Men's style: Denim in the men's wardrobe. Denim style: the history of the origin. Fabric care

The name of the fabric denim comes from the French area, which was called Nimes. It was there that cotton grew, from which they later began to make durable fabric. Initially, work uniforms were sewn from denim, since clothes made from this fabric were durable and did not wear out for a long time. Entrepreneurs from the USA - Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis - introduced fashion to denim. These two people can rightly be called the founders of the fashion for denim trousers. After simple working jeans were highly appreciated by the American dudes.
One of the most interesting properties of jeans was a funny blur of the dye on the fabric - with the help of food or chemical dye, you could make any (even the most intricate) pattern on clothes.

What is denim

Many people think that jeans and denim are absolutely identical fabric, only in different ways. But actually it is not. The main difference between denim is that the front side of the fabric has a light blue tint (or even blue), and the wrong side is always white. A big plus of denim is the use of exclusively natural materials. Of course, recently, stretch threads have been added to denim so that the clothes fit well to the figure and also stretch. Two types of denim are now produced - American and African. The first fabric is characterized by greater density, wear resistance, rigidity. American denim is often used to make various uniforms. African denim is distinguished by the brightness of shades, softness, and, therefore, fragility.
It should be noted that American denim is much more expensive, but also worn much longer.

How to care for denim

Denim items are quite picky. Such clothes must be washed separately from other things, since when washing with shedding things, you risk dyeing in an incomprehensible color or mixing them. It should also be noted such an unpleasant quality of denim as shrinkage. That is why it is better to wash denim items in warm water (up to 40 degrees Celsius). You can wash such clothes in the washing machine, but in the delicate wash mode. If you don’t know about the denim you just bought, then look at the special label on the product, which shows care instructions with icons.

What is sewn from denim

If you think that only trousers are made of denim, then you are mistaken. In addition, you can find caps, shoes, vests, dresses, shirts, shorts and other things from such a versatile material. Denim clothing is combined with things from almost any fabric. Chintz, twill, silk, chiffon, knitwear - all these and other fabrics will create a wonderful ensemble with denim clothes!

Denim fabric: thick cotton fabric - this is how its description sounds. Learn about the properties of denim denim from our article. Every person in the wardrobe has jeans, for which denim is traditionally used for tailoring. Many years ago, this versatile material was used exclusively in the production of workwear, and today products from it are already worn on world catwalks.

Description of denim fabric

Denim is a thick cotton twill weave. The warp thread in this weave is on the front side, and only it is dyed in the traditional indigo color. The weft thread located on the wrong side remains undyed. A separate article about and its natural composition is at the link.

Story

The word "denim" comes from the name of the French city of Nimes, where they grew durable cotton fabric.

But only the American businessman Levi Strauss guessed to use it for sewing trousers. If not for him, then the plantation workers would have worked for a long time in rough leather pants. The new trousers from Strauss turned out to be so comfortable that even American dandies began to wear them. Shortly thereafter, jeans went from workwear to fashion staples.

Properties and scope

Denim and jeans are not the same thing as many people think. Jeans is a separate group of woven fabrics, which includes denim. It is obtained by interweaving blue and white threads, so the color of the inside and the front side will always be different. Cotton for production is mined in the USA and Africa. The material from American raw material is characterized by high solidity and rigidity, while the African material is softer and brighter.

The density of denim is different and it depends on the area of \u200b\u200bapplication of clothing. A denser fabric is used when sewing jackets, trousers, hats, and a less dense fabric is used in the manufacture of light clothing and shirts.

Features of care

Denim is a demanding material. It must be washed at a certain temperature, and dried in the open air. More information about the features of fabric care can be found in the special section of the site "".

About that, you will learn in another article.

A little more about this article:

Denim - versatile and stylish

The word "denim" is rarely heard in colloquial speech. By tradition, this fabric is usually called denim, although textile and clothing manufacturers classify them in different categories. So what is denim and how is it different from jeans? This is a special type of cotton material that has a blue color, with a characteristic weave, color and density. It was originally used to make durable work trousers, and now has a wide variety of uses. In turn, denim is one of the lightweight varieties of fabrics in this group.

The history of the appearance of the name "denim" is interesting. The ancient French city of Nîmes was famous several centuries ago for the production of dense fabric, which was used mainly for sails. Such material was called "twill from Nimes", and over time, the first word was no longer used. As for denim, its name is associated with another city - Italian Genoa, through which indigo was traded. The canvas dyed by him was used to make durable clothing, primarily sailor trousers, the first mention of which dates back to the 15th century.

