THE DENIM ENCYCLOPEDIA FAQ

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On this page you’ll find quick answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about denim and jeans. Click on the questions for more in-depth answers.

Q: What is denim?

A: Denim is a type of woven twill fabric, usually made from cotton.

Q: What is raw denim?

A: Raw denim that hasn’t been washed or treated (in other words, it’s not pre-washed).

Q: What is indigo?

A: Indigo the colour that makes blue jeans blue.

Q: Why does denim fade?

A: Denim fades because the colour doesn’t reach the core of the yarn. As the dye slowly wears and washes off, the undyed core appears.

Q: What is ‘ounce’?

A: The weight of denim is important because it influences how the garment feels to wear and fades as well as its durability. Denim weight is measured in ounces per square yard.

Q: What is heavyweight denim?

A: Heavyweight denim is denim that is heavier than 16 oz. per square yard.

Q: What is a denimhead?

A: A denimhead is someone who’s extraordinarily passionate about denim.

Q: Who invented jeans?

A: Riveted blue jeans were invented by Jacob W. Davis.

Q: Why are they called ‘jeans’?

A: The name ‘jeans’ is believed to have derived from the anglicised word for Genes, the demonym for people from Genoa in Italy.

Q: Why do the legs twist?

A: Denim naturally skews in the direction of the twill line. That means right hand twill skews to the right while left hand twill skews to the left.

Q: How old are these vintage jeans I found?

A: If you’ve got your hands on an old denim garment, you might want to know how old (and valuable) it is. Consult these resources: