Retracing Denim’s History to Learn How to Make the Future Greener
Back in November, Wouter Munnichs and I visited Soorty’s NASDA innovation lab in Turkey to recreate our own worn-in jeans in the most sustainable way possible.
An American Tale: Tellason and the New Made in America
Learn how the founders established Tellason as a ‘made in America’ brand, and how they redefined what that means when their denim supplier closed in 2017.
The Denimhunters Beginner’s Guide To How Denim Is Made
This beginner’s guide provides a complete overview of how denim is made, along with links to in-depth member resources about each of the five production stages.
A Complete Overview of the 3 Stages of Making Jeans
This quick guide outlines the process of making jeans with key points about design, cutting and sewing, and pre-washing, plus links to in-depth resources.
If you’re selling jeans for a living, you can use this knowledge in your sales pitch to point out the physical features that make one pair different from another.
How Denim is Dyed With Indigo [Video Guide]
Have you noticed how the colour of your jeans changes as you wear and wash them? It’s called ‘fading’—and it’s because of how denim is dyed that it happens.
Raw Denim vs. Pre-Washed Jeans: The Pros and Cons
While some wear their jeans raw and unwashed, most prefer to buy jeans that’re already soft and have that faded lived-in look. Pre-washing makes that possible. But it has some disadvantages too.
How Jeans Are Made: Design and Development
This article explores what it takes to design a pair of jeans, and the three stages denim designers go through to do so.
You’ll learn how the design influences all aspects of the garment; how it looks, how it feels on the body, how it wears and fades. The design also differentiates one maker’s from another’s.
How Jeans Are Made: Cut and Sew (the Construction)
This second episode in the series about how jeans are made teaches the cutting and sewing steps of making jeans, and discusses the 3 most debated aspects of sewing jeans.
How Jeans Are Made: Pre-Washing and Pre-Distressing
This last episode in the series about how jeans are made discusses pre-washing; how it started, how it’s done, and what it will look like in the future.
The History of Pre-Washed Jeans (Told by 3 Pioneers Who Made It)
We love jeans for their naturally lived-in look. To recreate it, jeans makers use what’s called garment finishing, or pre-washing. In this sponsored blog post, influencers Adriano Goldschmied, Stefano Aldighieri and Giovanni Petrin tell the story of jeans pre-washing.
The History of Indigo Dyeing and How It Changed the World
The global success story of jeans is well known. But what about their continuously changing blue colour, which has persistently fascinated us humans for such a long time?
Heritage Post’s Mathias Lösel asks and answers that question in issue no. 21 of the German cult magazine for rugged men’s culture.
How Ben Viapiana Makes His Jeans (S01E10)
In this tenth episode of The Denim & Boots Podcast, Jake and I interview jeans maker and one-man brand, Ben Viapiana of Viapiana Custom Denim, about how jeans are made.
What Makes Selvedge Denim So Special? [Video Guide]
What is selvedge denim? Why is it more expensive than normal denim? Is it worth it? And is selvedge denim better? This video guide gives you the answers.
How Denim is Made Determines How It Fades (S01E06)
In the sixth episode of the podcast, Jake and I discuss the five stages of making denim, and how they each affect the fades you can expect.
How Denim Is Made: Cotton and Its Benefits
This is the first of five episodes in the series about of how denim is made. You’ll discover what cotton is and how you can use this knowledge to tell better stories when you’re selling jeans.
How Denim Is Made: The Spinning Process (… and Why I Prefer Ring-Spun Yarn)
In this second episode in the series about how denim is made, you’ll learn how yarn is made in the spinning process of denim production. I also discuss the pros and cons of ring spinning vs. open-end spinning and why denimheads prefer ring-spun denim.
How Denim Is Made: Indigo Dyeing
In this third episode in the series about how denim is made, you’ll learn about natural and synthetic indigo, and the differences between rope dyeing and slasher dyeing.
How Denim Is Made: Weaving
In this fourth episode in the series about how denim is made, you’ll learn how denim is woven and why denimheads prefer shuttle-loomed denim.
How Denim Is Made: Fabric Finishes
This final episode of my “how denim is made” series discusses how the two kinds of fabric finishes impact the way denim looks and behaves. The trick is to use this knowledge to your advance a make it part of the story you tell.
Dyeing With Indigo By Hand: From Appreciation To Realisation
It’s through denim that I became acquainted with indigo—something that has become a hobby of mine in its own right. Many denimheads dream of making their own jeans, including making the fabric. It’s through this interest that I got acquainted with indigo as a dye, and fell in love with the Japanese technique of shibori.
