Many fashionable things quickly go out of fashion. With jeans, this almost never happens. If a model is no longer worn, designers will quickly come up with another one. Skinny jeans have been replaced by flares short jeans changed narrow. But what is known about the clothes that many wear almost daily? One of the simplest questions about why a small pocket on jeans is needed, few people can answer.
There are 2 versions when a tiny pocket appeared on jeans. The first version says that it was not sewn on a few years after the appearance of the first jeans. Denim pants were invented with him. The history of jeans begins with the gold rush. Then the miners wore overalls. Pockets on clothes were distributed evenly - a few on top and a few on the bottom.
The first jeans were invented in 1853 by Leiba Strauss, a fabric merchant. He came to California at the height of the gold rush. He began to sell his invention to prospectors.
Jeans were in demand because, unlike leather pants, they could be washed. In those days, jeans were a jumpsuit without a top. The pockets were at the bottom. 3 or 4 large pockets were sewn on. In the first case, 1 pocket was sewn on the back. The need for pockets is understandable - they were intended for storing a knife and other types of weapons. Why was there a small pocket on jeans used when creating models? The official and most plausible version is that it was designed to store coins.
But most historians support the version that the tiny pocket was invented after the appearance of the first jeans. Its creator is Michael Regalo, an American designer. There are several suggestions why a small pocket on jeans was needed:
Illicit substance (ecstasy)Whichever version is correct, it is clear to any person why a small pocket on jeans was needed - to store tiny things.
Watch 
coins If a part is designed for a specific purpose, it does not mean that it should be used strictly for its intended purpose. In past centuries, people were able to find a use for a pocket that is smaller than the rest. Why was a small pocket on jeans needed in past centuries:
But modern people are not inferior in creativity. Why do you need a small pocket on jeans now:
A few ideas for using denim detail:
If someone has nowhere to store small things, and it's scary to lose them, feel free to buy jeans with a small pocket.
Surely there are many other unknown ideas in the world for using a mysterious piece of clothing that ordinary people came up with. Why do you need a small pocket on jeans? 
For money 
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Today is Jeans birthday. 145 years ago, on May 20, 1873, Levi Strauss & Co received a license to manufacture their star invention: trousers with studded pockets. Then these durable and practical pants were gray. But soon the company switched to a more attractive and no less durable blue fabric. And since the middle of the 20th century, jeans, which at the beginning were an attribute of gold prospectors and farmers, have become fashion trend- clothing incredibly popular among men and women of all ages and classes.
These days, jeans are perceived as a completely everyday item for everyone, from the poor to the millionaire. As a fashionable item of clothing, they have undergone so many changes and acquired so many variations that you can’t figure it out right away. Even someone who seems to have spent half his life in "jeans" also has something to be surprised when going for a new thing. Therefore, MIR 24 has prepared six rules for the birthday of jeans for those who want to buy only good, well-made jeans.
You need to understand that it is almost pointless to look for high-quality jeans in the clothing market: if they are found there, then only by a miracle. Therefore, all the tips that will be discussed below relate to the choice of jeans in a store - if not branded, then at least specializing specifically in jeanswear. And not always from the most famous manufacturers.
Recently, several brands of jeanswear have entered the Russian market, designed by domestic designers and oriented specifically to Russia, but sewn abroad. They outperform eminent competitors in terms of price, practically not inferior in quality. True, you only need to look for them in chain stores: as a rule, they order such “niche” brands for themselves and do not sell them to anyone.
The right fabric is the first step in choosing quality jeans. In classic cotton, it will be dense and rough to the touch and quite heavy. Jeans should not give the impression of being sewn from a rag, even if they are summer and very thin fabric went on them.
After tactile sensations, visual sensations come into play.
Good denim is right-hand twill, where the diagonal ribs on the fabric run from right to left and top to bottom. If you come across a herringbone weaving option - even better! It is used less frequently and on thinner fabrics that never have a twisted effect when worn. By the way, both types of such weaving will be undyed from the inside, unless the fabric is double black or similar (that is, one in which both threads - weft and warp - are initially equally dyed).
But poorly visible weaving, dyed to match the outside of the wrong side and uneven weaving of the fabric is a sign of low-quality jeans, which are better not to take.
Finally, classic denim is 100% cotton, although lately elastane has been increasingly added to it - from 2 to 7%. Two percent makes the fabric more wearable and avoids blisters at the knees, while seven percent is used when you want to make a fabric with a stretch effect that stretches when put on and fits snugly.
Accessories, labels, branded stripes - all this can serve as another confirmation of the quality factor of the product.
High-quality jeans will have exclusively metal fittings - there can be no plastic anywhere! The zipper on the fly is only metal, and there is nothing to say about the buttons. Even if the manufacturer decided for some reason not to use classic “bolts”, but ordinary buttons, they will be made of metal. And about rivets on pockets and it is not necessary to speak.
Labels on good jeans will always be made of fabric, and the inscriptions on them will not be printed, but embroidered. And this applies to all labels: both internal branded inscriptions, and information stripes with information about the manufacturer, fabric composition, washing conditions and everything else.
But the rule “for real jeans, a branded label can only be leather” should be forgotten - it has long been abandoned. Even the manufacturer of the very first and legendary jeans went for it, not to mention his followers. Increasingly, thick leatherette or even thick fabric is used for branded patches. There is only one condition: all inscriptions on the label must correspond to the style of the logo and be well read. If the patch raises any doubts, it is better to refuse the purchase: the quality of the product may be lower than the traditional one.
If the quality of the fabric and accessories is up to par, you can try on jeans for yourself. As a rule, we go to the store with a good idea of the right size of jeans - the cherished ratio of W (waist circumference) and L (length). But it happens that instead of the usual designations, the manufacturer decides to resort to a simple numerical or alphabetic size system - and on the label instead of W32 / L34 (waist circumference - 32 inches, length - 34 inches), just L or just 46 suddenly appear on the label. Then it's better not to believe the embroidered on the word, but check for yourself.
The surest way is to try. Women are always recommended to measure jeans, men - if the figure is non-standard. You can take a thing without trying on only if you always buy jeans of the same model of a certain manufacturer, and you know for sure that they will “sit down” on you.
But many men still risk taking jeans without trying them on. If the figure is standard, then this method will help determine the size. As a rule, jeans fit exactly at the waist, inside which, at the level of the belt, when they are fastened, you can stick your forearm from the elbow to the end of the palm clenched into a fist. A hand got in - the right size, dangles or does not fit - more or less than necessary. But in order not to get into a trouble, it is better to check this method of fitting at home on your favorite jeans and know for sure whether you need to straighten your fist or if your forearm does not fit in all available jeans. Then it is worth remembering how many centimeters it does not fit - and that's it!
It is much easier to make sure that the jeans are the right length. If it is indicated in an unusual way, you can simply attach the belt to the waist or hips, depending on the model, and see where the legs end. They should reach almost to the floor, then when worn they will look a couple of centimeters shorter. Even more accurate is the way in which the legs can be measured from the crotch, but not everyone will decide on it, especially in a crowded place.
And the last thing about the size. As a rule, jeans with a waist size chosen according to the “minus one inch” formula look best on a male figure. That is, they must be fastened with some effort, but it is not necessary to draw in the stomach. Having tried on jeans, it is worth trying to sit down in them. If they don’t pinch anywhere to the point of pain, don’t cut or squeeze the hips like a vise, then the size is right.
