You've probably heard of "Selvedge Jeans" without really knowing what it's all about. Today we'll explain everything!
What is this ?
Selvedge is a contraction of the English word “Self-finished edge”, which in French means “finished edge”.
Selvedge jeans are jeans with a very tight weave and reinforced edges. The edge of the fabric is finished during weaving, not cut and sewn afterwards. This makes it stronger and prevents it from fraying, unlike non-selvedge jeans, which are often much less durable. The warp threads at the ends are colored, often with a red border, making the fabric particularly attractive. This border also allows you to distinguish a selvedge fabric from a non-selvedge fabric!
A selvedge canvas is often more “stiff”, it will relax over time.
Here is an example of a particularly colorful border (Edwin Rainbow Selvedge):
Warning! It seems that some people confuse " selvedge jeans " with " raw jeans ." These two terms do not mean the same thing: selvedge refers to the fabric, the way the material has been woven and the finishing touches, while "raw" refers to its condition and the way the jeans have been washed and treated (the natural state for "raw" jeans).
The short history of Selvedge
We have the unfortunate tendency to associate the weaving of selvedge fabric with the Japanese (hence the term "Japanese fabric"), but the Japanese are absolutely not the originators of selvedge. It was the Americans, at the same time as they were making the first jeans (late 19th century), who invented it.
It all started with looms. Towards the end of the 19th century, machines from Europe, Switzerland, Belgium, and Germany produced extremely strong twill fabrics. This resulted in long strips of fabric up to 75cm wide. It was these looms that gave rise to selvedge weaving.
From the very beginning, and in order to stand out, jeans manufacturers decided to apply a specific colored border to their fabric. For example: Levi's used red (sometimes pink), Lee yellow, and Wrangler green or blue. Other brands used colors such as gold or white. Each brand of jeans thus had its own color, its own identity.
The Japanese (largely responsible for the expansion of selvedge fabric around the world at the end of the 20th century, it's true!) copied Levi's jeans extensively, which explains why the majority of the trim is red.
Industrialization and the demand and success of denim clothing after the war (especially due to the media coverage of denim in Hollywood) strongly affected the "jeanners" (the denim manufacturers), who were forced to produce more and more. In order to meet the growing demand for denim, they had to give up their traditional techniques (looms), including selvedge and traditional indigo dyeing. They then adopted large industrial machines (projectile) to meet an ever-increasing production rate.
Some factories, however, have continued to use the old looms. The Cone Mills factory in the United States is certainly the most famous. Founded in 1891, it now employs more than ten thousand people. Renowned for its excellent quality, many brands still use Cone Mill denim.
Selvedge really reappeared in the 80s thanks to the Japanese and especially the Big John brand which launched its premium line called "Rare jean", jeans inspired by the 40s.
Today, Selvedge is more popular than ever, highly sought after (some even talk of blue gold!) and very popular with purists because it is a symbol of quality and authenticity. It is a know-how that has developed over many years and is now widely imitated. It is imitated to such an extent that some jeans manufacturers sew fake piping onto their non-selvedge jeans to make people believe that they are (in order to sell them for more, of course)!
Here is an example of Selvedge and non-Selvedge canvas:
The intrinsic quality of Selvedge fabric obviously led us to choose this type of denim fabric to make our first jeans. And as we support the European economy, our Selvedge fabric comes from Italy, like that of our Chinos and our Flannels. More precisely from the magnificent house of Candiani, with whom we share the values of authenticity, exception, perfection... And above all this love of Blue, the bright and deep Blue that makes our Raw Selvedge Jeans unique.
Candiani
At LePantalon, we wanted the best quality for our jeans, which is why we chose Candiani . The name may not mean anything to you, but Candiani Denim produces some of the finest denim in the world today. They were also the first to research stretch denim.
Founded in Italy in 1938, the company is known both for the quality of its fabrics and for its commitment to sustainable development. It is a company that strongly believes in innovation and the environment, making it one of the most eco-responsible companies in existence.
Tradition, heritage, creativity, and perfection are the watchwords of the Candiani house. Their creations are inspired by nature and the world around them. They believe in combining technology, research, and passion to create the best possible product.
Candiani insists that the final result, the creation, be the fruit of the collective work of its employees. All participate in their own way in the creation of a product of excellence.
At Candiani, men and machines are one, and it is this synergy that makes Candiani products so unique.
Find our Jean Brut Selvedge on our E-Shop :