The main feature of the denim is a 3:1 twill weave of an indigo-dyed warp and natural weft. As a result, the wrong side of the fabric turns out to be white, and the front side has a dark blue color and a characteristic diagonal scar, associated with a shift in the exit of the weft thread at each step. These features indicate one of the classification criteria, according to which the weave can be:

right, when the diagonal is directed from the upper right corner to the lower left;
left;
herringbone, in which zigzags form on the surface.

The first type is typical for traditional denim, the most dense and durable, and its color becomes contrasting when worn. The left weave is much less common, this material is more soft and smooth. The last type of fabric is called broken twill, it is quite soft, thin and provides a good fit without twisting. This material appeared in the sixties, it is a trademark of the famous Wrangler brand.

Traditionally, denim fabrics are made from pure cotton. Recently, a mixed composition of raw materials has also been used, which provides greater elasticity and softness of the fabric, primarily for fashionable skinnies. However, classic jeans are only available in cotton. For them, raw materials grown in India and Asian countries are most often used. The most high-quality and expensive fabrics are made from Barbadian and Mexican cotton. Their density varies from 14 to 6 ounces, which corresponds to a range of values from 400 to 170 g / m2, and for many brands, for example, Levi's, the color of the web is selected in accordance with a certain value of this parameter.

Material properties

Denim has many great properties, such as:

high strength due to twill weave of fibers;
resistance to mechanical stress and durability (up to ten years or more);
high absorbent properties;
breathability;
the ability to protect from both heat and cold;
a variety of colors and textures;
low creasing;
stylish look;
resistance to pollution and unpretentiousness in care.

At the same time, most people are familiar with such specific features of real denim as strong shrinkage during washing, as well as the ability to dye both other things and wet skin. However, this does not make this fabric less attractive.

Application and care

In the tradition of Levi's brand, the founder of denim fashion, classics of this style are five-pocket straight trousers, overalls and shirts. However, now it is difficult to name a wardrobe item that would not be sewn from this fabric. In addition to a variety of clothing, hats, shoes (from boots to sandals), bags, various household items are made from it. The timeless style of denim has moved into the category of classics, suitable for any age and social status. A significant role in this is played by simple care.

Once upon a time, to maximize the fit of denim trousers, they were washed and then dried directly on themselves. Nowadays, washing rules are no longer so extreme. Denim items can only be washed separately from other clothes in a machine or manual mode. In the latter case, they are not twisted, but allowed to drain and dried to a slightly damp state. After that, the product is manually stretched to the desired size. The use of an iron is strictly prohibited.

Natural cotton fabric, which is used to create comfortable, practical elements of the wardrobe, shoes, accessories, is called denim. The original purpose of the material is the manufacture of clothing for ordinary workers. Later, the fabric gained popularity, and now denim jeans can be found on almost every person - trousers, skirts, jackets, sundresses or sneakers. Levi's and Wrangler are the leaders in clothing sales.

What is denim

Dense coarse twill weave, on which you can see the scars and tubercles, is called denim. A feature of the material is the appearance: the “face” is light blue or light blue, and the inside is white. Popular belief: denim and denim are the same material with different names, but they are not. The first option is made from twill. Denim is created on a natural cotton basis with the addition of stretch threads.

Denim style

Comfort and practicality are the main features of the denim style. A denim outfit is suitable for a walk, date, picnic, going to the beach. The main thing is to choose the right length, color, other elements of the image, accessories. Flared jeans, pipes help hide figure flaws, riding breeches are suitable for owners of ideal proportions. If in doubt, you can choose an option that fits any build - this is a classic style with a straight cut. The color of denim depends on the season: in summer and spring - light shades, for winter and spring - discreet dark colors.

When choosing elements of jeanswear, the main thing is not to overdo it: a lot of the same type of materials does not make the image harmonious. The choice of a denim jacket depends on the style and the rest of the clothes: short models are worn on a dress, with small patterns all over the fabric (bananas) or in one place (flowers on the shoulders) for a street fashionista, a denim jacket with many zippers, rivets and a large pattern on the back for a biker style. The shirt should be loose, you can tuck it into trousers for a casual look. Dresses are better to choose a free cut.

