Before talking about Rinse and Rigid denim, let's start with the seams once more, this way you are very familiar with what to look for before venturing forth to buy a pair of jeans that you want to fade. First, we spoke about the looms, how selvage denim and non-selvage denim differ because of the size of the loom; it's good knowledge. Now, we're going to talk about three types of seams that you'll find, not including the French Seam (which is more clean than an Open-Ended seam.) Onward to the lesson!
Selvage: You're familiar with this seam, you've seen it a few times already but ingrain it into your brain because not all selvage has the little red line running through it. You'll find that many brands will put different colored thread so that you know off the bat which brand of jeans you're wearing. But a full selvage seam will always have BOTH sides showing the selvage, not one, but both. This is how you know that the jeans were created on a shuttle loom that is 36" wide. Again, it's a part of history and one that you'll gladly thank later on, selvage denim is strong but then that comes down to the cotton used to weave it. But, remember, selvage can come in a variety of colors, there's even rainbow selvage!
Half-Selvage: This is a bit unique as only HALF of the jeans used the selvage end of a sheet of denim, it's unusual but not uncommon. Many brands are trying to replicate this style as it's more interesting, they want to offer a better product but not at increasing the price so much that it becomes unattainable but perhaps it's just an aesthetic. Who knows for sure but it really is unique to walk around with cuffed hems that show off only HALF a selvage seam, it's definitely a conversation starter! Normally a half-selvage seam will be paired with a French Seam (we'll talk about that later on) because it gives off a very clean image and allows the selvage to shine brightly whereas an Open-Ended seam (that's next) is a bit more messy.
Open-Ended (Non-Selvage): This is most commonly found on a lot of cheap brands of jeans, if you own a pair of jeans from any random department store, flip the cuff, you'll find this seam there. This is a true indicator that you're wearing denim made on a loom/machine that is far larger than 36" and it's commonly used because of the efficiency. The denim is stitched with a looping design to keep it from fraying over time, but this isn't an ideal seam to show off, this is an extremely ugly one and a huge telltale sign that you're wearing extremely inferior denim. Not something you can fix but beware because those cheap brands are now weaving a red thread in their open-ended seam and are trying to mimic that lovely selvage but you'll know the difference in person. We've seen it and it's not pretty and not even close to the real thing.
French Seam (Non-Selvage): This is a lovely clean seam, it's also used on denim that's made on looms/machines larger than 36" but it exudes a sense of class. It's commonly used in Nudie Jeans Co. with their Slim Jim model, very iconic seam, and most brands try to use it as it's more elegant than that nasty open-end seam. You can see from the photos that each seam is distinctly different than the next and some are more recognizable than others. However the French Seam isn't one to be disgusted at, on the contrary, some raw denim with French Seams fade quite well! But then again that depends on the cotton used to weave the denim, the dye, and the dying process.
Now that you know what seams look like, you'll be able to tell right away which pair of jeans is Selvage, Half-Selvage, Open-Ended Denim, and French Seams. These seams are important if you're looking to cuff your jeans or if you're looking to get a nice pair of selvage denim. Anyway, this lesson is over and next time we're going to get into the nitty gritty of the ultimate question. Rinse or Rigid? You already know about Cone Denim and Japanese Denim, now it's time to decide if you want a rinsed pair or a rigid pair. You'll learn all of that next time!
Selvage: You're familiar with this seam, you've seen it a few times already but ingrain it into your brain because not all selvage has the little red line running through it. You'll find that many brands will put different colored thread so that you know off the bat which brand of jeans you're wearing. But a full selvage seam will always have BOTH sides showing the selvage, not one, but both. This is how you know that the jeans were created on a shuttle loom that is 36" wide. Again, it's a part of history and one that you'll gladly thank later on, selvage denim is strong but then that comes down to the cotton used to weave it. But, remember, selvage can come in a variety of colors, there's even rainbow selvage!
Half-Selvage: This is a bit unique as only HALF of the jeans used the selvage end of a sheet of denim, it's unusual but not uncommon. Many brands are trying to replicate this style as it's more interesting, they want to offer a better product but not at increasing the price so much that it becomes unattainable but perhaps it's just an aesthetic. Who knows for sure but it really is unique to walk around with cuffed hems that show off only HALF a selvage seam, it's definitely a conversation starter! Normally a half-selvage seam will be paired with a French Seam (we'll talk about that later on) because it gives off a very clean image and allows the selvage to shine brightly whereas an Open-Ended seam (that's next) is a bit more messy.
Open-Ended (Non-Selvage): This is most commonly found on a lot of cheap brands of jeans, if you own a pair of jeans from any random department store, flip the cuff, you'll find this seam there. This is a true indicator that you're wearing denim made on a loom/machine that is far larger than 36" and it's commonly used because of the efficiency. The denim is stitched with a looping design to keep it from fraying over time, but this isn't an ideal seam to show off, this is an extremely ugly one and a huge telltale sign that you're wearing extremely inferior denim. Not something you can fix but beware because those cheap brands are now weaving a red thread in their open-ended seam and are trying to mimic that lovely selvage but you'll know the difference in person. We've seen it and it's not pretty and not even close to the real thing.
French Seam (Non-Selvage): This is a lovely clean seam, it's also used on denim that's made on looms/machines larger than 36" but it exudes a sense of class. It's commonly used in Nudie Jeans Co. with their Slim Jim model, very iconic seam, and most brands try to use it as it's more elegant than that nasty open-end seam. You can see from the photos that each seam is distinctly different than the next and some are more recognizable than others. However the French Seam isn't one to be disgusted at, on the contrary, some raw denim with French Seams fade quite well! But then again that depends on the cotton used to weave the denim, the dye, and the dying process.
Now that you know what seams look like, you'll be able to tell right away which pair of jeans is Selvage, Half-Selvage, Open-Ended Denim, and French Seams. These seams are important if you're looking to cuff your jeans or if you're looking to get a nice pair of selvage denim. Anyway, this lesson is over and next time we're going to get into the nitty gritty of the ultimate question. Rinse or Rigid? You already know about Cone Denim and Japanese Denim, now it's time to decide if you want a rinsed pair or a rigid pair. You'll learn all of that next time!