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Mycket väl genomförd uppgift och målgrupp, du visar tydligt vilken ny kunskap du skaffat dig genom att utforska Det Sanna och Det Verkliga. Du sätter hela tiden detta i perspektiv utifrån ditt koncept och utvecklar det med en del i taget så att community och nördfaktorn står i fokus. Din tjänst är en app med två delar, en karta och en tagg funktion, de kompletterar varandra och har olika öppenheter och avgränsningar. Här har du skaffat ny kunskap om rfid-taggning som du behöver utveckla vidare, hur säkrar man att notisen och infon går fram till andra användare ? Tänker att du kan få ny kunskap om RFID taggning och notifikation i de videoscenarier du kan genomföra i Dp4.
Samtidigt som din app är väl researchad nu undrar jag vad som är det unika förutom att det inte existerar ngn app inom målgruppen ? Ditt fokus är viljan att skapa en community för råjeans nördar genom att dela med sig info och vara ”vandrande reklam” för märken som har rätt egenskaper. Det är fine. Men kan användaren också vara delaktig i att stödja det goda, rättvis produktion osv som du talar en del om…Är Denim Hunter också en etisk kod ? Finns det rättvisemärkta jeans ?

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https://ebookcentral-proquest-com.ezproxy.hkr.se/lib/kristianstad-ebooks/detail.action?docID=4455263#goto_toc

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Föroreningar av jeans reportage av Green peace

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Föroreningar av jeans reportage av Green peace

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6S03LrNlnUc

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https://www.nyteknik.se/teknikrevyn/sa-funkar-rfid-taggarna-6370691

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Etiska Dileman

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DenimHunter är ett koncept där du målar upp de tänkta funktionerna med ett scenario för en tänkt nörd på resa i Japan. Du ger en god beskrivning av funktionerna i appen, att den riktar sig till denimnördar som vill söka det unika. Med hjälp av data från ett chip ser app användaren info om jeansen och var de går att köpa. Här finns en del tekniska frågor kvar, vem lägger in data, vem kopplar samman data med butiker ? Krävs det samarbete mellan bransch och kund för att det ska fungera? Din beskrivning av att användaren taggar plats på karta behöver förtydligas – är det google maps data som används? Du har ett bra grundkoncept att arbeta vidare med i Delprov 3b.

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Jag valde att använda mig av dagboksstudien för att jag ville kunna identifiera möster. Jag frågade min nörd varje dag om vilka byxor han tog på sig och varför. Dessa två frågorna gav mig svar på tre.

1. Vilka byxor han tar på sig

2. Varför han tar på sig.

3. Den tysta åsikten, jag får honom att tänka till, varför tar han egentligen på sig dessa byxorna, vad är den bakomliggande tanken?

Och där i slutet på den tredje frågan, den "onsynliga" där får jag otroligt bra svar till mina design koncept.

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En bra metod när man vill testa sina koncept för målgruppen. Användaren får hela tiden berätta vad dem tycker och känner under testandet. Detta ger mig kunskap till att hitta problem eller lösningar till mina koncept, eller om den rent ut sagt inte håller måtten alls. Som vi har lärt oss i andra kurser så använder man sig av filter när man prototypar och testar. En bra prototyp är en fråga som genererar ett eller flera svar från användaren som man sedan använder sig av för att gå vidare i designprocessen.

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Med hjälp av en bit plast och silvertjep skapade jag min nya artefakt, men AR funktion för att kunna se vart kläderna är köpta på olika personer. Plastbiten var väldigt bra som prototyp och förlåtande pga att jag kunde skriva med whiteboard pennor på den vilket gjorde att jag kunde sudda ut och hela tiden testa nya UI för mitt designkoncept.

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Med hjälp av klämmor kunde vi ändra passformen på jeansen från pösiga till lösa.
1 Löst
2 Tight

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Samma som till höger ----->
Men ska tilläga här att jag fick frågan, "om vi nu har denna advancerade linsen varför bara hålla den till Denim intresset?".
Detta var en bra poäng och jag rör mig tillbaka till ett koncept för en mobil application

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Varför ska man ha en annan "mojäng" med denna funktionen när man redan har en mobil?

Jag tyckte att det var värt att testa andra gränssnitt än just mobiler, eftersom vi uppmuntrades till att försöka utveckla mobila artefakt och inte just en mobiltelefon tyckte jag att detta var värt att utforska. Men min prototyp gav mig svaret på frågan. Skapa detta konceptet för mobilen och inte en ny fysiskplatform ska ska ta plats i fickan.

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Dåligt koncept att jeansen ändrar passform, visst det kan vara bra för att indivinden kan byta passform och då få den perfekta passformen. Men det tar bort hela processen med slitnigarna som är nummer ett.

Detta konceptet har inte plats för mina nördar men kanske för frilufts människor.

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https://invis.io/M9GADTZC4QX

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Tankar från Intervjuer till Desingkoncepten

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Tankar från Intervjuer till Desingkoncepten

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Alla nämner att dem skulle vilja se tvätterier, då är ju desingkonceptet Denimhunter perfekt med sin karttjänst men går det att vidareutveckla?

