All the denim terms you need to know!

If you’re into denim (and you probably are, since you’re on this site reading this), you may have heard about terms like these. This is a good place to start if you’re new to denim in general and are looking to increase your vocabulary.

• Arcuates - patterns of stitching on the back pockets of jeans, also known as back pocket signatures

• Bartack – stitches that reinforce stress points of jeans

• Chain stitch – a type of stitching with one continuous thread that is looped back on itself

• Cotton – a natural fibre from the fruit of the cotton plant

• Denim – a type of woven twill fabric, usually made from cotton

• Denim weight (oz.) – denim is measured in weight of ounces per square yard

• Dyeing – the process of adding colour to yarn

• Fades – the colour differences in denim that’s been worn and washed (or pre-washed)

• Indigo – the colour that makes blue jeans blue

• Jeans – also called ‘blue jeans,’ these are trousers made from denim

• Raw denim – denim that hasn’t been washed or treated

• Rivets – pieces of metal found at the pocket corners of jeans with the purpose of strengthening these stress point

• Roping effect – the abrasion on jeans hems sewn with chain stitching

• Sanforization – is a finish of pre-shrinking fabric before it is made into a garment

• Selvedge denim – denim woven on shuttle looms, which is recognised by the self-finished edges of the fabric

• Slubs – slubs are thickenings in yarn that result in a desired unevenness in the colours of denim

• Warp and weft – are the names of the two yarns used to weave denim

• Whiskers – horizontal and diagonal faded creases on the thighs of jeans

Source credit - DenimHunters