What Are the Benefits of Raw Denim?

The true benefits of raw denim lie in the fades and the fit. These jeans are stiff, dark and unforgiving at first, but over time they mould to the owner’s legs, loosen up and develop unique fade patterns in areas of wear (provided you don’t wash them too soon, but more on that later). These tend to include the backs of the knees (honeycombs), thighs (whiskers), the pockets where you keep your wallet/phone and where the denim stacks around the ankles.

“Raw denim enthusiasts appreciate high contrast fading that is achieved by rarely washing their denim,” explains David Giusti, a self-professed denimhead from Blackhorse Lane Ateliers , one of the UK’s finest jeans manufacturers. “This is to keep as much indigo on the garment as possible in low-wear areas, while also trying to wear as much indigo off of the garment in high-wear areas, creating high contrast.”

Raw Denim & Selvedge Denim: What’s The Difference?

Newcomers to the world of denim are often left flummoxed by the two main buzzwords: raw and selvedge. So let’s clear that up once and for all.

Raw Denim

Raw denim, as explained above, is denim that hasn’t undergone any sort of washing or distressing processes, leaving it stiff and full of deep blue indigo dye.

Selvedge Denim

Selvedge denim refers to the closed edges on denim that has been spun on a machine known as a shuttle loom. This is usually present as a white strip, visible when the jeans are cuffed or pinrolled , that gives a clean, finished look and prevents the material from unravelling. It’s more expensive to produce and is usually seen as a hallmark of quality denim.

The confusion occurs because raw denim often has a selvedge and vice versa. Although this is not always the case.

Sanforized Vs. Unsanforized Raw Denim

While raw denim in its truest form comes straight off the loom, a process called sanforization has become popular in recent years, which prevents the signature shrinkage that can make the process of buying raw jeans in the correct size almost as painful as wearing them for the first time.