What's in Your Jeans?

Photo by Evan Cooper.

In the recent list of the “Top 20 Items...",  the most important item was the “Perfect Pair of Jeans”.  I really was pretty ignorant to the nature of denim.  To be honest I didn’t realize that the jeans I was buying could be made of different types and quality of denim. I had noticed jeans that would stretch out more after I would wear them, but let myself believe that I was actually getting skinnier as the day went on. There was also the obvious price tag difference. I attributed that more to designer and name branding versus the type of fabric.  Not so, it turns out. When I started researching denim, I found yet again, a huge amount of knowledge available on this topic.

Denim is primarily made of cotton fibers, but there can be a lot of variation with addition of synthetic fibers, silk and elastic products. Cotton has the notorious reputation for shrinking, stretching and dyed cotton can fade over time and with repeated washings. The jeans in your closet will respond the same way as other items of clothing made from cotton to use and abuse. Drying in a heated dryer can have the same impact on your favorite pair of jeans, as it does on a cotton sweater. You may find your jeans length changing over time to floods or high waters, whatever term you use to describe overly short jeans.   Apparently, full length pants should fall below your ankle.

Like many tidbits of fashion conciousness, I learned this only recently.  I am taller than average but right in between regular and tall sizing. I thought the fact that the hem of my jeans reached the floor was a bad thing, so I would err to the regular side to protect the bottom of my jeans. Friends at a book club one evening, were exchanging some jeans. The soon to be new owner was trying on a cool pair of worn jeans, and turned to the group asking, “How do they look?”. I thought they fit really well, but the rest of the group chimed in that they were too short…hitting her at the ankle. I noticed immediately that the jeans I was wearing at the time were shorter on me than her try-ons were…in some ways I feel that they had arranged this subtle jeans tutorial for my benefit as they had noticed my ill fitting jeans for a number of years.

FTC the fashion guru, prefers a type of denim called raw denim with a selvedge edge. When he told me this I nodded knowingly, hiding my utter lack of knowledge as to what he was talking about. I had never even seen or heard the word selvedge before. I researched a number of sites and found that the selvedge part refers to how the cotton fibers are woven to create denim. They use older techniques on older looms that create a continuous and finished edge, that does not require sewing to stop it from fraying. The fabric is fray resistant and thus more durable. When you look in the inside seams of the leg of your jeans, you can tell if it is selvedge or not by the lack of stitching on the denim edges. This form of weaving is more labor intensive and therefore raises the cost of the denim and hence that of your jeans.

Raw denim refers to the dying treatment that the denim fibers are exposed to. In raw denim there is no washing or manipulation of the color of the jeans at all after the dying and manufacturing process. This leaves the color of the jeans deeper and darker. The jeans will seem stiffer as well as they have not been manipulated like stone wash denim for example, which is literally washed/laundered with pumice stones or treated with an organic enzyme that breaks down the cotton fibers. Over time and wear, raw denim will fade and soften. Aficionados claim that you achieve a more body matching fit with this type of denim. Washing instructions for raw denim involve avoiding any laundering for up to 6 months while you wear the jeans. This could get pretty sketchy depending on how well worn your jeans are over this 6 month period. The more vigorous the wearing, the sooner you should do us all a favor and wash them.

Suggested washing does not involve a washing machine or dryer, that would be raw denim blasphemy! Rather you are to soak your raw denim in a tub of lukewarm water with a small amount of mild detergent. You must then proceed to manually agitate your jeans until any dirt, grime, or odor is removed. Rinse the jeans until the suds disappear, and hang to dry (from squidoo.com). Brands that provide this type of denim are Envisu, Nudie, Naked and Famous and even Levi’s has a selvedge edge, raw denim pair.

Higher quality denim tends to hold its shape and fit better than less expensive denim. Sadly much of the American denim out there is considered poor quality. The bigger your jeans get when you wear them the lower the quality of denim. Japanese denim is very popular with jean lovers for its’ superior quality. You can check out this link for more detailed information on Japanese denim: http://www.askmen.com/fashion/fashion_blog/6_fashion_blog.html

Some differences noted in higher quality denim fabrics besides the weave are the type of dye used. Synthetic indigo is used primarily in the industry, but some premier manufacturers use natural indigo. This creates a more vibrant color, which may even have a slight green hue. Typical cotton fabrics when dyed are dipped 6 times in their dye, but some Japanese denim makers dip up to 30 times, creating a deeper and richer color. Stone washing or aging techniques that involve laundering (a finishing term used to describe the numerous things that can be done to jeans and denim to give you a vast array of faded and worn appearances) can actually shorten the life span of the jeans as these procedures can reduce the strength of the fabric. Acid washing, developed in the mid 80’s, involves laundering the jeans with pumice stones soaked in chlorine!

From a fashion standpoint, raw denim or more subtle washes tend to be more versatile in how you can wear them. There are limited occasions that torn or faded jeans can be worn. As mentioned before, finishes like acid washing, colored denim (besides black) or the sort of dirty looking washes come in and out of vogue. I would avoid investing in these jeans if you have a limited budget, otherwise they will have shortened membership in your collection. I have recommended some designers to help you find the perfect pair of jeans in the Top 20 blog. Check them out. I just bought a pair of AG jeans (Adriano Goldschmeid) online (I am taking my chances, against my own advice I know) from the online fashion clearinghouse of Gilt.com for half price. I’ll let you know how they fit.

Up next: "What is your body type?" We’ll use this information to help you figure out the best style and cut of jeans for you.