The squat method is not very suitable if loose-cut jeans are chosen, they are also pipes. These jeans will not pinch anything by definition. Squatting is the best way to check jeans with a traditional “regular fit” cut, that is, straight along the entire length. You can also try to test slightly narrowed “slim fit”, or compromise options “relaxed fit” (slightly looser than the classic) and “carrot fit” (very narrow at the bottom and wide at the top), but sitting in a skinny fit It is better not to subject such a test. Although they will most likely cope with it: jeans of this particular cut are sewn from fabric with the highest content of elastane.
However, a suitable cut, as a rule, is already known to you. And this advice is more about the case when you want to try something new or you need to figure out what the seller brought. But it is not necessary to memorize all the types of cut and silhouette listed above and below - it is easier to turn your head in search of a poster with their description, which hang in most specialized stores near fitting rooms or shelves with products. Another option is to ask the seller to explain what this or that type of cut means, but there is a risk of meeting a beginner who is also not very versed in these subtleties.
It is not at all superfluous to know the three main types of silhouette. It can be “straight”, that is, straight, but in fact slightly narrowed down, “tapered”, that is, noticeably tapering from the knee, and “boot cut”, that is, slightly flared - so much so that even jeans that fit tightly on the hips can be rolled up to the knee. And it's good to know which of the three types of fit looks best on you. This can be high rise, that is, a high-sitting belt, medium rise, that is, an average landing, and low rise, in which the belt is in the hip area.
Of course, everyone chooses for himself what jeans to wear, and there can be no universal solutions. But there are a few basic rules that are perhaps worth remembering.
High rise jeans visually lengthen the legs and shorten the torso, while low rise jeans do the opposite. Carrot fit is not a good fit if you don't want to accentuate wide hips, and for the same reason, you shouldn't opt for a tapered silhouette. The “boot cut” silhouette is suitable for someone who has a large foot size, as it will visually make it smaller, and “tapered”, on the contrary, will visually enlarge a small leg. At the same time, those who prefer massive shoes with thick soles, or even a purely cowboy style, cannot find anything better than “boot cut”, while lovers of sneakers and similar light shoes with thin soles will not like it.
And one more consideration about the features of wearing jeans. The trousers, which for a standing person end strictly above the shoes, look a little short. So it’s worth wearing jeans with a slim fit, carrot fit or skinny fit cut. In other cases, it is better to choose an option in which the bottom of the leg half covers the heel and forms a light accordion in front. Then for a sitting person, he will not rise too high, unnecessarily exposing the ankle, and for a standing person they will not look like borrowed from a shorter-legged comrade.
Jeans are a familiar and familiar piece of clothing. They are suitable for walks, parties and for work with a non-strict dress code. Surprisingly, ordinary work pants and overalls have turned into fashionable clothes known all over the world. The famous blue jeans are far from the only thing that is sewn from this dense, reliable and many-sided fabric.
There are different types of denim. They differ somewhat and coincide in the method of manufacture, dyeing, weaving of threads, in characteristics and methods of application.
The development of denim began, in fact, with the manufacture of jeans. In 1853, the American entrepreneur Levi Strauss came up with the idea of using durable hemp canvas pants as farm work clothes. This material was very durable and cheap because the sailing fleet had declined.
It so happened that all Strauss' goods were sold out, and he only had canvas left. It was decided to sew durable pants out of it - they were sold out instantly. For the next batch, French denim was used.
This is how the first classic jeans were created. Denim was practical, very dense matter, tough and rough. The fabric was difficult to tear and did a great job of protecting the wearer while working.
Studded pants came apart quickly The invention was patented. 21,000 pants and jackets with copper studs were sold by Levi Strauss & Co in the first year. The company also produced work overalls with many convenient pockets.
Jeans flourished during the gold rush. Seekers appreciated tough, durable, affordable clothing that was washable, unlike leather clothing.
Less than a hundred years later, cotton almost completely replaced hemp matter. In the 1960s, the "denim revolution" took place - new types and colors of fabric appeared, the range of clothing expanded.
Levi Straus was the inventor of the garment. Thanks to him, denim has become popular all over the world. However, this material was used long before the creation of the famous studded pants.
Cotton twill fabric Cotton twill fabric was known in Europe as early as the 16th century. It was a kind of bumazeya, which was produced in Genoa. In Italy, the material was called gene, in France - jane, in America - jean. At the end of the twentieth century, the word "jeans" appeared in Russian.
But what is denim? It's all the same denim. The fact is that the matter was produced in the French city of Nimes. Denim - fabric from Nimes (de Nimes). But the deep blue indigo dye used by the masters was supplied from Genoa. Italian sailors wore Jeans as far back as 1597 as a fabric for sails.
Absolutely all types of denim contain cotton - natural fibers that are obtained from a plant called cotton. When the plant matures, it opens the seed pod, which also contains soft, fluffy fibers. At the factory, the fibers are cleaned from seeds, sorted by length.
For the manufacture of denim, yarn with long uniform fibers is used. Finished threads are obtained by twisting - they are used for both warp and weft.
The best threads for denim are made on ring-spinning machines, which twist the fibers well and tightly. A cheaper production method is the use of rotary pneumomechanical devices. The fibers are not twisted, but mixed up - such a thread is inferior in quality to a twisted one. Rotary machines work much faster than ring spinning machines, and less money is spent on the process. Manufacturers combine threads obtained in various ways - the quality of the fabric may vary.
To make durable denim, twill weave is used - the fabric is obtained with a clear relief in a diagonal scar. Often the material is not completely dyed, but only the longitudinal, main threads. Weft (horizontal, transverse threads), which braids the warp, is left unprocessed.
The material is dyed blue with indigo dye. Sulfur dyes are used to obtain gray and black colors.
A distinctive feature of denim is a special type of dyeing. Not all threads are dyed, but only the main, longitudinal ones. From the inside, the material looks much paler. Depending on the color and composition of the fabric, there are:
The quality of the material will largely depend on the origin of the cotton. There are the following types of raw materials:
Denim is also made from cellulose material. These jeans are softer and lighter, velvety, pleasant to the touch. Despite similar production technologies, tencel is stronger than viscose, helps to regulate heat transfer, and holds paint firmly. It is considered a worthy replacement for the classic.
Cotton fabrics are famous for their strength and durability. The material conquered the whole world. A denim item can be found in any wardrobe. List of advantages of the material:
Flaws:
The disadvantages of the fabric are explained by the natural composition. Unfortunately, it is synthetic fibers that are more durable, while cotton wears out and loses its positive properties from frequent use.
The material is hard and light, colored and unpainted. This range of characteristics allows you to create a huge variety of clothing and accessories.
From dense fabrics sew:
From soft materials (chambray, for example) they make:
Denim in the interior Denim fabrics are easy to decorate. Products are decorated with ribbons, lace, buckles, stripes, rivets. The fabric does not fray, so deliberately torn jeans last as long as classic models. Products are painted in various colors, patterns and embroidery are made.
There are dozens of models of denim trousers alone - skinny, flared, straight, with a low and high waist, torn and frayed, widened at the hips with breeches, with and without cuffs, with pockets and completely smooth.