Not only denim jeans are made from fabric, but also shorts, dresses, shirts, vests, jackets. The advantage of style is versatility: denim trousers can be combined with tops, blouses, T-shirts and shirts. Any shoes will do: sneakers, heeled pumps, sandals, boots. Accessories are selected depending on the idea of the image: these are bright belts, scarves tied around the hips or neck, chains. The fabric is decorated by applying acrylic paint, embroidering patterns, patches or inserts from another material.

History of appearance

Denim begins its history in 19th century America. Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis (entrepreneurs) during the Gold Rush in the country imported material for making canvas and used it for rough trousers for American workers. Later, entrepreneurs set up the production of pants, while using soft textiles from the French town of Nîmes. After that, the name of the fabric "denim" appeared, which means "brought from Nîmes".

The composition and properties of the fabric

Denim is made from natural cotton called Gossypiumbarbadense and is made in the USA, Egypt and Turkmenistan because it requires special farming practices. The highest quality technology for creating fabric is selvedge (on shuttle machines, where it is processed, and the seam). Denim can be composed of different types of cotton, additives and have the appropriate properties:

Cotton from Mexico, Uplandcotton, is used to make smooth jeans. This is due to the length of the fibers (up to 2.5 cm).
Cheap cotton from Zimbabwe is a substitute for raw materials, which provides an opportunity to offer products to customers at different prices.
Cotton from India and Asia is among the most inexpensive products.
US ExtraLongStaple cotton (Memphis, St. Josim Valley, Mississippi, St. Louis) is used to make premium denim.
Cellulose is used for the strength of cheap fabrics.
To give color, the material is dried at least 10 times and dipped into the dye.

Varieties of material

Denim comes in its pure form (coarse fabric) or with additives used for specific purposes (to make a thing warmer so that it fits to the body). The admixtures of the canvas determine what kind of textile the result will be:

Chambray (chambray). The fiber is made of thin threads, intended for summer clothes, shirts and dresses.
Gin. Budget plain fabric made from polyester, viscose, replaces most of the cotton. The weaving of gin threads is diagonal.
Stretch. The fabric is obtained by adding elastane and serves to fit the denim to the body and adjust the silhouette.
Heated variant. Demi-season denim fabric is obtained by attaching a baize, fleece, or other dense fabric to the wrong side. Combines materials dublerin or interlining.
Summer "breathable" things are obtained by adding silk.

What is sewn from denim

Trousers remain a common product made from denim fabric. At the same time, the versatility of the material allows you to create many wardrobe items:

jackets;
vests;
shirts;
shoulder products;
skirts;
shorts;
shoes (sneakers);
bed sheets;
hats;
bags;
other accessories (shawls, belts).

Advantages and disadvantages

Denim fabric can be found in the wardrobe of almost every modern person. This is understandable: things made of material have a number of advantages:

versatility - with the right combination, you can wear a denim item for any occasion;
wear resistance, strength - properly selected material can be worn for more than one year, denim is durable;
the breathable properties of the fabric allow air to pass to the body, but do not allow to freeze or penetrate dust, the material is hygroscopic;
the fabric is not electrified;
multiple variations in the use of fabric - manufacturers make trousers, shorts, skirts, dresses, shoes, accessories, and other wardrobe items from denim;
comfortable comfortable clothes.

There are also disadvantages to fabric products. They are explained by the natural composition of the material:

slow drying after washing;
after improper washing, the fabric shrinks and becomes stiff;
fading of the material over time.

Caring for denim

Denim material can shrink after washing, deteriorate when ironing, fade. To avoid unpleasant consequences, you need to follow the rules for caring for the fabric:

Before washing, you need to fasten buttons, locks, rivets, everything metal, turn the thing itself inside out.
You can wash denim by hand or with a machine, while the powder should be without a bleaching effect (there will be blue granules in the white mass).
Before washing, you need to soak the clothes for no more than half an hour, while diluting the powder in water, and not sprinkle it on the thing.
If there are clumps of dirt on the fabric, it is better not to use a scrubbing brush. After soaking, you can wipe off the dirt with your hand.
The temperature regime for real denim is 60 degrees, and for fiber with additives - 40.
After washing, when squeezing, do not twist the fabric - this can form creases. It is better to let the water drain by itself, hanging the clothes over the edge or squeezing the fabric, holding it on both sides with your palms.
When drying, it is better to protect a denim item from the sun, batteries, radiators, otherwise it may burn out.
Dry the product inside out using a damp cloth, gauze and an iron in steam mode.
Wet denim should not be worn: this will lead to elongated fabric at the knees and other protruding places.
Denim items should only be washed at home, and not dry-cleaned. Substances that are used in a special institution can adversely affect the appearance of clothing.