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DU har ett stort flöde av ideer och tänkbara utvecklingar av denim baserade nörd tjänster. Uppslagen saknas inte, men jag kan inte riktigt värdera vilket fokus du har och hur du har tagit tillvara info och tankar som intervjuer och studier gett dig. Du behöver utvärdera och sammanställa på din Padlet.

Se också min samlade feedback på Team Padleten.

Det jag skrev i förra feedbacken är fortfarande relevant –
”VEM designar du för ? HUR ser verkligheten ut ? VAD söker en denimnörd på resande fot ? Hur ser denimkulturen ut lokalt ?
Du behöver dra slutsatser och reflektera kring vad intervjuer har gett dig för insikter och tankar kring mobil tjänst kopplad till nörden.
Du behöver samtidigt se på dina koncept igen - med nya ögon efter arbetet med metoder och sondstudier ! Utveckla prototyperna, revidera och visa hur du tänker gå vidare !”

Som helhet en hel del kvar att sammanställa för inlämningen, skapa en eller flera personas för dina potentiella användare så du/vi får syn på vem de är. VAD de vill ha för nytta av tjänsten/appen. HUR den fungerar. Är den öppen för alla ? Vem tänker du driver den, en community eller en bransch ?

Organisera din Padlet så vi kan hitta en samlad reflektion för Delprov 2.

Lycka till !

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Fokus är fortfarande på resande fot glöm inte detta och försvinn i produkten som säljarna

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Overheadpapper

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Iden stöds från intervjuder, även av Rasmus intresset finns där men hur?

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Denimhunter se ovan

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Det levande tyget
Ändra passform för att få en så snygg röv som möjligt (Rasmus ord)

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Ar brickan
Vad har folk på sig
(olika plattformar)

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AR Linsen
Vad har folk på sig?

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Finns det på något sätt man kan skapa en Community utan att göra "Facebook"?

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Häftigt men meningslöst spara till fysiska gränssnitt

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Jeans

Overhead papper / genomskinlig plast

Invision

Wireframe / AR

Klämmor

Videokamera
Whiteboard markers.

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Finns inget Community
Resa se tvätterier
Drömmar/Designkoncept:
Scanna av dig
Skärmar med plagg på så att man inte behöver ha jeansen framme i butiken. (hör mer till fysiska gränssnitt).

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https://docs.google.com/document/d/1WGW8Hp49RTyDd2wMG2g1lEagic4YTtowgE-i8033Odc/edit

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Intervju med Rasmus Birgitsson (Framsteg - Lyssna om du fastnar i design arbetet.)

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Intervju med Rasmus Birgitsson (Framsteg - Lyssna om du fastnar i design arbetet.)

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https://drive.google.com/file/d/1oKTgcpeDmcWtXzLPZSPhcPGUAHZpOqby/view

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9 feb -
inledning med Thore där vi gick igenom delprobet. efteråt delade vi med oss av varandras designrymd för att ta arbetet vidare.

12 feb -
handledning med Thore där vi kom fram till att vi skulle välja min designrymd om denimheads. Här efter hade vi ett skypesamtal utan handledare där vi planerade hur vi skulle arbeta vidare.

14 feb -
handledning med Thore vi berättade vårt val om desingrymd och hade öppen diskussion om vad denimkulturen är och möjliga lösningar vi kunde skapa för nördarna.

19 feb -
skype möte med gruppen uteblev.

21 - feb
vi beslutade att jag skulle ta kontakt med tre personer som kunde vara delaktiga i intervjuer och var denimfantaster. Vi skulle samarbeta och komma fram till frågor som jag skulle ställa i intervjuerna för att alla i gruppen skulle kunna få sina frågor besvarade och ge oss en bättre grund att arbeta vidare på när vi arbetade med våra koncept.

21 - feb Del 2
jag skrev runt till personer som jag kände och andra som jag inte hade en relation till för att försöka få ihop personer att intervjua samtidigt som jag skrev frågor som skulle ställas under intrevjun.

22 - feb
av de personerna jag har skrivit till har jag fått napp av två. Ganska sorgligt att man lägger er tid att skriva personliga mejl och meddelanden utan att ens får ett svar tillbaka.

23 - feb
möte och av koll hur alla låg till i gruppen även berätta för dem andra hur det gick i jakten på intervjuder.

25 - feb
kollade över mina gamla desingkoncept till uppgiften där jag
utvärderade om det var något jag ville jobba vidare på eller släppa. Jag tog även fram mina gamla designarbeten från andra kurser för att söka inspiration. Även om dem kanske inte funkar just till detta projektet så är det värt iterationen och ta gamla idéer och förnya dem till nya koncept.

26 - feb
började fundera och förberedda vilka frågor jag ville ha svar på med mina prototyper. Det viktigaste är inte hur avancerad prototypen är utan att den besvarar dem frågorna jag vill ställa till den för att kunna arbeta vidare med mina designkoncept

27 - feb
på labben på fysiska gränssnitt så pratade jag och Emma om hur vi skulle ta oss ut på stan och kolla i olika butiker för att intervjua olika jeansnördar. Även om dem inte är Denimheads utan bryr sig mest om mode ansåg vi att det fortfarande var relevant information vi kunde få ut av intervjuerna till våra koncept.

