Comments on: Pop Quiz: Denim Quality pt. 2

By: Noah L

Noah L — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 18:32:54 +0000

i saw this video and wanted to post it to the thread, found it fascinating (i think my favorite part was seeing them use the vacuum machine just to turn the jeans inside out!) enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Psg5cGNePhI

anyways shows the process from a-ZZ

By: Julia Crow

Julia Crow — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:47:15 +0000

Thanks for this series on denim. Due to the poor quality of the last few pairs I purchased for my husband,I’m having to evaluate if it is worth it to sew for him out of a better quality fabric. They were one of the brands mentioned above.

By: Richard_C

Richard_C — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 02:13:22 +0000

I have to disagree with the statement that the best denim still comes from the US (not that I blame a Cone employee for saying otherwise). Even from the White Oak and Blackseed Cone collections, they never breach 14.5 oz and Japanese mills have gone as high as 23 oz. Now 23 oz is slightly rediculous but a couple weeks in a nice slubby pair of 17 oz denims, going back to anything below 14 oz is just not going to happen. The Japanese have also been far far more responsive in dying techniques to match market demand, Cone denim is infamous for the slower and less contrasted fades.

That said, even using Cones cheapest selvedge 14oz stock, I’m happy with how some of my prototypes have evolved – http://www.flickr.com/photos/paleodenim/4091984988/

By: Tracy

Tracy — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 17:16:05 +0000

Just want to chime in here: Threads Magazine’s Nov/Dec issue has an interview with a designer who works with denim. Kathleen’s comment about added coatings reminded me of the article, because it has a photo with a model wearing a dress made of denim with a shiny finish; looks almost like leather or vinyl.

~Tracy

By: Camille

Camille — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:58:53 +0000

Very good post. Fills in the ‘layman’s’ way of knowing denim into a ‘not-too-technical’ ‘techie’s’ way of knowing denim. Helpful to have the benefit of this perspective.

What I draw from this series on denim:

Seems that the reasons for the variables to make newer denim properties are multiple.
But largely separate from the need for strength.

It seems even in the early days of denim wear, Levis, Lees, Wrangler, etc., to have a garment have strength, was to put strength in the construction methods; dbl ndl seams, rivets, tack buttons, reinforcement stitches, bar tacks, multi-ply thick gauge sewing thread, about 7-9 stitches per inch, and so on.

Seems that utilitarian, work wear category apparel in denim tends to rigid, w/ large coarse threads in weave, right hand twill construction, and possibly sanforized to reduce shrinkage.
But considering the archives of recovered vintage denim work wear, life was hard and very physical,
and owing to not owning a trove of denim ‘outfits’, work wear got worn daily, with patching to refresh, and to make hand-down-able.

I imagine, denim constructed any heavier than apparel end-use, (with the purpose for strength), would be in upholstery/drapes, also possibly with added coatings to make water resistant as well.

Anyhow interesting run on the subject of denim. Thanks Kathleen.

By: Donna S

Donna S — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 14:09:28 +0000

Hurrah for high end denim. It makes up great in slacks as opposed to jeans, and slacks look a lot better on my 70 year old figure. Does any one besides me remember when denim wasn’t fashionable?

By: j.

j. — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:37:26 +0000

I find this fascinating. Although I’ve never seen that use of the word “erotica”!

By: Claudine

Claudine — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 22:49:45 +0000

Hmm, I just bought some Cone denim to make a pair of jeans. Hopefully, I won’t ” take a high end denim and make it look like commodity.” But I might not know if I did.