Despite the strength, denim is demanding and loves decent care. For example, they should not be dry-cleaned - a thing can sit down a lot after interacting with chemical cleaners. The basic rules are:
Compliance with simple requirements will allow you to save jeans for as long as possible. A pair of navy blue cotton twill trousers is already considered a classic. In combination with shirts and blouses, jeans look presentable and favorably emphasize the lines of the figure.
Denim fabrics are perfectly combined with other materials, accessories, decor. They create both everyday and elegant, festive things. The long history of denim and its varieties leads to the following conclusion: denim is comfort and durability, proven over the centuries.
Making denim, video:
Despite the variety of jeans models, men's jeans often remain the same number of pockets. According to tradition, there are five of them.
4 regular pockets have a practical purpose: they store small items, money, keys, etc.
The fifth pocket differs from the rest in its size, it is smaller than the others. This pocket often causes bewilderment of the owners of jeans. Let's try to figure out why a small pocket is sewn onto jeans, in which you can’t put a lot.
Fashion history knows exactly when an unusual pocket appeared on jeans. The age of this detail is approaching one and a half centuries.
Reference! For the first time, buyers saw it on pants in 1873. Introduced a new tradition by Levi's.
Back in 1873, the company released a new model of its jeans - 501 XX, which differed from others in the presence of a fifth pocket.
The author of this element is the American designer M. Regalo. He came up with a compartment, which, according to one version, was intended specifically for storing watches. That's how it was designated in the catalogs: "watch pocket".
However, initially the owners of jeans used it not only for watches. « Golden fever”, which reigned in America at that time, suggested another appointment. The small, tight compartment was handy for storing washed gold nuggets separately, and was used by many cowboys for this.
Gradually, the additional compartment began to be used for other purposes.
For a long time, it was still used for watches that were not wrist watches in those days. The chain from the watch was fixed on the belt, and the case lay inside the recess.
The pocket turned out to be very convenient for storing small coins. They did not have to look for a long time among other things.
This detail was also appreciated by artisans who used strong and durable trousers as work clothes. Small parts (small nails, nuts, bolts, washers, etc.) were not lost and were always at hand.
Smokers have found another purpose for a small decorative detail. It was perfect for a Zippo lighter.
The lovers used the tiny compartment in their own way. At the right moment, either folded notes of romantic content, or rings denoting the seriousness of intentions, or contraceptives were removed from there.
There is another version associated with the designer M. Regalo. In accordance with it, it is believed that the author of the idea created a part for storing medicines, and possibly concealing illegal drugs.
Reference! The fifth pocket in those days was called not only “watch pocket”, but also a medicine pocket - “drugs packet”.
The constant wearing of small amulets or talismans, which promised good luck and luck in business, was considered important. Hidden in a pocket, they were invisible to prying eyes, but inspired their owner with confidence.
The changes that take place in life have complemented the purpose of the fifth pocket and led to new options for its use.
Appearance cell phones forced to look for a suitable place for them. A small denim pocket solved this problem.
It was also convenient with his help to deal with the removed sunglasses. They were not inserted, but fixed with a bow on the fabric, leaving glasses over the trousers.
Many jeans wearers develop individual habits. Some people know that in their pocket they always carry a small knife, others make it a place for chewing gum, others adapted for storage purchased in transport ticket.
Levi's, the first to add a fifth pocket to its models, is still ahead today. Professionals managed to combine classics and modernity.
And now the mini-department has received serious practical application. Buyers have noticed that the new Red Wire DLX jeans model has a new look for the familiar attribute of jeans. It has a white leather lining.
But the main difference between the model is in the contents of the department. The owner of these trousers along with clothes receives built-in headphones, a joystick, special terminals. Thanks to this, the manufacturer combined the clothes with the iPOD, and the buyer received maximum convenience in working with it, because you can control the device with a joystick even when the iPOD remains in your pocket.
Important! All devices that the Red Wire DLX model is equipped with are detachable, which makes it easy to care for the product.
So a small pocket, which arose as a decorative detail, became a practical and convenient addition to jeans.
December 15, 2018All information about jeans in one article. Types of denim, jeans fit, jeans sizes, jeans brands, history. The article is big.
Denim jeans, indigo jeans - today, under the name jeans (jeans in English), primarily means men's pants that have the following features:
These are two patch pockets on the back. These pockets make it easy to put things in and take them out. Two detachable, with an arched-horizontal entrance, front pockets. This shape of the entrances does not allow things to fall out of the pockets in a sitting position.
Straight, free-cut legs that do not restrict movement.
Denim, most commonly referred to as denim, is a medium-weight, melange-type cotton twill. According to the English classification, denim refers to fabrics of medium weight - mid-weight (12 - 16 Oz). Density 12 - 16 ounces per square yard, that's over 400 grams per square meter.
The peculiarity of denim is that ordinary trousers are not sewn from a fabric of this density. But the twill of such a high density protects the body very well from dirt, dust and mechanical damage. And it is more durable than traditional trouser fabrics.
Sewing jeans is also different from sewing regular trousers. Features are that the seams are sewn with a double line. Closed stitches are used.
Metal rivets are used in places of greatest load.
Metal buttons on rivets are used.
If you analyze the above features, it becomes clear that jeans are specific trousers designed for use in very adverse conditions. For example at work.
And there is. For the first 100 or so years of its existence, jeans were exclusively work wear. And only in the last 60-50 years they have become everyday, fashionable clothes.
Historians believe that the word jeans (jeans) is a distorted name of the Italian city of Genoa (Genoa), which came into English from French. In French, Genoa (Gênes) is pronounced Gin. In English, this word has become Zhins, which means "Genoese". Gradually, the French word Gênes became the English word jeans.
And what about Genoa? The fact is that twill made of two-color, blue-and-white, yarn (melange twill) in Genoa began to be made back in the Middle Ages. And since the then Republic of Genoa was active in maritime trade, this fabric was sold in Europe, including England. And she had a good demand because of her cheapness and rather high strength. Thus, over time, the name of the city of the city of Genoa became the name of a two-color (blue-white) melange twill. And since the second half of the 20th century, this word has been primarily associated with trousers made of melange twill.
Denim (denim). Historians believe that this word was formed in the USA, as a result of "cutting" the name of the French fabric - sergé de Nimes (twill from Nimes). Nimes is a French city that had many weaving mills. Among other fabrics, they also made high-density technical cotton twill. For sails and cargo packing. This fabric was also supplied to the USA, where the name denim was gradually assigned to it. The first Levi's jeans were also sewn from such a fabric, since canvas prices fell sharply in the second half of the 19th century. It was a cheap and durable fabric - a good material for work clothes.
The then denim was made from undyed and unbleached cotton yarn. From the same time came the high density of today's classic denim - from 12 to 14 ounces per square yard. After all, that denim was a technical fabric. At the beginning of the 20th century, denim began to be made from two-color yarns, like twill from Genoa. Denim differs from the old Genoese fabric in a higher density.
The word jeans for blue denim trousers has been used since about the 60s of the 20th century. Since this type of men's work pants has made its way into the casual and fashion segment.
Today, the name denim primarily means medium-weight cotton twill, 12-14 ounces per square yard (400 or more grams per square meter). Twill of just this density is considered a classic denim for the production of denim.