28 - feb
vi hade möte med gruppen och pratade om intervjuerna vi skulle hålla på stan. Kira ville också vara med på stan och utforma frågorna vi skulle ställa. Så jag, Emma och Kira började skriva på frågorna till intervjuerna men klockan 12:00 lämnade jag skype samtalet för att hålla en intervju med ett denimhead via skype.

28 - feb Del 2
jag hade dem förberedda frågorna vi hade skrivit i hop innan och startade intervjuen. Detta blir nog den största tillgången vi har. Eftersom Rasmus svarade på frågorna ur ett bra perspektiv, han brinner verkligen för denim och vi fick ut väldigt bra och genuina svar.

1 - mars
idag tog vi vår rundtur på stan (Kira, Emma och Jag).
Vi möttes upp på stan och lyckades få två intervjuer.
We Love Denim = Tråkig intervju vi fick ut bra information men butiksbiträdet bara såg jeansen ur en profit synpunkt hur ska jag kunna sälja lättare till kunden.
Jeansbolaget = Likvärdig också bara ur ett säljperspektiv. Vi fick fortfarande ut viktig och bra information. Men trotts att vi påpekade att vi pratade om denim och betonade "Ditt" denim intresse så kretsade fortfarande det mesta runt sälj

2 - mars
handledning med Thore han tycker att vi är långsamma och inte hade kommit långt i processen. Jag vet själv att jag har arbetat men varit otroligt långsam att uppdatera min padlet. pga stress.

2 - mars Del 2
Vi har problem med dagboksstudien, det kanske går att lösa men vi är inte helt säkra kanske eventuellt använda oss av PACT och ett flertal scenarion?

7 - mars
handledning i skolan med Michael Jag hade lyckats samla på mig olika jeanstyger och byxor så att gruppen kunde titta på dem och känna skillnaderna på tygerna och produkterna för att vi lättare ska kunna komma in i "The Mind Of The Denim Head" för att hjälpa oss under bodystormen där vi också diskuterade våra koncept och hur långt i processen vi har kommit.

7 - mars Del 2
dagboksstudie påbörjad.

8- mars
Prototyp tester med props.
Det levande materialet visade sig meningslöst eftersom jeansen då missade sitt syfte att slitas in individuellt för individen eftersom passformen ändras och då också slitningarna.

9 - mars
handledning med Thore men vi hade mic problem så vi ska få feedback på padlet i stället, idag sammlar jag ihop mina skisser och lägger upp dem på padlet, dagboksstudien pågår fortfarande.

10 - mars
Efter att ha samlat ihop mina koncept och materiallet jag har fått ut av prototyperna, dagboksintervjun och intervjuerna med nördarna har jag kommit fram till att det mina nördar vill ha ut av sitt koncept är att hitta unika produkter med bra passform. och att titta in tvätterier när dem är på resande fot och då unika butiker. Här kommer jag fram till att jag borde slå ihop mina koncept för att få det ultimata Jeanskonceptet åt mina nördar.

11 - mars
Samlat in skisser och prototyper

12 - mars
spelar in videon för inläming till delprov 2 deadline 23:59
(Videoredigeringsprogram funklar inte blir ljudfil)

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Här börjar det hända grejer och man kan hitta flera denimfantaster som intresserar sig av livsstilen och att slita in materialet

Staden har också fler butiker som specialliserar sig på just rådenim, så som Meadow och Nudie Jeans.

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Den existerar knappt. efterintervjuerna på stan i olika butiker som specialiserar sig på jeans så pratades det bara om jeansen som en produkt och inte en passion. "Hur kan jag sälja flest jeans?" Vilket är synd eftersom jeansen inte bara är en produkt och ett plagg utan en livsstil för en Denimhead.

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Efter flertal intervjuder och omvärldsbevakning så har jag insätt att Denim nörderiet, om vi nu inte pratar om fashionistas bryr sig nästan bara om unikheten i tyget och kvaliteten att få snygga slitningar och ha något unikt. Så som att det är skräddar sytt och kommer från Japan. Fast efter den senaste intervjun med Rasmus så fick jag klarhet i något jag hade missat helt som var precis framför min näsa men bortglömt. Detta är nog det viktigaste med hela Denim nörderiet, passformen, att byxorna sitter bra på och ger komplimanger till bärarens kropp.

