Understanding Denim Fabric Content

Understanding fabric content can be an important key to deciding what size to order or how to launder your jeans. There are many types of denim available, but we will discuss a few of the most common.

100% Cotton- Also called Rigid Denim, there are still a few fans of the all cotton denim. They are structured jeans that lack the maneuverability of jeans with a stretch agent. They still have their place for the customer who wants a no nonsense fit.

Cotton/Stretch Blends- Most jeans are a blend of cotton and some form of stretch such as elastane, spandex, or lycra. The addition of stretch gives you a more comfortable fit and a more durable fabric. Most of these jeans will stretch out over time. Simply washing and drying them in the dryer will normally shrink them back to size. Just be careful not to dry them at too high of a temperature or you will have smaller jeans than you started with. More premium jeans like Paige Premium Denim or 7 for All Mankind have more "memory", meaning that you can wear them a few more times before they start to stretch. We prefer to buy this fabrication with a snug fit to allow for a little stretching.

Polyester Blends- Some brands like Paige, !iT Jeans and Silver Jeans have added polyester to their fabric mix. The addition of polyester offers several benefits including longer lasting color, shorter drying times, and more durable fabric. Also, they are more wrinkle resistant than cotton/spandex blends; you can usually wear them right out of the dryer. Polyester also allows the jean to have more gripping power so it fits better to start and keeps it's shape longer. Keep this in mind when choosing your size- don't buy them tight with the hopes that they will stretch.

Tencel Blends- Tencel is an all-natural fabric that wicks moisture away from the body keeping you cool and dry on warm days and warm and dry on cold days. Tencel allows the denim manufactures to give new, smoother textures to their jeans. It can be found mainly in jeans from Level 99.

We hope this helps and will make your denim buying decisions a little easier the next time.