Types of Denim

By Eman Abdallah Kamel

In this article, you will learn about the different types of denim fabrics, including sustainable denim fabrics, and their benefits.

Denim

Denim is a versatile fabric. Its natural color is blue, but it’s also dyed in various shades, such as black, brown, and olive green. Denim is most commonly used as the raw material for jeans, but it can also be used to make shirts, jackets, skirts, dresses, hats, handbags, and other items.

Environmental pollution has risen significantly because of increased jeans production to meet the needs of large segments of the global population. Studies have shown that current denim manufacturing practices pose significant risks and that the future lies in sustainable manufacturing and effective waste management. Recycling in manufacturing, including jeans production, and a zero-waste circular economy are long-term goals, and many companies and factories have begun working towards this objective.

Types

1. Organic Denim

Organic denim fabric is made from 100% organic cotton. No chemicals are used.

2. Ramie Cotton Denim

Ramie-cotton blend denim is a type of blended fabric available in a variety of styles and price points. Ramie, a plant fiber, is typically added to reduce wrinkles and give the fabric a sheen. However, it is not as strong as cotton.

3. Raw Denim

Raw or dry denim is denim fabric that is not washed after dyeing during the production process.

Did You Know?

Most denim is washed after it is made into a garment to soften it and prevent shrinkage. Raw denim is sometimes also treated with a “distressed” finish to give it a worn look.

A large part of the appeal of dry denim is that the fabric fades over time, much like factory-distressed denim. However, this fading in dry denim is influenced by the wearer’s body and daily activities.

4. Colored Denim

This is made from dyed yarns, either in the warp or weft. Colored denim is actually a type of twill, not regular denim.

Did You Know?

“Denim” refers to the traditional indigo and white fabrics used in the manufacture of jeans.

5. Crushed Denim

Wrinkled or crushed denim fabrics are woven with an over-twist weft yarn. This type of denim has a permanently wrinkled appearance, and the fabric shrinks when washed.

Bubblegum denim. Image source: ebay.com

6. Bubblegum Denim

Bubblegum denim contains Lycra and has a stretch level of between 35% and 50%.

7. Selvage Denim

Selvage denim is a type of denim characterized by a clean, natural edge that doesn’t fray. It’s typically sold in its raw, unwashed state. The weave-edged denim usually runs along the outside seam of the jeans, making it visible when the hem is folded. While weave-edged denim isn’t the same as unwashed denim, the presence of this hem generally indicates higher-quality denim.

Did You Know?

The word “selvage” comes from the phrase “self-edge” and refers to denim made on old shuttle looms. These looms weave the fabric with a single continuous cross-thread (the weft) that runs back and forth along the length of the fabric roll. When the weft returns to the edge of the denim, it forms this “self-edge” or weave-edge. The raw edge is desirable because its hem doesn’t fray like lower-quality denim with separate wefts that leave an open edge requiring stitching.

Weaving on a shuttle loom is a more time-consuming process and produces denim with a denser weave, resulting in a heavier and more durable fabric. The edges of the fabric are typically stitched with colored threads: green, white, brown, yellow, and red.

8. Vintage Denim

This denim fabric has a distressed, old-fashioned look. Regular jeans are treated with stonewashing. Or cellulose washing using organic enzymes and bleach, resulting in a distressed and aged appearance.

Ecru denim fabric. Image source: puresilks.us

9. Ecru Denim

This denim is not dyed indigo. It has a single-color yarn in both the warp and weft.

10. Reverse Denim

In inverted denim, the right side and the back side are identical.

11. Marbled Denim

Also called acid-washed denim. This type of denim is washed in a strong bleach solution.

12. Slub Denim

This type of denim is woven using unwoven yarns in both the warp and weft. It is a rare type of denim and, over time, develops a unique crosshatch pattern.

13. Bull Denim

Bull denim fabric is characterized by its durability and weight. It is ideal for furniture covers, upholstery, curtains, and cushion covers.

14. Printed Denim

This denim fabric is printed with a specific pattern—batik, striped, or floral.

15. Recycled Denim

Lost cotton fibers from the manufacturing process, fabric scraps from cutting and sewing, and old, used denim can all be used in recycled denim. Textile materials are typically recycled through a mechanical process, in which a machine reduces them to the fiber stage for re-spinning. Recycled fibers are weaker than raw fibers, so they are usually blended with new raw materials. While 100% recycled denim fabrics are available from pre- and post-consumer waste, since their quality is not significantly affected by the recycling process, it is currently impossible to produce 100% recycled fabrics from post-consumer waste because the fibers are too weak.

Recycled Denim Benefits:

Recycled denim fabric can be transformed into a variety of sustainable products, including building insulation, pet bed stuffing, and thermal insulation for eco-friendly food and medicine packaging.
It conserves natural resources.
It saves energy.
It reduces landfill waste by reusing existing denim materials rather than creating new fabrics.

Sources

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