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Christoffer : Ser inte att du har uppdaterat din egen Padlet med material kring Delprov 2, du har lagt en hel del arbete på det gemensamma i Teamet. Där skrev jag en samlad feedback till er - "Dagboksstudie bra metod - ambitiöst upplagd, kanske för omfattande så era avnämare tycker det är för stort...men ni är sent ute...ni skall få svar, värdera dom, reflektera och iterera in dom i de prototyper ni vill testa...
Hoppas ni får napp !
Att använda dagboksstudien som underlag för scenario kan ni göra hur som helst, men den ger mer konkreta svar om ni har verklig användare.
Använd också scenarie från den i gemensam bodystorming. "

För din egen del behöver du gå in i mer fokuserad reflektion kring VAD denim nörderi innebär. Skrev detta i de andras Padlets (med vissa variationer) :
Konstruktivt att ni gav er ut i denim "verkligheten" och fick input.
Du har en hel del kvar att arbeta med, skisser på prototyp, dra slutsatser och reflektera kring vad intervjuer har gett dig för insikter och tankar kring mobil tjänst kopplad till nörden.
Arbeta mer konceptuellt, vad står materialet denim för ? Historien och reklamen, hur har den påverkat denimheads ?
VEM designar du för ? HUR ser verkligheten ut ? VAD söker en denimnörd på resande fot ? Hur ser denimkulturen ut lokalt ?
Du behöver dra slutsatser och reflektera kring vad intervjuer har gett dig för insikter och tankar kring mobil tjänst kopplad till nörden.
Du behöver samtidigt se på dina koncept igen - med nya ögon efter arbetet med metoder och sondstudier ! Utveckla prototyperna, revidera och visa hur du tänker gå vidare !

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Jeansnördar
Rådenim Selvadge

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Vi ska hålla oss borta från detta ämnet, men min gedigna designrymd och väldsbevakning samtid intervjuder som är gjorde pekar på att det inte finns något Community. Men borde det inte vara det som skapas då?

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På dem hemsidorna jag hittar handlar det oftast om jeansen. Men inte mycket mer. ingen diskussion mellan nördarna.

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Reddit handlar mycket mer om jeansen i sig, men oftast också här bara köp och sälj

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Finns väldigt många men dem flesta är köp och sälj, och handlar egentligen inte om Jeansen i sig utan bara byta och köpa.

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(Ska finslipas

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Bra stränder att tvätta jeansen på?

Se på saltvattnet och sandens kvalité

Tydligen är kraven fin sand, och högsaltvattenhalt (thailand, china, vietnman, australien)

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Tydligen görs detta för att få fram unika fades, kan vara något att titta vidare på när man tänker på temat "Resande fot"

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Raw Denim Jeans Ocean Wash - The Definitive Guide

After many hours of dreaming about performing a beach wash for my raw denim, I had the opportunity to wash my jeans in Mexico and Australia. In 2010, I decided to hold off on the beach wash in Mexico because my were only 9 months old at that point.

In 2011, I, again, decided to hold off on the beach wash in Australia because my Naked & Famous jeans (my current pair that's in the Superfuture Heavyweight Denim Competition) were only 5 months old at that point. Thankfully, my oldest brother Chris volunteered to do the beach wash with his Gap 1969 Straight Raw Selvedge Denim.

We wanted to do a bit of homework/research before performing the beach/saltwater wash, but we couldn't find any good sources or write-ups on the procedure through a quick Google and forum search. The best we found was from A.P.C.'s Denim Washing Recipes:

Let your jeans get dirty for as long as possible, go swimming in the ocean wearing your jeans, rub your jeans with dry sand, and repeat several times, rinse in fresh (not salt) water and let dry in the sun.

We made our way out to Nudey Beach on Fitzroy Island by Cairns, Queensland, Australia - to perform the highly revered beach wash.

Here are the easy steps to perform a beach wash for your raw denim, which I hope serves as a good reference point:

1. Wear for your jeans for as long as possible

2. Get yourself to a beach (you'll already have your jeans on, right?)

3. Take the obligatory pre-wash photos

4. Play/swim in the water

5. Roll around in the sand and rub it evenly over your jeans or in the areas that you want to distress the most (i.e. thighs/whiskers, hamstrings, back of knee/combs, etc.)

6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 several times until you're satisfied or tired - the more times you repeat, the lighter your jeans will become

7. Play/swim in the water one last time to rinse off excess sand - it'll save some time for Step 8

8. Rinse your jeans in fresh water (in whatever source is most convenient) - beaches typically have fresh water showers for you to rinse off the sand. Don't be shy to rinse off your jeans because everyone already watched you perform the beach wash moments earlier.

9. Wear your jeans until they're dry or hang dry them in the sun

Details

Name: Gap 1969 Selvage Straight Fit

Fit: Slim Straight

Length of Wear: 11 months

Number of Washes: 1

Photos - BEFORE Photos - DURING
After rinsing and repeating several times, Chris ran through the beach water one last time before taking it to the fresh water shower:

And more rinsing (both photos were too nice to pass up):

Shortly after laying down the jeans to dry, we had to take the ferry from Fitzroy Island back to Cairns to catch our flight 1.5 hours later. Chris wore his jeans from wet to dry, and I was amazed to see the light blues emerge from his previous dark raw denim.
Summary of beach wash

Water sessions (including fresh water rinse): 6

Sand sessions: 4

Coral sessions: 1

Total elapsed time from pre-wash photo to starting to dry on coral: 1.5 hours (there were two 10-minute hikes in between the beach and the showers. Realistically, 1 hour long)

Last, but not least, the post-wash photos (taken back in Edmonton, Canada):
Photos - AFTER
Chris was pleased with the results of the wash. One big complaint people have with their jeans post-beach wash is stinky saltwater musks - Chris didn't experience any adverse odours since the wash. I imagine the fresh water rinse helped with that element.

