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What is denim? How is Denim Made? What is denim? Denim is a type of cotton textile known for its use in blue jeans and other clothing. It uses a sturdy twill weave with a characteristic diagonal ribbing. Originally used for workmen's clothes, denim is now ubiquitous and has even entered the world of high fashion. Nearly everyone has at least one garment made of this fabric in the closet these days. Denim jackets became a fashion statement in the 1950s along with jeans. By the 1970s, women were wearing it as often as men, and denim skirts and dresses could be found in numerous styles. Denim was originally dyed blue with indigo — hence the characteristic color of "blue jeans." While blue remains a popular color, the fabric can be found today in nearly any color imaginable. How is Denim Made? Denim is a woven fabric commonly made with a blue cotton warp yarn and a white cotton filling yarn. When it was first designed, denim was primarily used to make work clothes and tough clothing like overalls, but today it is used for everything from purses and skirts to denim jackets and other fashionable clothes. Denim is so popular in the twenty-first century that you can hardly walk into a store without seeing it on racks and displays. In fact, it’s difficult to imagine a time when 9 out of 10 people were NOT wearing jeans as casual everyday attire. If you’re a fan of jeans and you’re curious about how denim is made, then prepare to find out! Twill Weaves Have you ever looked closely at your favorite pair of jeans and noticed a complex pattern in the fabric? That pattern is referred to as "twill weave," and it is caused by finely-interwoven yarns. The white cotton filling yarns run the width of the fabric and interlace at 90-degree angles with the blue cotton warp yarns, which also run the length of the fabric, and therefore produce the fine lines you see on your denim. There are two different types of twill weave, LHT and RHT: | |
  LHT or Left Hand Twill: This type of twill weave runs diagonally from right to left, which produces denim that is a bit softer than RHT. RHT or Right Hand Twill: This type of twill weave runs diagonally from left to right, which produces flatter and smoother denim. RHT is used more often than LHT. Origins of the Name There are various theories about the origin of the term "denim." The most common theory is that the fabric was originally produced during the Middle Ages in Nîmes, France (under the name of "serge de Nîmes") and that America shortened it to "denim" in the 1800s. Another theory claims the fabric originated in England. The term "jeans" or "jean" is has become synonymous with "denim" in today’s terminology, but the terms weren’t always interchangeable. Jeans actually originated in Genoa, Italy, and were made from fustian (a cotton, linen and/or wool blend) instead of denim. Denim was slightly more expensive than jean and was woven from one colored thread and one white thread (jean was woven from two threads of the same color). Denim Fabric Treatments Now that you know how denim is made, you may be wondering how it can vary its appearance from brand to brand of jeans or denim shirts. How in the world does denim look so different? There are 5 main types of fabric treatments, and each treatment gives the denim a unique and fashionable look: Pre-washed: Accomplished by repeated washing (by the manufacturer) to make the denim softer. Stone-washed: The original method involved pumice stones, but other methods like ceramic balls, enzymes, and sand are used to give the denim a natural appearance today. Sandblasted: Denim is sprayed with sand or chemicals during the wash process to create a worn-out appearance. Sandwashed: Sand or other abrasive substances are used in the wash bath to soften the denim and give it a faded appearance. Vintage/Dirty: Vintage denim shows wear patterns. Dirty denim is usually created with brown filler yarns. |