All About Mens Denim - Cashmere, Wool and Silk directory

Mens denim has a longer history than many people realize. The first documented episode in mens denim was in 1789 when George Washington toured a denim factory in Massachusetts. Mens denim has been used in America since this time, and the word denim comes from the name of a fabric called Serge, which was originally made in France. It was originally called Serge de Nimes, so the name was then shortened to denim. Mens denim was traditionally colored blue with dye.

Mens denim in America is historically associated with mens railroad overalls, when the blue fabric contrasted with the undyed white thread that was used to form the clothes. Mens denim that is called dungarees is used to identify heavy cotton pants that originated in Bombay. A cotton mill was there, and the fabric made there was dyed in indigo.

Mens denim can be dry, raw, or washed. Dry or raw mens denim is fabric that is not washed after being dyed during production. Over time, mens denim will fade, which is how most mens denim is worn in modern times. Most mens denim is washed after it is made in the factory to make it softer and to eliminate shrinkage that could cause the mens denim to not fit after an owner washes it. A lot of mens denim today is intentionally and artificially distressed to achieve a worn, faded look.

Selvage mens denim is a kind of mens denim which has a clean, natural edge that does not unravel. It is usually found in its unwashed, raw state. The selvage edges are located along the seam of the pants, and are visible when cuffs on the mens denim are turned up. The presence of selvage usually implies that the denim that has been used is a good, high quality mens denim.

Most mens denim selvage jeans are dyed with synthetic or natural indigo dye. Loop dying machines feed the cotton yarn for mens denim through vats of indigo dye, and then back out. Multiple dippings make the mens denim a darker indigo blue color.

In the 1950s the demand for mens denim increased dramatically, and the looms that made and dyed the mens denim were replaces with modern projectile looms, which made mens denim producers able to keep up with the demand.