I hope that prepares you to perform your very own beach wash, or if you've done a beach wash before, let us know how it went.

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Raw Denim Jeans Ocean Wash - The Definitive Guide

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After many hours of dreaming about performing a beach wash for my raw denim, I had the opportunity to wash my jeans in Mexico and Australia. In 2010, I decided to hold off on the beach wash in Mexico because my were only 9 months old at that point.

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Bra exempel hur byxorna ser ut nya och sedan efter använding

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Slitningar i knävecken kallas honeycombs

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Han påstår i intervjun att Denimheads är trångsynta och inte vågar testa nya märken denna vetenskapliga artikeln handlar om det, kanske värt att titta vidare på?

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Läder - Boots (Red Wing) och kaffe.

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Män ålder 25-40

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Jeansnördar
Rådenim Selvadge

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While denim jeans have been a clothing staple for men since the 19th 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?

If you're reading this in the email, click here to watch our video intro to raw and selvedge 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 Selvedge 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.

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. (Update: I ended up publishing this follow-up post on Heddels - check it out!)

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.

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.

If you're reading this in an email, click here to watch video on how to measure for raw denim jeans.

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.

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)

Here's a video lesson on washing your raw denim:

If you're reading this in an email, click here to watch the video on how to wash raw denim.

If you're looking for more info on raw and selvedge denim, be sure to check out Heddels and Self Edge.

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!

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Raw and Selvedge Denim for Beginners | The Art of Manliness

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While denim jeans have been a clothing staple for men since the 19th 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.

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Denimhead = Jeansnörd

Selvadge = Finare Jeanstyg oftast deffinerad av sin röda linje

Raw Denim/Rå Denim = Otvättat jeanstyg oftast blått och 100% Bomull.

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SoSo - Nudie Jeans - APC - Momotoro - Iron Heart

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Ska användas, handlar om hur Denim förändrat vårat sammhälle

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Bra förkunskap, inget som kommer att användas vidare

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Rolig film om rådenim.

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14oz denim, Denim jacket, Denimhead, Dry Denim, FOB FACTORY, G3 denim, hidden rivets, indgo warp, Japanese denim, japanese jeans, japanese selvedge, loose weave denim, made in okayama, magical loom denim, middleweight denim, Okayama Denim, Pink and white selvedge, raw denim, raw jeans, selvage denim, shuttle loom, shuttle loomed, slubby denim, The Denim Hound, toyoda loom, Type II jacket, unsanforized, vintage details, white weft, Zipper fly

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The Essential Raw Denim Breakdown - Our 100th Article

Denim jeans could be the most popular item of clothing on the planet. Chances are you already own (at least) one pair of them and you've probably also heard about the cultural phenomenon that is Raw Denim.

If you only know whispers of the discomfort associated with raw denim, the supposed high cost, or even about people putting their jeans in the freezer, then this post is for you. We're here to explain exactly what raw denim is, some basic raw denim terminology (selvedge, fades, etc.), and how you to care for it.

After reading this post, you should understand what the hype is all about and be able to make an informed raw denim purchase.

What Is Raw Denim?

Raw denim (aka dry denim) is simply denim fabric that remains unwashed, untreated, and virtually untouched from when it rolls off the loom to when it is sold to you. It's denim in its purest form.

Raw denim usually has a crispy and stiff feel and easily leaves traces of its indigo dye behind when it rubs against another surface-even your hands (this phenomenon is called crocking). Be careful what you rub up against when wearing a new pair of raw denim jeans, you might leave a bit of blue behind.

The Benefits of Raw Denim

So why go through all this hassle just for a new pair of jeans? One of the biggest benefits of raw denim, and the indigo loss, is that they develop and age based on what you do in them and to them. Every mile you walk, every scrape on the concrete, every item you keep regularly in your pocket leaves its mark. The dark indigo dye slowly begins to chip away revealing the light electric blue and eventually the white cotton core of the denim yarns the more you wear them. What's left is a wholly unique garment that was formed and faded to you and you alone.

Take a look at this pair of Pure Blue Japan jeans below. The pair on the left is brand new, and the pair on the right have been worn for just over a year. If you want to see more examples of faded raw denim, check out our Fades section.

Other benefits of raw denim include:

- Since the fabric has not been artificially stonewashed, lasered, and sandblasted, you get the full life of the fabric involved, hence why many Greater Durability vintage garments have lasted so long .

- It takes an awful lot of water to grow enough cotton for a pair of jeans, but washing and distressing them takes even more, an average of More Eco and Labor Friendly 42 liters per jean. By buying raw, none of that water needs to go to waste. It also doesn't expose workers to the harmful chemicals often used to distress and wash denim.

Less Clutter - Many raw denim fans will wear the same pair of jeans everyday for months or years at a time. This could very well be your only pair of pants!

Greater Value - Although the cost of entry is often high, the greater durability often leads to many more wears per pair.

The History of Raw Denim

While the vast majority of denim jeans sold today are distressed and washed before you buy them, nearly all denim was sold raw and crispy up until the 1970s. Denim was primarily a workwear fabric-hence the term "blue collar". Denim was sturdy and tough, but still relatively soft, flexible, and comfortable once it was broken in.

The word denim comes from the original name of the fabric "serge de Nimes", meaning sturdy fabric and meaning of the town of Nimes, France. There is some contention over whether denim was actually developed in Nimes, but everyone agrees that there is one event that solidified denim jeans as we know and love them today.

In the early 1870s, a Latvian immigrant tailor named was producing clothing for miners in Reno, Nevada. Davis had developed a new way to secure the stress points on pants- Jacob Davis copper rivets. Miners were thrilled with the increased durability and Davis tried to capitalize on the discovery by patenting his invention but had failed several times at the patent office.

Davis reached out to his fabric supplier in San Francisco, , a Bavarian dry goods merchant, about going into business together. Strauss and Davis received the patent in 1873 and soon began making the riveted denim jeans " Levi Strauss waist overalls " that would define the how we think of jeans today.

Denim jeans were about as far away from the fashion world as possible at this point-it was pure utilitarian function. If anyone cared to look at the brand or the make of their denim, it was purely to see which one would hold up better under abuse. This would be denim's identity through the early twentieth century.

It wasn't until the 1920s that denim's reach began to expand beyond workwear. Denim jeans became the de facto cowboy uniform in revisionist Hollywood western films and children all over the country wanted a pair so they could dress up like their on screen idols. At this point, denim was still largely a costume to most Americans, but it did serve to normalize denim to the middle class.

During WWII, many Americans put on denim for the first time as they went to work in factories to produce for the US war effort. Once the war ended, however, many soldiers and workers refused to take their jeans off. This gave denim a countercultural and anti-social bent, wearing jeans in polite company in the 1950s was considered transgressive at best and immoral at worst. This sentiment resonated well with suburban teenagers, who identified with the anti-authoritarian and denim clad characters in movies like Rebel Without a Cause and The Wild One.

The breaking point, however, finally came with theElvis Presley film Jailhouse Rock. The ensuing popularity of the King's hi-gyrating antics was too much for mainstream Americans to deny, and over the next couple of decades, denim gradually became accepted as a casual clothing option.

Average Americans, however, weren't used to the break in process nor the fades that could take months or years to get perfect. The most popular casual denim brands in the 1970s and 80s were those that stonewashed and distressed their jeans before the customers bought them and saved them the effort of breaking them in. So now everyone could put on a pair of jeans that felt like pajama pants right after they pulled off the price tag.

During this period, Japanese denim enthusiasts became disillusioned with American denim manufacturers. They believed that , Lee, and the other brands had lost their way, and a small group of Japanese companies began reproducing jeans in the same manner as the American brands from the 1940s, 50s, and 60s. They rewove their own selvedge denim, recast buttons and rivets, and even bought up the old sewing machines that used to make American workwear so they could produce their own new "vintage" jeans.

These "reverse-engineered" jeans from brands like Studio D'Artisan, Evisu, and Denime began to expand beyond Japan in the late 1990s and soon inspired a new wave of American brands to recreate the jeans of the past with their own special touches and fabrics.

With these new brands like Raleigh, Left Field, and Tellason producing and selling domestically in the late 2000s, raw denim's popularity in the United States grew rapidly. Today, there are dozens and dozens of small manufacturers making raw denim all over the world, enough to the point where sites like ours exist to document it all.

How Raw Denim is Made

So how does that iconic and international fabric get to the point where it can be made into pants? We'll leave out some of the details here, but in a nutshell, raw denim jeans are produced via these steps:

Sourcing

Assuming the denim is produced with 100% cotton, the first step is simply sourcing the cotton plants. Cotton can be sourced from many different countries, ranging from Australia to Zimbabwe; and there are a variety of breeds and strains that have different properties like luster, softness, and durability.

How the cotton is harvested varies with location. There are those that pick the cotton by hand while some employ mechanical techniques. Steps taken afterward include cotton carding (i.e. cleaning), inspecting, combing, opening, and blending - essentially making the cotton clean and removing all impurities and chaff so it's ready for the next stage.

Spinning

Now that the cotton has been sourced, cleaned, and packaged in nice long "slivers", it's time for it to be spun. The individual cotton fibers are combined and twisted to create the yarns that will eventually be woven to create the denim fabric.

There are several types of spinning, including open-end, ring, and double ring spun (aka "ring-ring"). Though there are many more details included here, note that ring and double-ring spun denim is more desirable - since it is thicker, leads to stronger fade contrasts (it doesn't absorb indigo dye as well as open-end spun denim), and has greater slubbiness (uneven threads).

Warping & Dyeing

The cotton moves on to the next stage, "warping". Woven fabric consists of warp yarns (length-wise, indigo dyed) and weft yarns (cross-wise, left un-dyed and thus labelled "filling yarn").

Warp yarns are prepared by selecting the longer yarn from the ring-spun yarn and dyeing. There are three main methods of indigo dyeing - loop dyeing, slasher dyeing, and rope dyeing. We'll explore those more in depth in the future, but know that rope dyeing is considered superior as it is more laborious, specialized, and results in better fades (due to only the yarn surfaces being dyed).

In general, the indigo-dyed warp yarns are interlaced with the natural colored, un-dyed weft yarns, and there are two types of looms - shuttle looms (remember when we mentioned those above?) and shuttle-less (aka air-jet or projectile) looms. While the former produces less than the latter, they are more rare, result in finished edges (hence, "self-edge"), and typically more coveted (though this is of course subjective).

There are also a variety of weaving variations, including right-hand twill, broken twill, and left-hand twill; and the end-result is a sheet of denim fabric.

Finishing

The denim sheets are then rolled into drums and shipped off to the brand that's going to make it into jeans. Some denim brands complete their sewing and stitching via larger facilities, while others favor one-man operations (such as Ande Whall and ).

That's it! Not once during the finishing process is the denim distressed or washed in any way. It is left in its most pure and rawest state, and will only deteriorate with the wearer's personal use.

Raw Denim Terms to Know

When you first hear a denimhead talking about raw denim it can sound like a foreign language ( slubbiness, nep, 3×1 twill, etc.). You can get to those later, but there are a few terms that will help you understand enough to make your first informed purchase.

Selvedge

The most common word that you've heard surrounding raw denim is probably -this refers to those little colored lines that often run along the outseam of a pair of jeans. Simply put, selvedge denim has had the edge of the fabric "self-edged" by a shuttle loom as it was woven to keep it from unraveling. Just because it's selvedge though doesn't mean it's raw or even that it's denim - almost any fabric can be woven with a selvedge.

Selvedge textiles for the most part faded away in the 1950's when denim demand skyrocketed and manufacturers like Levi's and Lee switched to the far-cheaper and faster projectile looms, but there has been a strong resurgence amongst raw denim fans in the past few years. A selvedge line doesn't necessarily equate to better denim, but the mills producing the most interesting and highest quality fabrics are usually producing them on selvedge shuttle looms.

Sanforization

Another term you might have encountered is Sanforization. Almost every fabric, including denim) will shrink a certain amount the first time it gets wet. Most denim on the market (raw and otherwise) is sanforized, which is a steaming and heating process that pre-shrinks the fabric before it is cut and sewn into jeans.

Unsanforized denim (often called "Shrink-to-Fit") will shrink about 5-10% the first time it is washed. You have to be much more careful when sizing unsanforized denim and factor that it may shrink up to two inches in the waist.

Weight

Another focus of raw denim is the of the fabric. The weight refers to how much a yard of the fabric weighs in ounces (oz.). Weights can range from the ultra-light at 5oz. all the way up to the monstrously heavy 32oz. A heavier fabric will be stiffer, tougher, and require more effort before they are comfortable. Most raw denim, however, will be somewhere around 12oz.-15oz. This weight can be worn year round and won't be too much of a pain to break in.

Learn all about other denim terminology via our Dictionary.

Your First Raw Denim Purchase

Now that you know the appeal of raw denim and some of the basic language around it, how do you go about buying your first pair?

Measurements

Unless you live near a brick and mortar store (find out if you do with our Store Guide) you're most likely going to be buying your jeans online. To make sure you buy jeans with the proper fit, you first need to know your measurements. There are six key measurements you'll want to take into account:

1. Waist - Circumference of the jeans top block

2. Rise - Length from the top of the inseam to the very top of the fly

3. Thigh - Distance from the top of the inseam across to the outseam

4. Knee - Distance from the inseam to the outseam halfway down the jean

5. Leg Opening - Distance from the inseam to the outseam at the hem of the jean

6. Inseam - Length from the bottom of the crotch to the end of the leg

You can find your ideal measurements by taking a measure tape to your best fitting pair of jeans. Pretty much every raw denim retailer has these numbers listed on their website, so once you know your measurements, you'll have the confidence to buy any jean, anywhere.

Fits

Like most everything you wear, fit is especially critical. Straight Leg, Tapered, Slim Tapered, and Slim Straight are all common fit options; you'll have to consider what works for you in terms of comfort and look. It's not worth sacrificing your future children to stuff your tree-trunk thighs into a pair of heavyweight skinny raw denim that feels like Kevlar. Buy what works for you, and you (and your future generations) will be infinitely happier.

Budget

Next, consider your budget. Raw and selvedge denim can range anywhere from $20 to $2000. The reason for this is the massive number of different fabrics, details, and manufacturing techniques available on the market.

Keep in mind that just because a jean is more expensive does not necessarily mean it will be more durable, many of the manufacturers at the higher price points are simply offering something you can't find anywhere else. For example, Roy Slaper of Roy Denim makes every single pair of jeans himself on rare vintage sewing machines, Sugar Cane & Co. in Japan uses a specialty denim that weaves in sugarcane fibers with the cotton for a unique feel and fade, Naked & Famous even makes a scratch and sniff denim that smells like raspberries.

If you want to learn more about what separates the different price points of jeans, have a look at our article The Three Tiers of Raw Denim: Entry, Mid, and End Level.