In the USA, the word denim, in the plural, is also used for the name of denim pants (jeans). That is, jeans in the USA can be called not only jeans, but also denims. At the same time, the semantic meaning of the name denims does not completely coincide with the meaning of the word jeans. The word jeans refers to pants made from any type of denim. But the word denims means pants only from classic (true) denim.
The full name of this fabric is melange-type cotton twill (made of two-color yarn). Although denim can also be one-color - from undyed yarn, this kind of denim is called ecru, historically, the first denim was just that.
The peculiarity of twill fabric is that during its manufacture, the warp and weft threads overlap not one to one, but 1 to two or more. The illustration below shows a 1 to 2 overlap twill pattern. The warp thread overlaps two weft threads.
Therefore, twill forms a characteristic diagonal thread pattern.
In this photo, a fragment of denim fabric on the front side. The warp threads dyed blue come out on the front side of the fabric. White thin lines are white (not dyed) weft thread. The relief is not visible in the photo, but the warp threads form, on the right side of the fabric, diagonal protruding lines.
The diagonal relief of twill is stronger, the denser (heavier) the fabric. In Russian, twill fabric is often called a diagonal.
Twill fabric can be made from different materials (laziness, cotton, wool, synthetics). It can be melange (from yarn of different colors) or one-color. It can be of different density, including very thin (light).
But the name denim implies a very specific type of twill. It is a cotton twill with a weight of 12 to 14 ounces. Moreover, it can be melange or unpainted (ecru). The classic color for melange denim is the dark blue color obtained by dyeing the yarn with natural or synthetic indigo dye. But today, denim is dyed in other colors.
Also, types of twill differ in the ratio of overlapping warp and weft threads. The overlaps are the points where the warp and weft threads intersect. In denim, this ratio is 3 to 1. For one overlap of weft thread, there are three overlaps of warp thread. That is, denim belongs to the category of the main twill (the number of overlaps of the warp thread is higher than for the weft thread).
Classic denim is a two-tone fabric. The reverse side is light with blue strokes, the front side is blue with light strokes. The heterogeneity of color is due to the fact that the fabric is made from yarn of two colors. The warp threads are blue dyed and the weft thread is undyed (bleached cotton). And since the warp and weft threads are intertwined, they are slightly visible from the opposite side.
For dyeing yarn, in classic denim, natural or synthetic indigo dye is used. Its peculiarity is that it does not penetrate into the cotton fibers, settling only on their surface. Therefore, under mechanical influence, during operation and washing, the dye is gradually "knocked off" from the fibers, and they become light.
This leads to one of the iconic features of denim clothing - lightening (up to complete whitening) of those parts of clothing that are subjected to the greatest mechanical stress (friction). Usually these are the folds of the fabric, the seams, the front and back sides of the legs.
As a result of prolonged wear, jeans acquire a complex pattern, individual and unique as the wearer's fingerprints. Denim fanatics specifically overwrite jeans, seeking to lighten certain parts. And not just fanatics. Today, more than half of all jeans sold in the world are still finished with grout in factories, but more on that later in this article.
Another characteristic of classic denim, besides indigo dye, is its density. It should be in the range of 12 - 14 ounces per square yard (400 or more grams per square meter). Density is determined by the thickness of the yarn threads, as well as the density of their stuffing in the fabric.
It is believed that denim with such an atypically high density for clothes is a historical legacy from the late 19th century, when the first jeans were sewn from sailcloth. It was then cheaper than fabrics for clothes.
Be that as it may, such a high density has serious advantages. This denim provides good body protection from dirt, dust, mechanical damage. In addition, it holds its shape well and is durable in conditions of constant use in adverse conditions.
Ecru in French (ecru) means unbleached. This is a fabric made from natural materials (cotton, linen), which has not been subjected to any processing. That is cotton in its original form.
In a historical, denim retrospective, ecru denim is the original denim. The first jeans were sewn from this at the end of the 19th century. And only around the beginning of the 20th century, jeans began to be sewn from blue denim. And ecru left the stage.
However, in the last 20-30 years, ecru denim has made a comeback in the wake of eco-friendly and retro fashion.
Indeed, this is an extremely eco-friendly fabric, and in the context of denim clothing, it is also extremely true denim. So today you can find ecru denim jeans, but you have to look, they are not available in any store yet.
The color shades of ecru vary, depending on the type of cotton, the quality of the cotton, as well as the quality of the yarn and fabric. But on average it is a light yellow shade, close to beige.
However, ecru denim has a drawback when compared to indigo denim. This is marvelous. More precisely, their soiling is the same, but the dirt is much better seen on ecru than on indigo. And this is essential for everyday wear. By the way, one of the opinions about why they stopped sewing ecru jeans is just this - indigo jeans can be washed less often, since dirt is less noticeable on them.
There are two options for double dyeing denim:
In the first case, you can get interesting results when finishing. For example, jeans, the yarn of which is first dyed yellow, and then indigo. The finished jeans have been grouted and look like this:
These are new jeans, but they look like they've been worn for a year and haven't been washed.
The second option, with the coloring of the canvas, is more interesting and common. In classic denim, the front side has a non-uniform color, it has touches of light color on it. Denim double-dyed on the canvas, is devoid of this drawback, it has an even, deep color. Here are Levi's jeans made of double-dyed denim. On the cuffs of the leg, you can see that the wrong side of the fabric is also dyed. The front side has an even, solid color:
Double coloring on the canvas has another effect. In the process of wearing, a beautiful, contrasting pattern of light lines on a dark background appears on the front side. It looks especially beautiful on black denim.
You can also get a spectacular, contrasting pattern as a result of finishing. Here are Levi's Black Tab jeans in double dyed denim with a stone wash finish:
But in real wear, black jeans made of double-dyed denim give a much more beautiful pattern than stone washed.
Sevedge is a distorted, over time, expression self edge (independent edge, edge). The peculiarity of the old shuttle-type looms is that the edges of the fabric are fixed without additional operations, due to the weft thread. That is, the web leaves the machine already with fixed edges.
Old-style denim, just made on shuttle-type looms. Another feature of that old denim was a narrow canvas (less than one meter wide).
And these two features made it possible to sew pants without overlocking operations. The details of the pants were cut in such a way that the edges of the fabric went into the outer seam. And the inner seam was sewn.
By the way, this explains why the classic cut of Levi's jeans is exactly like this - a sewn-in seam inside. Although today this is no longer necessary, because a wide canvas and details of overlock pants have been used for a long time. Nevertheless, Levi's still makes a sewn-in seam inside. From here comes the classic straight denim style, a straight cut on the outer sides of the legs.
It is economically unprofitable to produce such a narrow dense fabric, in comparison with a wide canvas on shuttleless looms. And today it is made in very small quantities. This is a niche product aimed at denim fanatics. Today, selvedge denim is made in the USA, Japan, Italy, Portugal and some other countries. In the USA and Japan, it is made on the original old looms (which were produced in the first half of the 20th century).
The most notorious denim fanatics are the Japanese. They not only make salvage denim on old machines, but also sew jeans from it according to old patterns, on old equipment.
The edges of the canvas are regular denim and selvedge denim (selvedge denim):
Selvedge denim in ready-made jeans, you can see that in the outer seam of the edge of the canvas:
The width of salvage denim does not allow for effective cutting patterns for very small and very large jeans. And the cost of the fabric itself is higher, due to the low productivity of shuttle looms. So that today the entire denim mainstream is sewn from modern wide denim.