Today, denim is in everyone's wardrobe. But a couple of centuries ago they were considered exclusively working clothes. As you may have guessed, today we will talk about such fabric as denim. Universal and practical, and hardly anyone remembers how he appeared in the world.

Denim Properties

The denim is very thick and hard material, made from, therefore, denim is used for tailoring not in its pure form, but with the addition of fibers. This is done for comfortable wearing of things.

The fabric has a high wear resistance and hygroscopicity. Jeans with elastane prone to severe shrinkage both in width and length. The density of the material used varies depending on the application:

Density from 6 to 10 ounces is used for tailoring light clothing, shirts.
Material in 10-14 ounces is used when sewing jackets, raincoats, hats, trousers.

History of denim

From the variety of stories about the origin of denim, everyone chooses the one they like. But one thing is certain the word denim came to us from the French city of Nimes where they once made fabric for ship sails.

Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis were the first to come up with the idea of sewing clothes from denim. In 1873, they received a patent for tailoring work clothes with copper fittings. The preference for this fabric was given only according to one principle: she was strong and durable.

At that time, denim trousers were the only thing that was sewn using this material. It should be noted that then the color of the jeans was brown. They began to paint products blue a little later.

Denim's popularity peaked in the 30s of the 19th century. It was then that cowboy westerns began to be shown, the characters of which flaunted in clothes made of this material, previously considered suitable only for sewing robes. Since then, the material of jeans, in particular, trousers sewn from it - jeans have become a symbol of a brutal and strong man.

Denim production

The material is made up of dyed cotton threads and unpainted, they are called "ducks". Threads with color are the basis of the fabric, and therefore we see them on the front side of the product. Weft threads always remain inside out. Usually the ratio of threads is three to one.

Also, in the production of denim, they can often use selvage. This is a fabric that is based on a colored thread woven into a colorless border. This technology does not allow the material to unravel. In many cases, the color of the thread is a distinctive feature of some brands.

natural dye, in which denim is dyed, it is "indigo". He has rich blue color. Recently, uneven cotton fabric has been used for its manufacture, which makes it possible to create horizontal and vertical stripes in the pattern of the material.

How jeans are made

Jeans production process from picking cotton to delivery to the store (in English)

Exists several types of denim:

Broken twill. She has an unusual weaving, which looks like a "herringbone".
Gin. The fabric is made of cotton and is completely dyed in one color.
Shamri. The lightest type of denim. From it sew shirts, sundresses.
Stretch. It contains elastane.
Ecru. This material has a natural cotton color and is not dyed.

The most famous manufacturers of denim products today are Wrangler and Levi's. It was they who, having become the founders of the denim clothing industry, managed to expand production and make denim clothing iconic.

Features of use

If you can say that about the fabric, then denim is very demanding material. Especially dark colors. The basic rule that applies to all denim products: their never dry clean . Failure to follow this rule will lead to very strong shrinkage of the item due to the interaction of the fabric with chemicals.

Due to the nature of the material products will still shrink after washing, but if this does not suit you, then, while things are wet, shape them with your hands, stretching a little, and leave to dry in this form.

In the 80s there was a whole code for washing denim clothes. It said that things should be washed on yourself with laundry soap and cold water. Drying was also recommended, so that in the future the products take shape according to the figure.

Laundry Requirements are also quite strict.

before washing fasten all locks, zippers and buttons.
clothes needed turn inside out.
do not wash with powders that contain bleach. For dark jeans, it is better to purchase a special conditioner.
wash separately from other things.
if possible wash by hand if this is not possible, then in the car on gentle mode.
better do not wring out jeans and let the water drain on its own.

Denim items better not to iron, but if you still decide, it is better to iron them slightly damp, so they will become softer. And also do not smooth the arrows, they will fade and lose their original color.

Today, like many years ago, the word denim is associated with us only with jeans, but this is not so. This the fabric is used for sewing trousers, skirts, jackets, hats, baseball caps, shoes, bags, and also as a decor for furniture.

Denim is a special fabric and therefore, when purchasing any product from this material, do not chase the brand. The most important thing in denim clothing is the quality of the material used. If you learn to identify high-quality fabric and distinguish it from a fake, then it will be easier for you to navigate the choice of product.