What is denim? Denim is made of tightly woven fabric, usually from cotton warp yarn and white cotton weft yarn. The weft yarns stretch across the entire width of the fabric and are interwoven with the warp yarns at a 90 degree angle. The warp yarns are also stretched over the length of the fabric. This creates a diagonal interweaving pattern called "twill weave". There are two types of twill weave: the left-hand twill, which is softer, runs diagonally from right to left; the right-hand twill, which runs diagonally from left to right, is flatter and smoother.
Modern denim
Although denim was originally made of cotton only, today it also includes polyamide, lycra, polypropylene, polyester or nylon to improve elasticity and durability. Fabrics are sometimes given special coatings or rubber effects to create different appearances. Some denim fabrics are also made lighter by adding linen, hemp or wool.
Why it is usually blue?
Denim is usually dyed blue, just like the original version of jeans created for workers. These jeans are traditionally dyed with indigo, which is known as the most important natural dye and is related to practical fabrics and work clothes. When synthetic dyes came out in the 19th century, new colors were introduced into denim fabrics.
Denim processing
Denim fabric has undergone a variety of treatments to give it different aesthetics. For example, manufacturers sometimes repeatedly pre-wash the fabric to make it softer, while stonewashed denim initially uses pumice to make the fabric look more natural. Today, the appearance of stonewashed denim is usually done with ceramic balls, enzymes and sand. In addition, sandblasted denim will be sprayed with sand or chemicals to make it look shabby. Retro or dirty denim fabrics are made with patterns, such as brown filling yarn added to the weave.
The first pair of jeans
The first pair of jeans was designed by German immigrant Levi Strauss, who went to California in 1853 to sell coarse canvas for tents and carriage covers during the gold rush. When the client told him that they needed sturdy pants to use in the mine, Strauss started making jeans out of rough canvas, and switched to denim when the miner complained of scratches. However, the first "blue jeans" did not come out until 1873, when Strauss and a Nevada tailor named David Jacobs jointly applied for a patent for the idea of using rivets to make the jeans stronger.
What is denim fabric?
Denim is one of the most iconic fabrics in the world. When you say the word "jeans", everyone around you knows what you are talking about. Denim is popular across national borders and cultural boundaries, and denim has become a symbol of American culture around the world.
However, what exactly is denim? Where did this fabric come from, and why has its popularity increased over the decades? We will delve into all these and more questions and tell you all about denim fabrics.
How is denim made?
There are several stages in the production of finished denim:
Cotton planting
The production process of denim begins with the planting of cotton plants. As a protective measure, this plant will form a thick fiber ball around its small black seeds as it grows. These fibers can be collected and separated from their seeds to make fabrics.
Processed into yarn
Comb the cleaned cotton fibers into a slender rope. Then, industrial machines are used to spin them into yarn. Throughout the process, various washing, dyeing or treatments can be applied to change the attributes of the finished denim product.
Final production
Once the cotton yarn is produced and dyed, it is woven into the iconic warp denim style. This fabric is usually produced with bolts, which can be purchased from the yard and formed into finished consumer products.
2021 07/29