Guide to How Jeans Are Made

Denim jeans are a wardrobe staple that many of us incorporate into our outfits every single day. Their versatility is what makes jeans so wearable, with many different fit and colour options to suit all sorts of outfits, styles, and occasions. But when you’re getting dressed in your favourite denim, have you ever stopped to wonder how jeans are made?

How Denim is Made

One of the biggest ways that jeans are so different from other trouser styles is that they’re made with such a unique fabric. Traditionally, denim is woven from cotton fibres, though a lot of modern fashion companies weave elastane or spandex into the fabric for stretchy, more comfortable denim. For all denim, cotton fibres are spun into yarn. This cotton yarn is then divided into two categories – the warp yarn is typically dyed with indigo dye, while the weft is kept white. When weaving the denim fabric, the blue and white fibres come together to create a finely patterned texture, with both fibres visible in the resulting fabric – the indigo fibres more prominent on one side, and the white more prominent on the other. This dual-tone weave effect gives the denim its signature look. There are two techniques used to weave denim: using a shuttleless loom or projectile loom. Most denim is made using the shuttleless loom, which results in a selvedge. This distinctive feature of denim is desirable to denim afficionados and is generally an indicator of premium quality. Once the denim has been woven, it is usually sanforised. This is a fabric treatment that prevents the material and product from shrinking later on. Some wearers prefer raw denim, which is unsanforised, but there is greater risk of shrinkage and colour fade when washing.

Historical Jeans Production

Denim jeans have really stood the test of time as a fashion essential, having been in production since the late 1800s, when they were first produced as a workwear item. Manual labourers on farms, ranches, and in factories wore denim work jeans and dungarees as a strong, hard-wearing, warm, and comfortable clothing option. Jeans were produced and worn as workwear for many decades before becoming a fashion item in the mid-20th century, when casual styles became a trend. Many of the styles we wear today are classic denim fits, like men’s straight leg jeans and women’s slim fit jeans.

How are Modern Jeans Made?

As most of us know, jeans come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colours. While wide-leg fits offer more flexibility and a statement look, slim fit and straight leg jeans act as a versatile staple around which countless outfits can be created. Lots of modern jeans are made with stretch denim, which has elastane or spandex fibres woven through the indigo-dyed cotton to allow a little extra flexibility and comfort. Like 100% cotton jeans, stretch denim can be used to cut all different styles of denim jeans for men, women, and children. When clothing brands have a design for their jeans, including a pattern to cut the fabric from, the denim can be cut to the right size and shape and stitched together. Traditional stitching might be in yellow for a contrast to the denim fabric, or in white cotton for dark indigo jeans, though some brands opt for a seamless look with cotton stitching that matches the denim itself. Traditional denim jeans incorporated a button fly, though most fashion and workwear brands now opt for a zip fly combined with a securing top button. Most jeans have two back pockets, secured with metal rivets, as well as two standard-sized front pockets and a frontier coin pocket. Some jeans may be finished with turned up hems – especially to show off that selvedge – while others simply finish at the bottom of the leg with a stitched or raw hem.

How Ariat Jeans are Made

Ariat jeans are built for comfort, style, and durability, to ensure that you feel great in your jeans for longer. In order to help you feel your best, and to keep that style going through the seasons and for different occasions, we have used some special features when designing our denim. 

• DuraStretch denim: Ariat work jeans are designed with DuraStretch work denim to offer flexibility while you work, so you can stay comfortable all day long. 
• ToughMax fibres: To provide you with boosted durability, some of our jean styles are made with extra flexible, extra durable fibres. 
• Loop Lock: To keep you secure as you wear your jeans, some of Ariat’s styles have a Loop Lock reinforced rear belt loop.
• Extra deep front pockets: Jeans are made to be worn functionally, so what’s the point of small pockets? We’ve added extra deep front pockets to some Ariat men’s jeans to boost their wearability, especially while working. 
• H2Lo production: We care about the impact that our clothing has on the planet, so produce a number of our Ariat jeans with 50% less water in the finishing process, compared to traditional methods. These jeans are more Earth-friendly, and long-lasting for extra climate consideration. 
• Non-Gap Waistband: For our women’s jeans, we know that fitting your curves is important. Our jeans have non-gap waistbands to make sure you stay comfortable and look great. 
• Work Features included: For our work jeans, we have included features like knife pockets and utility pockets to boost the usability and wearability during the working day.