An Overview of Raw Denim

So first things first, what exactly is raw denim? Well, if you've made it to this article I am going to have to assume that you already have a general idea, but for those who don't I'll give a brief overview.

Raw or unwashed or dry denim (all terms for the same creature) is, according to Wikipedia, "a denim fabric that is not washed after being dyed during its production". That by itself doesn't explain a whole lot about the process or the appeal, but it does explain simply what raw or dry denim is: unwashed denim. Even more so, generally unwashed jeans.

In the beginning, with fresh raw denim jeans, the fabric is extremely stiff and starchy and dark-usually indigo; watch out if you have white shoes or furniture-but over time and plenty of use will wear out and become soft and faded. And that individual unique look is the prime appeal of raw denim.

Dry denim after a long period of wear will mold itself to the individual wearer's body, fade in various areas in different ways and overall look a thousand times better than a pre-washed pair of jeans that had a belt sander taken to them in a garage somewhere before ending up on store shelves. Common fades among raw denim jeans are:

• Whiskers - horizontal and diagonal lines running across the upper thigh/lap area
• Combs/Honeycombs - lines across the back of the knees
• Stacks - lines at the ankles caused by extra inseam "stacking" on top of the wearer's shoes
• Back Pockets - wallets or any other item placed in the back pockets will see significant fade outlines

Other notable things about raw denim are selvage-also called selvedge or self-edge-and sanforizing. Selvage denim refers to denim that has been produced by a shuttle loom instead of a projectile loom. Projectile looms leave open ends that must be sewn to prevent the edge of the denim from fraying or unraveling, while shuttle looms close the edges themselves making it nigh-impossible for the edge to fray on its own through wear-and-tear. As a result of shuttle looms being much smaller and harder to produce denim on, they usually use higher quality denim and production and are more desirable and durable than non-selvage denim. Selvage denim can be easily identified by the narrow colored seams on the inside cuff of the jeans.

Sanforized and unsanforized refers to whether or not the denim has been pre-shrunk or not during production. While sanforized denim will still shrink a small percentage, it is minor and the denim can be worn without being washed first. Unsanforized denim, however, will shrink a great deal (up to 10%) upon being washed and should be washed before wearing.

It should also be noted that raw denim generally only comes in one long inseam length. This makes it possible for the wearer to hem the jeans up if they choose, or to just stack them on their shoes which is very popular. Waist sizing on dry denim also varies from brand to brand, and it is recommended that you should measure your waist personally instead of going by your regular tag size.

Find out more about raw denim at The Raw Denim Shop: http://rawdenimshop.com