What is Denim ? 12 types of Denim Fabric

2021 08/25

Denim is a strong, sturdy, 100% cotton twill fabric.

One of the characteristics of denim is that there is a visible diagonal rib on the surface of the fabric, which is different from other cotton fabrics. This is a special twill weave that can form this diagonal pattern. The fibers are woven in a twill weave pattern on the loom.

Have you ever wondered why your jeans are white on the inside and blue on the outside? This is because when weaving denim, the warp threads are dyed indigo, while the weft threads are undyed. This special weaving method crosses colored threads (mainly indigo) with white threads to form a very attractive two-color appearance. The color is on the surface of the fabric, and the white is pulled to the back.

The twill weave of the denim fabric makes it very durable and gives it excellent drape.

1 100% cotton denim

This is ordinary denim, and you can process it in many different ways to create the different types detailed below. This fabric is very durable, hard-wearing and versatile.

2 Raw denim

This is a fabric that is not washed after dyeing. This washing is usually to soften the fabric and eliminate shrinkage. Basically we call it sewing prewash. This is also called unsanforized denim
Raw denim looks very uniform, without any old-fashioned jeans we are familiar with. No matter what kind of distressed appearance is required, it must be naturally obtained through fading and pressure. This is a natural process, and some people think it looks preferable to factory-made distress. It is important to pre-wash the coarse denim before sewing/wearing.

3 Sanforized Denim

This is a processed denim that will not shrink after washing. Except for the original denim, most denim is Sanforized.

4 Colored denim

There are two colors of denim blue and other colors. The blue or nearly blue hue is produced by a process called indigo dyeing. Sulfur dyeing gives denim other colors, such as black, pink, gray, mustard, green, red, etc.

5 Stretch denim

This is the combination of denim and elastic synthetic fibers (such as Lycra/Spandex) to make it elastic. The elasticity of the fabric depends on the percentage of elastic fibers in it.

6 Selvedge Denim

This refers to denim with tassels, which are decorated with bands that are usually orange or red. It is also called self-edge or selvedge denim. It is generally believed that the quality of this denim is better than other denims. Japan is the largest producer of this denim fabric.

7 Crushed Denim

This is a denim fabric that has been woven and treated to make it look permanently wrinkled or crushed.

8 Waxed reverse Denim

This is a denim fabric with a layer of wax on the back for waterproofing. Mainly used to make outdoor equipment and bags

9 Acid wash Denim

This is also called marble denim. This refers to finishing denim with pumice soaked in chlorine gas. Due to the abrasion of the stone, the color of the fabric gradually fades, forming a charming contrast with indigo. The fabric is then rinsed, softened and dried. You can have this effect on jeans with some work at home-check out this post on 15 ways to wear jeans.

10 Poly Denim

This is denim with a certain proportion of polyester fiber. This fabric is soft to the touch, easy to care for, and has a certain degree of elasticity; sewing jackets, shirts and hats are very popular. Polyester blends increase the durable smoothness and finish of denim

11 Ecru Denim

Undyed indigo denim. This fabric has the natural color of undyed denim.

12 Bull Denim

This is a denim fabric that is very strong and tough due to its 3*1 twill structure. It is not as tough as canvas, but it is very durable and heavy. Denim is mainly used for interior decoration and home decoration, not clothing

13 Thermo denim

This is also called double denim. This denim fabric has a lightweight fabric glued to the denim. This fabric makes the clothes look like they are lined

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