If we talk about the quality of the fabric, then salvage denim does not have any advantages over denim, which is made on modern equipment. On the contrary, modern equipment makes it possible to obtain fabric of higher quality and at a lower cost.
Sanforization of denim is a technology for processing the finished fabric (after the loom). The purpose of this treatment is to reduce the shrinkage of the fabric during further washing of finished products. The web is soaked with water or steam and then pulled between compression rollers. After that, the fabric is dried. This treatment can reduce the shrinkage of the fabric during washing.
For denim, shrinkage in the first wash can be as much as 10% of the original size. Denim gives especially strong shrinkage along the length of the canvas. After sanforization, future shrinkage of denim can be reduced to 1-2%.
Raw denim is denim that has not been washed. Washing is done for these purposes:
Raw denim (rigid denim) is a hard fabric and the color of the front side is not very beautiful - a dull dark blue with a gray tint. But after intensive factory washing, the fabric becomes soft and gets a bright dark blue color.
Also, raw denim (rigid demin) is also a dirty fabric. As already mentioned above, in this article, the indigo dye sticks only to the surface of the fibers of the fabric and "knocks off" it upon mechanical contact with other surfaces (things, furniture, body). There is a lot of dye on the newly made fabric, and therefore the classic denim material in its factory state is dirty. The indigo dye remains on all surfaces with which the material comes into contact. And so it continues until the jeans are washed at least 3-4 times.
Washing can be done not only on the canvas, but also on finished products. And most often, washing is done on finished products. One of the tasks of finishing finished jeans is to wash off the most unstable part of the indigo dye.
Sanforizing denim does not count as washing. Washing treatment can have different intensity. From the weakest rinse wash to radical washes acid wash and light wash. The canvas is usually processed no more than rinse wash. Stronger washings are already carried out on finished products.
When buying jeans made from rigid denim, you need to keep in mind that after the first wash they will shrink in size. The amount of such shrinkage depends on whether the canvas was sanforized or not.
There are two types of twill, in the direction of displacement of the warp threads - right-sided (z twill or right hand twill) and left-sided (s twil or left hand twill). Historically, the right-handed twill was the first, later, the Lee company came up with a left-handed one. There is an opinion that left-handed denim is softer and more tactile than right-handed.
In the right-hand twill (z twill), the warp threads are shifted to the right and on the finished fabric, the diagonals go from the bottom left to the top right. In left-sided twill (s twil), the warp threads are shifted to the left. And on the finished fabric, the diagonals go from the right from the bottom to the left up.
But both of these types of denim have a problem. If the canvas has not been sanforized, then, after washing, the legs of the jeans are twisted. And it can be so strong that the seams, at the very bottom of the leg, can even be in front and behind.
In search of a solution to this problem, Wrangler decided in the early 60s to use a type of twill weave called herringbone, which had previously been used in the manufacture of heavy wool twill known as tweed. When making tweed, the warp thread changes direction from right to left and vice versa.
The Blue Bell company (manufacturer of the Wrangler trademark) gave the name "broren twill denim" to a new type of denim. The first model of jeans made from broren twill denim was the Wrangler 13MWZ jeans.
Some online sources write that Blue Bell invented a broken twill, but this is not so. This type of twill weaving has been known for a long time, used in various twill fabrics. The Blue Bel company came up with only one thing - to use this weaving for the production of denim. So the exact name of the Wrangler fabric is broren twill denim.
The photo shows jeans made from broren twill denim. The thread pattern is best seen from the wrong side of the fabric:
Broren twill denim on the right and left sided denim on the left:
On the Internet, you can find articles that say something like "chambray is thin denim." Or even that chambray is thin denim. Like denim for shirts, etc. products.
But this is wrong. Chambray fabric is similar to denim only in that it is a melange fabric (made of two-color yarns). There, too, undyed yarn is used for weft threads. But chambray is not a twill, it is a fabric from the group of so-called "flat" (plain) fabrics (plain weaving of threads). In the manufacture of chambray, the warp and weft threads are intertwined without displacement, at a right angle.
Thus, chambray is not denim, but a melange fabric.
Stretch is a twill that, in addition to cotton, also uses synthetic fibers. Usually, in the manufacture of stretch denim, 1-3% is used, synthetic fibers elastane (aka spandex, lycra).
The addition of synthetics makes the denim stretchable. This denim is used for trendy denim cuts (fits, fit) slim and skinny. These are types of cutting blanks, finished products from which "sit down" on the body in a close-fitting. It is difficult to make such models from classic denim, you have to create complex cutting patterns. And if the fabric is stretched, it is much easier to make narrow models of jeans from such fabric.
The longest avoided using stretch denim at Levi's. But in 2016 they also began to make variants of the 501 model from stretch denim.
There is no consensus on whether stretch denim is better than regular or worse. In any case, stretch allows you to reduce the cost of producing fashionable tight-fitting jeans, where it makes sense. However, the use of stretch when sewing ordinary jeans, classic fits, such as Levi's 501, is questionable. Or when sewing relaxed and loose fits that are very popular in the USA.
Ideologically, perhaps this is not quite real denim. But at least very close.
From a health point of view, there is nothing wrong with 1-3% synthetics. However, you need to know that in China (and not only there), under the guise of stretch denim, fabrics are made in which the content of synthetics can be tens of percent, and even mixtures of different types of synthetics. And it's no longer denim.
Today, denim is available in different shades of blue. From canonical dark blue to light blue. How are these fabric colors obtained? The intensity of the blue color in denim depends on the number of yarn dyeing cycles. One cycle of dyeing is yarn dyeing and drying after dyeing. To obtain a dark blue color, the yarn goes through up to 10 dyeing cycles. When the cycles are reduced, lighter shades of blue are obtained.
In the Soviet Union, denim was made at least at one enterprise, at the Krasnodar cotton mill. In the 80s, I saw this denim with my own eyes and held it in my hands. At that time, I already had real American jeans (Lee and Levi "s), so I could compare. Unfortunately, I didn’t take an interest in its technical characteristics then. But subjectively, according to personal feelings, it was thinner than American. Perhaps its density was in the region 11-12 oz.
Interestingly, this fabric did not cause a stir among any of the workers of the plant. Well, we make jeans, well, what's wrong with that? I don't remember seeing any of the mill workers wearing this denim. Although many people sewed clothes from other fabrics of the plant. Maybe the point was that jeanswear was then of little interest to anyone in the Soviet provinces?
In the very late 80s and early 90s, this Krasnodar denim, in the Baltic states, was used to make jeans-varenki. At that time there was a surge in fashion for such clothes.
And today, on the site of that plant, there is a shopping center. And in that huge workshop where they made denim, now they sell imported dull shit.
As for me, Italian denim is at least one of the best in the world. I had several Italian jeans made from Italian denim. One pair is still there. Very good color, normal density, shed well, the fabric is soft and pleasant. If I sewed jeans, I would take Italian denim. In Italy today they make mostly modern, wide denim. But they also make salvage denim. Although of course in small quantities.
The English term clothes fit (fitting clothes) has the following meaning - cutting out the details of clothing. Any clothing consists of individual parts, pieces of fabric. When these parts are sewn together, clothes are obtained.
The form of clothing depends on the shape of the cutting of the details. It depends on the cut of the details how the finished clothes will look (sit) on a person.
More generally, fit is the overall silhouette of a finished garment.
This type of cut (fit, fit, fit) of jeans is the most common today. The most famous model of jeans that uses this fit is Levi's 501. Today, Wrangler has an almost identical model in cut, this is the Texas model, it differs only in that it has a sewn-in seam on the outside. In general, this fit, regular fit, is all manufacturers of jeans.
It began to be used after jeans went beyond the boundaries of workwear and became casual and fashionable clothes.
This is a cutting option in which the finished jeans should be quite narrow at the hips, but not tight-fitting, much less tight. Of course, you can see people on whom Levi's 501 or Wrangler Texas sit like a second skin, but this is just the wrong size - the person wears a smaller size than is necessary for his figure.
A feature of the regular fit fit is that the legs taper from the knee to the bottom. If at the knee the leg circumference is, for example, 17 inches, then at the bottom of the leg it will be 16 inches. This is due to the fact that trouser legs narrowed towards the bottom look better than straight ones, as they were made in the first half of the 20th century.
For size 32 inches (girth at the waist of jeans), the numbers are just that - 17 inches at the knee and 16 inches at the bottom of the leg. By the way, in American stores, in the specifications of jeans, the coverage at the bottom of the leg is often indicated, for this in America there is a separate measuring term - leg opening.
The disadvantage of this fit is that it is not suitable for cold weather when you need to wear warm shoes. A narrow trouser leg does not sit well over winter boots, often knocking up and opening the leg. If we talk about boots, then a regular fit trouser leg can not be pulled on any boots.
But it is normal to wear regular fit shoes with summer, spring and autumn shoes. These jeans can also be tucked into boots, which by the way is very popular in the USA.
Historically the first and simple cut of denim pants. The most famous jeans model that previously used a boot cut fit is Levi's 501, which was made until the middle of the 20th century.
It is often referred to simply as a boot cut. In general, the same as regular fit, but the leg does not taper from the knee, but remains the same width. Sometimes it can be a little wider. Rarely, but they produce models with a very strong expansion of the leg to the bottom.
Another option for a boot cut is to narrow the leg at the knee, and then widen to the bottom. This gives a stronger visual "flare" effect.
But the most common boot cut option is a leg straight from the knee. If the circumference at the knee is 17 inches, then at the bottom of the leg it will also be 17 inches. Often this fit is referred to as a straight fit or straight cut.
The peculiarity of this fit is that the trouser leg sits well over heavy shoes. Boots, as well as winter and work boots. When the trouser leg is over a boot or boot, it prevents dust, splashes of water, snow, etc. from entering the shoes.
For our country, this is perhaps the most practical denim fit. Considering the fact that in most of the country we wear boots and boots for more than half of the year.
Also, this fit may be better suited for people with a large foot size (larger than the standard one). On such a person, regular fit may not look great at all.
Strictly speaking, this is not a fit, in the full sense, but a design option for the leg from the knee to the end. In English terminology, this is called cut. However, in so many stores it stands out as a separate fit.
Ambiguous title. In some stores and some manufacturers, under this fit, there are models not only with a straight leg (boot cut), but also with a narrower leg, as in regular fit. So you need to be careful when buying such a fit. Apparently this fit means just a straight outer seam.
Relaxed Fit is a very popular fit in the USA. Its peculiarity is that the trouser leg is wider at the hip than in regular fit. As a result, these jeans sit very loosely and almost do not restrict movement at all.
In this fit, for a person with a standard hip size, jeans should only be held at the waist. Alternatively, this fit can be used by people who have a hip circumference larger than the standard, on which the regular fit sits tight.
Whoever wore Levi's 501 strictly in size knows how uncomfortable it is to sit or actively move in them.
An even looser fit than the relaxed fit. Depending on the manufacturer, this can range from very loose to a baggy fit. In this fit, for a person with a standard hip size, jeans should only be held at the waist and dangle freely throughout the rest of the length.
This is not a fit, but like a boot cut, a variant of the cut of the very bottom of the leg. The opposite of a bootcut, that is, the bottom of the leg (leg opening) is narrower than in regular fit. This version of the cut of the bottom of the leg can be used with regular and relaxed fit.
Fashionable modern fit. Especially popular with women. Slim fit are skinny jeans, skinny fit are skinny jeans (like a second skin). These jeans are made from a thinner fabric and most often from stretch denim (with the addition of elastane).
An analogue of the relaxed fit, but for women's jeans. What's with the boyfriend? As conceived by marketers, these jeans should look like they are men's jeans that a girl took from her boyfriend. Like how girls wear men's shirts instead of their home clothes.
In fact, of course, this is a marketing ploy to sell more jeans to women. But true boyfriend jeans are jeans that a girl squeezes from her boyfriend. And what is sold in stores under this name is an imitation, a fake.
It is believed that the first widely known case of a woman wearing men's jeans was the American actress Norma Jean Mortenson in the movie The Misfits.
Although, of course, women by that time had long been wearing men's jeans. Simply because there were no others. After all, only at the end of the forties of the 20th century, under the labels of Lee and Wrangler, the first models of women's jeans appeared.
This is not a fit, but a playful expression popular in the USA. Something like a synonym for outdated, unfashionable jeans. Most often, mom jeans mean jeans with a high fit (high rise).
Rise - just like cut is not a fit, but part of a fit. This is a design option for the top of the jeans, from the crotch to the waist.
high rise- a belt of jeans around the waist of a person. In the photo, Levi's high rise jeans:
medium rise- the belt of jeans is slightly lower than the waist of a person. One example of a medium rise is the modern Levi's 501.
low rise- jeans belt almost on the hips. The photo shows Low rise boot cut jeans:
Graphic image of denim landings:
Today, all over the world, there are probably tens of thousands of large and very small companies that produce jeans. Many of them do nothing at all themselves, but simply order production from specialized sewing industries. But more than half of the global denim market belongs to three American brands.
Historically the first manufacturer of jeans. And the only one of the big three who remained an independent company. The first production was in San Francisco. Today it is the headquarters of the company. Since the beginning of the 2000s, Levi's no longer makes jeans on its own, the company places orders with other (sewing) companies. And it closed its last factories at the very beginning of the 2000s. Now, almost all, and possibly the entire volume of Levi's jeans, is sewn for outside the USA. In any case, in the Levi's American online store, in 2018, there are no models marked "Made in USA", there are only "Imported" or "crafted in USA", that is, made in other countries.
Levi's company divides the production of jeans on a regional basis. For example, those jeans that are sold in the USA are sewn in Mexico, Costa Rica, Colombia, Haiti, Pakistan, Bangladesh. And those jeans that are sold in Europe (including Russia ), mainly sewn in Turkey, Poland, Hungary, Spain, Italy. Not only tailoring, but also denim production is divided by country. In Turkey and Poland, Levi's jeans are sewn from Turkish denim.
In general, the list of contract manufacturers who do something for Levi's is very large. You can study geography from this list. For example, do you know that there is such a country as Lesotho? I don't remember where it is. And they sew Levi's. This list can be viewed on Levi's corporate website. This list is updated regularly and today it is a sheet for several pages of small text.
