Different Types Of Denim Fabric: How To Discern The Difference In Them

Denim comes from the French word Serge de Nimes, which refers to the city of Nimes, meaning "of the Nimes." Decades ago, denim was used as sailcloth, but today, we have embraced denim into our lives like no other. 

Back in the days when Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss first started to work on a denim brand to make clothes for miners, they never imagined in their wildest dreams that denim would bring a revolutionary change in the fashion industry. 

What exactly is denim? 

Denim is a fabric that has become an eternal part of everyone's wardrobe; it's that piece of cloth that gets dirty but still holds its head up in the fashion world.

World's most loveable and preferred fabric of all time, "Denim." 

One of the biggest characteristics of denim is that there is a diagonal ribbing visible on the front part of the fabric, which differentiates it from all other cotton fabrics. This unique weaving method is called twill weaving. 

Have you ever wondered why your favorite denim fabric is white on the inside and blue on the outside, unlike other clothes? This happens because wherever denim garments are dyed, the warp thread is dyed indigo, whereas the weft thread is left untouched, resulting in white color. 

Let's closely understand the different types of denim 

In a world where there is an endless number of garments made of denim, it's hard to choose the one that fits your body perfectly and flaunts your curves. 

Knowing the qualities and characteristics of denim will help get an overview of different types of denim that help the sewer to choose the correct pattern for their designs. 

• 100% cotton denim

This is the normal denim we wear on a regular basis. This fabric is versatile, durable, and rugged. 

• Raw denim 

Once it's dyed, this fabric is not washed. Raw denim does have a distressed look, whereas this almost looks like regular jeans, whereas the distressed effects can be obtained naturally by fading. 

It is primarily dark blue in color, which gradually fades away with every wash to give a more worn-out and rugged look. 

• Sanforized denim 

This denim is processed in a way that they do not shrink after the wash. Other than raw denim, all other denim is sanforized. 

If you are a hardcore fan of denim, you must gravitate towards more rough and tough denim rather than the soft, delicate one. The sanforized process prevents shrinkage of the fabric. 

• Colored denim 

Colored denim apparel is pretty common nowadays. There are two types of colored denim, blue and shades of blue, which get their color from the process of indigo dyeing. All the other colors, including pink, white, grey, red, mustard, etc., are dyed using Sulphur dying. 

• Stretch denim 

Stretch denim clothes are unlike other denim as these are incorporated with stretchy synthetic fiber, which gives much-needed stretch to the denim. These stretchy fibers are called Lycra/ Spandex. The stretch amount of the fiber will solely depend on the percentage of elastane present in it. These types of denim are a dream to wear as they are exceptionally comfortable and stretchable to carry. 

• Organic denim 

Like all organic products, this denim is also 100% organic, which means no use of chemicals during cotton growth or in the manufacturing process. These are considered the healthier and natural alternative to regular jeans or other types of denim fabric. 

• Crushed denim 

As the name suggests, crushed denim is treated to have a more wrinkled and crushed look. These wrinkles do not fade away with wash. These are often used in conjunction with other processes to give a more worn-out and crumpled look. 

• Ecru denim 

This denim does not possess any color, whereas it comes in the natural cotton color that is somewhat between creamy and pale white. 

• Acid wash denim 

Acid wash denim was popular back in the 1980s as it produces the mottled, washed, and worn outlook because of scrubbing. To create this type of denim, a pumice stone is soaked in chlorine that is further used to scrub the denim to get the desired look. 

Final words

Whether you're a 15-year-old girl or a 70-year-old man, denim is preferred by everyone and has successfully crossed the barrier of age and gender, whereas it established itself in the market as a fashionable yet comfortable fabric. Choosing the right denim can be a process, but once you find your perfect fabric and fit, it's going to last forever. 
Remember, fashion fades, but denim fabric is always loved by people worldwide instead of their ages.