thighs bigger than their heads, but instead for skinny hipster
dudes. This was super frustrating for me as a man with mighty,
magnificent quadriceps. I’d get a pair of selvedge jeans in the mail
only to find that I couldn’t even fit my thighs through the leg holes.
I’m actually going to do a write up in the next couple weeks on the best
selvedge/raw denim jeans brands for guys with big thighs. Stay tuned
for that.
They’re mostly available online. If you live in a big city,
you can probably find a brick and mortar store that you can visit to try
on a pair of selvedge and raw denim jeans. Because of the tricky sizing
with selvedge denim, being able to physically try on a pair just makes
things easier.
If you’re like me and live in a smaller city, your only option for
buying raw and selvedge denim is online. This, of course, makes finding
the best fitting pair of jeans a pain. I’d recommend buying two
different sizes of the same jean so you can find the pair that fits just
right, and send the other back; make sure the company offers free
exchanges and returns.
Indigo can rub off. Because raw denim hasn’t been pre-washed,
there’s a lot of indigo dye in the fabric that can easily rub off on
whatever it comes into contact with, like seat cushions, car seats, and
your shoes. Hey, you’ve always wanted to leave your mark, right?
After a few weeks of wear and a washing, the indigo bleeding stops.
And even if you do experience an occasional indigo rub off, removing the
stain isn’t all that difficult.
The Pros
They’re durable. Because of the selvedge edge and the often
heavy weight of raw denim, selvedge and raw denim jeans can hold up for a
long time, even with near daily wear. A quality pair of raw/selvedge
jeans, properly taken care of, can last anywhere from a few years to a
decade. And if they do rip or wear out, they can always be patched up
and repaired and put back into service!
Better value. While raw and selvedge jeans can have a high
upfront cost, because of their durability, the long-term cost-per-use
can actually make raw and selvedge denim a
value buy. Instead of
replacing a pair of mass-produced globocorp jeans every year, your raw
and selvedge jeans will likely last you for a long time.
They’re (usually) made in the USA. If you like to shop
American-made, then raw and selvedge denim is for you. While Japan is
still the leader in producing quality selvedge denim, the U.S. is
quickly catching up.
While most raw and selvedge denim jeans available in the U.S. are
made domestically, there are some brands that do make theirs in
third-world country sweatshops, so always check the label.
They look great. Raw denim is dark denim and dark denim is
probably one of the most versatile pieces of clothing you can own. Raw
denim jeans look much sharper than a faded pair of Wranglers, and not
only can you wear them with a t-shirt and a pair of Converse shoes, you can also pair them with a dress shirt and a sport coat for a night on the town
.
They’re personalizable. While mass-produced jeans come with
faux fading and distressing that is the same for every single pair, with
raw denim, you create the fading and stressing based on your body type
and how you
actually wear them. There are different types of wear
patterns that may appear in your raw denim such as honeycombs on the
back of the knee or “whiskers” on your thighs. Each pair is uniquely
yours.
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| Example of "whiskers" fading on the upper thigh. |
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| Example of "honeycomb" fading on the back of the knee. |
How to Fit Yourself for Your First Pair of Selvedge Denim Jeans
Because you’ll likely be buying your raw and selvedge denim jeans online, it’s important you get the measurements right.
Measure yourself. There a few key measurements you’ll need for
getting a proper fit on jeans. The most important are the waist and
inseam, but you’ll also want to measure the front rise, back rise,
thigh, and leg opening. Josey breaks it all down for us in the video
below. Also, take a gander at the diagram from Real Men Real Style.
Remember, unsanforized denim hasn’t been treated to prevent
shrinking, so when you wash or soak your jeans for the first time,
they’ll shrink by 5%-10%. When purchasing jeans made with unsanforized
denim, you’ll need to buy jeans a few sizes larger than you normally
would and soak the jeans before you put them on so they shrink to the
appropriate size.
Decide on fit. Most raw and selvedge denim jeans come in two
fits: slim and regular fit. What each brand considers “slim” and
“regular” will differ, which is why it’s so important to double-check
their respective sizing guides.
- Slim fit. Slim fit jeans have narrow thigh openings and are
designed to hug your body (avoid this fit if you have thighs bigger than
your head). If a brand doesn’t offer a slim fit, but you want a
closer-fitting style, just buy your jeans a size down. Raw denim
stretches a bit (about an inch at the waist) so you shouldn’t have a
problem with fitting into a smaller pair of jeans.
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- Regular fit. Your traditional blue jean fit, giving you more
room in the thigh and the crotch than you get with a slim fit. If a
brand doesn’t distinguish between slim and regular fit, and you want a
regular fit, make sure to buy your jeans “true to size.”
How to Break In Your Selvedge Denim Jeans
“Just wear them all the time.”
That’s the answer Josey gave me when I asked him.
There’s a lot of selvedge/raw denim old wives’ tales floating on the
internet about breaking in your jeans. Some folks say you need to wear
them in the ocean and then roll around in the sand to break them in
(preferably while reenacting the love scene from the film
From Here to Eternity,
I gather) or that you need to soak them in starch so you can get some
really “sick fades” — high contrast lines/fading in your jeans. There
are indeed things you can do to create “sick fades” in your jeans, but
in my opinion that’s too pretentious for a pair of workwear. Just wear
your raw denim jeans regularly and let nature take its course.
The only exception you should make for pre-soaking a new pair of
jeans is if they’re unsanforized. Soak unsanforized jeans before you
start wearing them so they shrink to the appropriate size.
How to Wash and Care for Your Selvedge and Raw Denim
Another one of the old wives’ tales out there is that you should
never (and I mean NEVER dammit!) wash your jeans. Or if you do wash
them, you should wait at least a year. And if your jeans get smelly,
just put them in the freezer to kill the bacteria. Or something.
The reason people tell you not to wash your jeans is so you can achieve those wicked sweet fades in the fabric.
But all of that no-wash advice is bogus and will just leave you smelling like a hobo.
What you want to do is to strike a balance between distressing the
jeans and washing out the fabric’s indigo and your fades-in-the-making
too quickly, and them
smelling like swamp crotch. To achieve this balance, wash them every two months. Remember, denim jeans are workwear. Do you think 19
th century miners were holding off on washing their jeans just so they could get fades? No, and neither should you.
While washing your jeans every 2 months might seem too frequent to a
raw denim purist, it probably seems too infrequent compared with how
often you’re used to washing your regular jeans. But you honestly don’t
have to wash your jeans all that often. If they’ve started smelling
before the 2 months is up, then giving them a wash early is a-okay.
There are a bunch of ways to wash your raw denim jeans. The easiest
is to simply turn them inside out and wash them in cold water in the
washing machine using Woolite. The first few times you wash your jeans,
you’ll probably want to wash them by themselves to avoid the indigo
bleeding onto your other clothes.
Here’s the method Josey recommends for washing your raw denim:
- Fill up a bathtub with lukewarm water
- Add a teaspoon of detergent
- Let jeans soak for 45 minutes
- Give them a bit of a scrub to remove any dirt and grime
- Rinse off with cold water
- Hang them outside to dry (if it’s raining outside, line dry them inside — just don’t use the dryer)
Thank you to Josey Orr from Dyer and Jenkins
for his insights into raw and selvedge denim. If you’re looking for an
entry pair of quality raw and selvedge denim that’s made right here in
the U.S., be sure to check them out!
Also check out Raw and Selvedge Jeans right here at
Luigi Jeans USA!