In the early 20th century, it was formed as a workwear company called Blue Bell. The company contributed to the development of denim, in particular, they came up with broken twill denim. Wrangler is a trademark of the Blue Bell company, under this brand the company has been producing cowboy jeans since the forties of the 20th century. For example, the famous Wrangler 13MWZ is a 13 oz broken twill cowboy jeans.
Blue Bell has been owned by VF Corporation since 1986 and is now just a trademark. Although quite authentic models of jeans are produced.
Like Levi's, VF Corporation orders the production of jeans under the Wrangler label on a regional basis. For example, European Wranglers are made in Tunisia, Pakistan, Turkey, Mauritius. And those sold in the USA are produced mainly in Mexico.
In the late 19th century, it was formed as a workwear company called the Lee Mercantile Company. The company contributed to the development of denim, in particular, they came up with left-hand denim (left hand twill).
It has been owned by VF Corporation since 1969 and today it is just a trademark. Although quite authentic models of jeans are produced.
Like Levi's, VF Corporation orders the production of jeans, under the Lee label, on a regional basis. For example, European Wranglers are made in India. And those sold in the USA are produced mainly in Mexico.
All three big denim brands are no longer made in-house. This is a third party contract manufacturing. So now these labels are, in fact, ordinary jeans. Is this how Turkish Levi's or Wrangler differ from Turkish Colin's or Mavi? Yes, nothing but labels and small details of design and processing.
As you can see, today the most "American" jeans are made in Mexico. Nevertheless, label owners try to maintain at least some authenticity of their products. In any case, the quality of products under these trademarks is guaranteed at a fairly high level. Regardless of where and who sews these jeans.
But in Russia, in my opinion, the prices for the originals of these three labels are clearly too high. If in the USA they cost around $50 on average (the most common models), then in our country the same models cost around $100. Turkish or Polish jeans for $100? What for?
As for me, now it makes sense to buy any of these three labels only through the Internet and only on sale somewhere in Europe or the USA. Buy for 30 dollars, plus 20-30 dollars for shipping. Under these conditions, you can still take. And for a hundred dollars it is better to buy jeans made in Russia from good denim. Or Italian. Or Turkish ones for $50.
If you buy jeans in American online stores that are focused on the domestic market, this does not mean that there will be goods made in the USA. Please read product descriptions carefully. If you see the word Imported there, it means that the product was made outside the United States. Even if it's an American brand.
If the product is really made in the USA, it will be mentioned in the product description. "Made in USA" means that the product is made in the USA from American materials. May be marked crafted in USA - this means that only part of the work is done in the USA.
Levi's has a Vintage series, which are sewn like copies of jeans from the mid-20th century. Some of these models are sewn, albeit abroad (probably in Mexico), but at least from denim made in the USA (Cone Mills is a historical denim supplier for Levi's). In the Levi's American online store, in the description of such models, the origin of the denim is indicated if it is made in the USA. But in general, there are no 100% made in USA jeans in the Levi's American online store today. Although there were such models in the zero years, they then cost about $ 200. Today, even $240 vintage models and Imported ones.
Wrangler has made in USA models. In their American online store, there is a separate section of the catalog, which is called "made in USA".
In addition, there are small and small companies that specialize in this particular segment - made in USA. And then there are companies that make work clothes and they usually have several models of jeans in their product range. Here it is necessary to note the difference between the USA and other countries in the context of jeanswear. In the US, jeans are still the work wear. Therefore, classic jeans models (without frills and bells and whistles) are in the assortment of many American workwear companies. However, not all such companies make their products in the USA.
Some companies that make jeans in the USA are:
Denim Express- American online store (for the US domestic market). They have their own label Denim Express, under which they sell several models of jeans made in the USA. They have a special section on their website made in USA.
round house is an American company, an old manufacturer of work clothes. The company operates in the US domestic market. They have classic cut jeans in their product range. Such models, they have in the catalog, are marked - made in USA.
Diamond Gusset- American company, manufacturer of workwear and jeans since the 80s of the 20th century. The company operates in the US domestic market. They have in the catalog men's and women's jeans of all fits (landings) popular in the USA. They specifically have a model of motorcycle jeans reinforced with Kevlar fabric. And they also use a gusset on the crotch in some of their jeans models. Which reduces the famous problem of jeans - chafing of the fabric in the crotch.
In general, if you wish, today you can find and buy jeans made in USA. However, this will most likely have to be done through an intermediary company, since companies focused on the US domestic market do not ship outside the US. But this is not a problem, since there are intermediary companies that forward orders from the US to Russia.
The funny thing is that even taking into account the cost of shipping from the USA, made in USA jeans can be comparable in price to Turkish or Polish Levi's, which are officially sold in Russia. For example, all three companies listed above have jeans models that cost significantly below $ 100. While in Russia $ 100 is the average price for budget models of large American brands.
Of course, jeans are also made in Russia.
Our most famous manufacturer. Clothing production is located in the Rostov region. Produces branded denim clothing Gloria Jeans and Gee Jay. In the zero years, I took myself Gloria Jeans in gray. They faded well and correctly, the cut (fit) was normal, classic. The hardware is good. But denim is not a fountain.
Firstly, it was thinner than Levi's or Wrangler (not even American-made), according to subjective sensations, somewhere in the region of 11-12 ounces. Secondly, it was loose (after washing). And thirdly, it was less durable than Levi's or Wrangler - that pair of Gloria Jeans wore out pretty quickly. However, I rate them generally well. You can buy these jeans. Maybe even I myself will buy myself Gloria Jeans. Given their price, this is a very good option.
The only large (industrial) manufacturer of jeans in Russia. I would say that Gloria Jeans for Russia is like Levi's for the USA. Outside the USA, Levi's is prestigious expensive clothing, and in the USA itself these are budget, ordinary pants that you can buy everywhere, even in supermarkets.
And this is not my personal opinion. If you look at the analysis of search queries in Russia, then there are dozens of search phrases related to Gloria Jeans. Basically, of course, people are looking for the nearest store of this company. So this is really Russian Levi's.
But today they probably make most of their products in Asia. Although I don't know for sure.
Plan B jeans- a small Moscow firm. They are sewn in Russia, but they use salvedge denim from Italy and Japan. The range is small, the overall style is true denim for connoisseurs. Prices are basically comparable to Turkish-Polish Levi's or Wrangler. I think the quality of their products is high, but I personally did not wear them.
Russ Jeans- a small company from St. Petersburg. They are sewn in Russia, but they use denim from Italy and Japan. Prices are lower than for Turkish-Polish Levi's or Wrangler. The assortment is small, the style is one - classic Regular. From the photos, normal jeans, but I personally did not wear them.
Miracle Jeans (Miracle Apparel)- a tiny company from Omsk. Only two models, both slim fit.
Grunge John Orchestra. Explosion (GJO.E)- Moscow company, makes outerwear. The materials are imported, they are sewn in Russia. There are several models of jeans made from Japanese salvage denim. Prices are significantly higher than for Turkish-Polish Levi's and Wrangler.
Morozoni- a small factory in Armavir. Judging by the photo, they sew jeans that are interesting in design. But where to buy them is the question. They don't have an online store. I didn't even find the company's website.
Urbano is a garment factory in Krasnodar. In the 00s, early 10s, it was one of the best (in terms of quality) manufacturers in Russia. But it looks like they don't work anymore. Anyway, their site is dead.