If you're just getting into raw denim, however, the best entry level jean we recommend is the . Also, be sure to have a look around our Unbranded 201, it costs $88 and you can read all about why we picked it Scout tool, which searches through thousands of pairs of jeans to find the ideal match for your measurements, budget, and needs.

Caring for Raw Denim

Now that you've got your raws, how do you care for them? Fades are such a central part of raw denim's lore that they are celebrated unto themselves with fanatical devotion. The longer you go without the first wash, the greater the fades can theoretically be. However, the oft-repeated adage of wearing your raw denim for at least six months without washing can be a little overkill.

Some people put their jeans in the freezer to "kill" the funky odor-causing bacteria, but it's not conclusive if that truly works. What we say is just wash your jeans when you feel like it. While no washes might make for more extreme fades, it also builds up dirt and grime in the fabric which only leads to more holes and blowouts. A safe balance is to wash your pair every month or two with an all-natural soap like Dr. Bronner's or a detergent for dark colors like Woolite, but that's by no means a hard-and-fast rule.

The biggest takeaway from raw denim is that these pants grow to reflect who you are and what you do in them. So live your life, treat them like hell, and wash them when you think they need it. When you're ready to wash, have a look at our complete washing guide to how to do it right.

The reason people are so crazy about raw jeans is because you essentially make a pair your own. As many denimheads say, "it's a canvas that paints itself." We hope that we've cleared up some of the mystery and myths surrounding raw denim so you can get to work on painting that first masterpiece.
Now that you've read all about raw denim, have a look at some of our other primers on boots, leather, and more.

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Raw Denim 101 - The Essential and Authoritative Guide

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Denim jeans could be the most popular item of clothing on the planet. Chances are you already own (at least) one pair of them and you've probably also heard about the cultural phenomenon that is Raw Denim.

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Why Denim Fades - A Scientific Explanation

Have you ever looked down at your pair of jeans and noticed that they've "developed" since you bought them? That you've got wear patterns where you put your keys and phone, where your knees bend, and *gasp* is that a blowout at the crotch?

Just like glory, denim fades, and it all has to do with the age-old battle between cotton and indigo. So stick around while we explain why jeans fade.

Indigo is one of the oldest dyestuffs known to man. We've been blueing ourselves for nearly five thousand years now. It started with the plant indigofera tinctora aka "natural indigo," but most of what you find in denim today is synthetically generated in a lab and hence known as "pure indigo."

Both are just awful, horrible dyestuffs from a technical point of view, but therein lies why we love them so much. Sort of like oil and water, indigo and cotton do not want to stick to each other. You can't just put indigo in water and expect it to dye anything you dip inside.

The molecular composition of indigo is quite rigid and stable, so it doesn't naturally adhere to a cotton fiber. The indigo has to be broken at that molecular level with other additives to form a dye bath, which then oxidizes back to rigid indigo when exposed to light and oxygen (see here for the full explanation).

It takes an intense amount of heat and water to get them to bond together on a commercial scale. But once the indigo is adhered, it reverts back to it's rigid state and creates a brittle lattice on the outside of the fiber.

Cotton is most often dyed when it's in a yarn form and before it has been woven into a fabric. Most commonly, the yarns running up and down (textile pros call these the warp) are dyed blue in the indigo and the ones running side to side (aka the weft) are left natural. Hence your jeans that are blue on the outside and white on the inside.

The warp yarns in vintage denim fabrics were dyed in a process called " rope-dyeing ", which takes all of the yarns together in long ropes and briefly dunks them in indigo. They then emerge before getting dunked again. This constant exposure and dunking means that they never sit in the indigo long enough for the dye to get all the way to the center core of the yarn, so the outside gets blue while the inside stays white.

Because indigo forms a brittle bond on top of the cotton, the two part ways with even the slightest encouragement. Mostly that comes from friction-where your jeans crease when you walk or sit down, where you stuff your wallet in your pocket, when you did that sick controlled slide on your fixie-all of it chips away at that outer indigo and exposes the white cotton core.

Fade devotees even have names for the different shapes and places they develop: You've got your whiskers along the lap because they look like they're coming off a cat or something, honeycombs on the back of the knees because those fades often have a similar geometric pattern, and stacks down by the hem because they...stack.

Even though most jeans these days aren't rope-dyed-they're stuffed in a big vat where the dye gets closer to the core-they'll still fade. But rope-dyed raw denim is most likely to give you high contrast ( read: sick) fades and the method preferred by many raw denim fans.

So the next time you see that guy at the hardware store with the worn white circle of Skoal in back pocket, know that it's just another casualty in the endless war between cotton and indigo.

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Why Denim Fades - A Scientific Explanation

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Have you ever looked down at your pair of jeans and noticed that they've "developed" since you bought them? That you've got wear patterns where you put your keys and phone, where your knees bend, and *gasp* is that a blowout at the crotch?

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Umeå Köper upp Jeans och gör Custome made jeans.

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NEW FAMILY MEMBERS This coupon gives you a 50% off on your first jeans order!You will also be the first one to find out about news, offers and fun things made in denim.Stay in touch with the SOSO brothers.

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Viktig, hör ihop med det som sägs i intervjun om virituella provrum

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