The unique characteristic of selvage ( aka selvedge) denim fabric originates from old looms producing widths half as wide as modern machines. This traditional fabric weaving method brings a beautiful roughness that shows a very unique more character and a very robust touch. The name selfage comes from the characteristic white edging of the fabric. While in the 1950ies the world leading denim manufacturers of America changed their machine pool to more productive methods, the Japanese preferred to stay with the high quality methods and brought it to perfection recognised by denim connoisseurs worldwide today. On top, once you roll up your leg cuff you can show-off with a quality understatement ( = the real Upper Class way 😉)

Usually considered to be of higher quality, this kind of denim is woven on a shuttle loom using one continuous thread, making it stronger and more rigid. It features a narrow, tightly woven band on both edges of the denim fabric which, one, prevents it from unravelling and, two, shows a clean finished look.

The word selvedge comes from “self-edge”, as the edge of the denim has a clean finish and comes on a 32” roll rather than the standard 62” roll. The edge of the denim is actually used in the jeans as an outseam (which you can show off by rakishly cuffing your jeans).

Selvedge jeans are carefully woven on old-fashioned shuttle looms that use one long, continuous thread. Once the thread reaches one side from the other, it loops back creating the selvedge strip on one side. The red coloured thread is a way mills would show their pride in the product and method, a tradition that continues today.

All denim used to be selvedge, but the booming demand for jeans and denim in the 50s (brought on by movie stars like James Dean) meant jean makers needed a faster, more efficient method to meet demand. They switched from a shuttle loom to a projectile loom. In the late-70s and early-80s, Japan went denim-crazy. Japanese brands started scooping up old shuttle looms and producing selvedge jeans themselves. Denim-heads in the states then began looking to Japan for the best selvedge denim.

Selvedge denim is a mix of quality, rarity, nostalgia, and personalization. Generally, a pair of selvedge jeans will last longer because they feature a denser weave, have more weight to them, provide better creasing over time, and produce a more personalized fit and feel for more character overall. Their substantial weight means they pair perfectly with a rugged tweed suit jacket and a pair of chunky brogues.