Kuban Jeans (trademark Ligas)- a garment factory in Krasnodar. They make denim clothes mainly for children. Like Gloria jeans, they make products for the budget segment. For adults, one or two models of jeans.
http://www.kjeans.ru/- a small Moscow clothing company. They had their own denim brand "Excite". But in December 2018, their website stopped opening.
The difference with denim is that it is more valued in a worn condition. When the paint fades, scuffs appear. Why this happened is not known for certain. Maybe because in many Hollywood films, the characters in worn jeans are dressed. Or maybe because worn jeans are prettier than new ones.
Anyone who has seen jeans in the so-called rigid or raw form, that is, from factory denim, knows that they look unattractive. Moreover, they are not particularly pleasant to the touch. Rigid fabric, some kind of dirty blue color. And it's a completely different matter after a few months of wear and 5-10 washes. The color becomes bright blue, the fabric is soft, there are small light scuffs that look beautiful on a blue background.
Whatever the reason, the vast majority of jeans sold today are finished. Such processing can be different in intensity and technique, but the essence is always the same - to give new, factory-made jeans a worn look. And for the first time, industrial finishing of jeans began in the 80s of the last century. Prior to that, the owners of the jeans themselves did this, not all of course, but those who did not want to wait until the jeans grow old themselves.
Finishing jeans is different in intensity. From the weakest rinsed until partial rupture of the tissue ( ripped).
Easy wash. The task of such processing is to remove the most unstable part of the dye from the fabric, so that jeans are less likely to stain everything they touch. And also make the fabric a little softer.
The most common way to process jeans. Special round stones and ready-made jeans are loaded into special drums. During rotation, the stones knead the fabric. This type of processing differs in intensity - from weak ( dark stone wash) to strong ( light stone wash). After this treatment, the jeans become very soft, and part of the dye is also removed. This type of processing gives a characteristic slightly spotted surface. Small light scuffs appear on the front side of the fabric. Weak ( dark) stonewash can be very beautiful. Levi's and Wrangler know how to do it beautifully.
Artificial rubbing of the surface of jeans, which imitates scuffs during wear. The simplest and most common type of fading is rubbing the front and back of the legs.
There are also more radical forms of fading, such as the creation and subsequent rubbing of creases on the fabric:
Artificial fading can be beautiful. But much more often it is ugly and even terrible.
Artificial fading has disadvantages:
Processing finished jeans with pumice stones in a chlorine solution. As a result, very light, up to white, spots appear on the fabric. In low-cost industries, various bleaching chemicals can be used instead of this technology. As a result of such processing, cotton fibers lose their elasticity and the fabric becomes brittle. this can be especially strong on the folds (creases) of the fabric.
Artificial physical destruction of the fabric that mimics the extreme wear of jeans. As a rule, this type of treatment is applied after other treatments - fading or acid washing.
Low rise boot cut jeans with double treatment - fading and distressing:
High rise jeans, double treated - acid wash and distressing:
For the most part, radically finished jeans don't look great at all, and often even ugly. The most terrible finish on cheap jeans from Asian countries. But besides the appearance, there is a practical factor, the stronger the finish, the faster the jeans will die. During finishing, jeans are poisoned with chemicals, rubbed with grinders and sandblasters.
And such stories turn out - a person buys seemingly new jeans, but they "fall apart" after a few months of wearing. And he complains to everyone that jeans (label name) are shit. And the reason is just that he bought jeans that have undergone a fierce finish.
Personally, I think that The best way finishing it dark stone wash. Advantages:
But if you have time and desire, you can buy rinsed or even rigid jeans and wash them yourself 7-10 times, with very short intervals. This will improve the color and they will stop smearing paint. And after that, they can already be worn normally. What you need to know about self-washing:
The fabric itself will withstand any washing regime, but the paint does not. With intensive washing, ugly scuffs may appear. And the best way is to hand wash in the bath, using a clothes brush on straightened jeans.
Of course, you can write a lot more about jeans. For example, in this article, I did not mention Italian jeans at all. And they deserve it. Perhaps even more than modern Levi's. Above, I wrote that in Russia, there are a lot of requests for Gloria jeans in the description. And which brand is in second place in terms of the number of search queries? These are Italian Armani jeans. I had Armani jeans, a few years ago, the model is almost a replica of Levi's 501, but the workmanship is noticeably higher. And denim is better (Italian) manufacturing is also better, finishing is better.
What jeans to buy today? I already wrote about the big denim three-piece above. You can buy if you can take no more than $ 50. For 100 or more - I do not see the point. For the money you can buy better jeans.
And jeans are no worse than modern Levi's, in Russia you can buy for less money. Some Turkish label (Mavi, Ostin and others). Or Japanese Uniqlo. Or something inexpensive Italian. Or Swedish cheap monday, which are sewn in Italy, or those Russian companies that I wrote about above.The choice is great.
If you want to buy real American jeans - look for small American companies that make work clothes. These will be American jeans, not only in terms of the place of manufacture, but also in spirit, in their original essence.
Fake Levi's jeans.
Model 501 is especially often faked. And this is understandable, because this is the most famous jeans model in the whole world. In fact, there is nothing wrong with them. The main thing is not the fact of a fake, but what kind of quality it is. In the 90s, I bought myself a pair of Turkish fake Levi's 501. In terms of fabric, cut and tailoring quality, they were no worse than the original ones of that time. The differences were only in small things - buttons, rivets, labels, some seams. They served me just as good as the real ones, and they cost a third of the real ones.
How to determine the density of denim in ready-made jeans?
If there is no practical experience, then approximately the density of denim can be determined by the weight of the jeans. In many stores, the characteristics of jeans are indicated for size 32 - 32, this is considered the average size for jeans. These jeans should weigh from about 700 grams. If they are made from 13-14 ounce denim. For example, Levi's and Wrangler regular fit jeans and sizes 32-34, made from the right denim, weigh about 800 grams.
If the size of the jeans is larger, say 33 or 34 (in the waist), then the weight should be more than 800 grams. The type of fit also affects the weight of jeans - a relaxed fit will weigh more than a regular fit. If jeans in size 32 - 32 weigh 600 grams or less, this definitely indicates thin denim.
Thin denim can be one of the signs of fake brand jeans. But not always. For example, in the modern Levi's 501 model, the density of denim ranges from 11.5 to 14 ounces. Depending on the country of manufacture. And in this case, 11.5 ounce thin denim will not be a sign of fake Levi's 501. In general, the modern Levi's 501 model is a real zoo according to the characteristics and details of manufacture.
What is (true jeans) true jeans?
The question is almost philosophical. Denimheads fanatics believe that it must be rigid pants sewn from selvedge denim. Moreover, denim must be woven without fail on old machines. But in this topic, the issues of cotton and yarn are somehow not disclosed. What grade of cotton should be? Should this cotton be picked with the old technique? What should be carding and spinning machines? Many questions. Something tells me that modern selvedge denim isn't exactly true.
And I think that true jeans are those that correspond to the history and spirit of this type of clothing. Cheap, unassuming clothes that you don't mind killing. Clothes you don't think about. You need to go to the nearest store and buy it. It got dirty or torn - they threw it out and bought a new one. And in this sense, it seems to me that in Russia Gloria Jeans is more true than Levi's or Pure Blue Japan.
Homo Simplex, 2018
