The Ultimate Guide to Japanese Denim

I’m sure you’ve heard of red bottoms but have you ever heard of the red thread lining the outseams of a classic pair of jeans? To denim aficionados, this is the ultimate mark of Japanese Denim. A few hundred dollars more expensive than a regular $70 bottoms, these jeans are expensive for a reason. 

Selvedge Technology

From the term “self-edge”, Selvedge denim is made using Vintage Japanese shuttle looms. Only experienced professionals can work their magic with this antique machinery. The process is slow and takes great skill. The resulting denim has tightly woven edges wrapped in red or orange thread, leaving no room for fraying. Far more durable than its mass-produced cousins, these jeans are made to last the test of time. Roll up your jean cuffs to show them off.

Natural Indigo Dyes

Each strand of Japanese denim is soaked by hand in natural indigo. A tricky and labor-intensive process that requires a lot of repetitions to achieve the desired color payoff. Compared to modern color-fast chemical sulfur dyes, this old-fashioned technique crates jeans that fade into rich electric blue hues over time. Produced in small batches, no two pairs of these almost personalized jeans are the same - each will fade in a one-of-a-kind color.

Unsanforized Finish

Most jeans are sanforized - preshrunk so the buyer no longer has to guess if a certain pair will shrink just right to fit their body. Japanese denim, however, is often sold raw or unsanforized. It is a piece of history in clothing form. You get to experience jeans the way they were made hundreds of years ago - a timeless classic that never goes out of style. The anticipation of how the denim would crease, bend, and mold to your body is a bonus you don’t want to miss.

Upgrade your wardrobe with our take on Japanese raw denim jeans: