How denim fabrics are made

Inspecta Biz

24 Jan 201703:20

Summary

TLDRThis script details the meticulous process of creating high-quality denim for jeans. It starts with blending cotton from global fields to ensure fiber length consistency, crucial for denim toughness. The cotton undergoes purification, combing, and twisting into strong threads, often combined with elastane for stretch. The iconic indigo dyeing process is highlighted, where threads are repeatedly dipped and oxidized to achieve the signature blue. The script also explains the twill weaving pattern and introduces 'Salvage' weaving on vintage looms for a softer, more durable fabric. Finally, it touches on the post-weaving processes like softening, shrinking, and strict quality control to maintain consistent denim quality for brands like Jack and Jones.

Takeaways

🌎 Cotton is sourced from fields worldwide.
📏 The length of cotton fibers determines the toughness of denim fabric.
🔄 Cotton from different bales is blended to ensure consistent quality.
🧹 Impurities such as seeds and weeds are filtered out of the cotton.
🧵 The cleaned cotton fibers are combed and formed into a thick rope called a sliver.
💪 Six slivers are combined to create a stronger, slimmer sliver which is then twisted into a strong thread.
🔧 Elastane is twisted into the thread to create stretch denim with stretchability.
🌿 Most jeans are dyed with indigo, an ancient dye originating from the indigofera plant.
🔵 Threads are repeatedly dipped in indigo dye to achieve an intense dark blue color, with the inside remaining white, giving denim its characteristic look.
🔍 The twill pattern of blue and white threads creates the denim pattern, with the warp threads running vertically and weft threads running horizontally.
⚙️ Salvage denim, made on old shuttle looms, is softer and more durable, produced primarily in Japan and Italy.
🛠 The denim fabric is softened, stretched, heated, and shrunk to ensure jeans remain the same size after sale.
🔍 Strict quality control is performed to detect defects or color variations before the fabric leaves the mill, ensuring consistent quality for Jack and Jones jeans.

Q & A

What determines the toughness of denim fabric?
-The toughness of denim fabric is determined by the length of the cotton fibers used in its production.
Why is it necessary to blend cotton from different bales?
-Blending cotton from different bales ensures consistent quality by minimizing variations in fiber length.
What impurities are removed from the cotton fibers during the blending process?
-Impurities such as seeds and weeds are filtered out during the blending process to ensure the purity of the cotton fibers.
What is a sliver in the context of cotton processing?
-A sliver is a thick rope of combed and blended cotton fibers that is formed before spinning into thread.
How is the cotton sliver made stronger in the production process?
-The cotton sliver is made stronger by stretching and combining six slivers to create a single, stronger yet slimmer sliver.
What material is added to the cotton thread to create stretch denim?
-Elastane, a kind of rubber, is twisted into the cotton thread to create a thread with stretching ability for stretch denim.
What is the characteristic color of most jeans and how is it achieved?
-Most jeans are colored in the characteristic blue indigo color, which is achieved by dipping the threads in large tubs with indigo dye and exposing them to oxygen, which turns the threads blue.
What is the twill pattern of blue and white threads in denim called and how is it created?
-The twill pattern is created by the blue warp threads being pulled up and down on the loom and the white weft threads being shot back and forth, resulting in a pattern of blue and white threads.
What is the most common weave used in denim production and what does it signify?
-The most common weave used in denim production is a three by one weave, meaning that three warp threads are visible for every weft thread, making the weft more visible on the back side of the fabric.
What is Salvage and how is it different from modern denim weaving?
-Salvage is a type of weaving used in the RDD collection, made on old shuttle looms dating back to the 1950s. It is slower and creates a softer, more durable fabric with less tension on the yarn, requiring more skilled workers and is only produced in Japan and Italy.
Why is the denim heated and shrunk before it leaves the fabric mill?
-The denim is heated and shrunk to prevent the fabric from twisting after it's sewn into jeans, ensuring that the jeans stay the same size after they are sold.
What is the final step in the denim production process before the fabric leaves the mill?
-The final step in the denim production process is a strict quality control check to detect any defects or variations in color and fabric, ensuring consistent quality denim.

Outlines

00:00

🌏 Global Sourcing and Blending of Cotton

This paragraph discusses the global origin of cotton and the importance of fiber length in determining denim toughness. It explains the process of blending cotton to ensure quality consistency, including the removal of impurities and the combing of fibers into a sliver. The paragraph also introduces the concept of combining six slivers to create a stronger, yet slimmer, thread suitable for stretch denim, which incorporates elastane for added flexibility.

📜 The Art of Denim Weaving and Dyeing

The second paragraph delves into the weaving process of denim, highlighting the twill pattern created by the interplay of blue warp and white weft threads on the loom. It describes the common three by one weave and introduces the Salvage weaving technique used in the RDD collection, which is produced on vintage shuttle looms for a softer and more durable fabric. The paragraph also covers the dyeing process using indigo, sourced from the Indigofera plant, and explains how the characteristic blue color is achieved through a series of dips and oxidation reactions, resulting in the denim's distinctive faded look when worn.

🔍 Quality Control and Fabric Finishing

The final paragraph focuses on the post-weaving processes of denim production. It describes how the fabric is softened, stretched, and heat-treated to prevent twisting and ensure consistent sizing. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the strict quality control measures in place at the fabric mill, where any defects or color variations are detected to maintain the high standards of denim quality for the Jack and Jones brand.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Cotton

Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plant. It is one of the most widely used natural fibers in the world and is the primary material for denim fabric. In the video, cotton is sourced from fields all over the world and its fiber length is crucial for the toughness of the denim.

💡Denim

Denim is a durable cotton textile in which the warp yarns are dyed blue and the weft yarns are left natural or white. It is the traditional fabric used for making jeans. The script discusses the importance of the length of cotton fibers in determining the quality and toughness of the denim fabric.

💡Blending

Blending in the context of the video refers to the process of mixing different bales of cotton to ensure a consistent quality of the final product. The script mentions that the cotton is blended to achieve uniformity in fiber length, which is essential for the production of high-quality denim.

💡Impurities

Impurities in the script refer to unwanted materials such as seeds and weeds that are present in the raw cotton. The process of removing these impurities is vital for achieving the purity of the cotton fibers, which is necessary for the strength and quality of the denim fabric.

💡Sliver

A sliver is a continuous strand of fibers that has been carded and drawn to a uniform thickness. In the video, the pure blended cotton fibers are combed and formed into a sliver, which is a precursor to the spinning process that will create the threads used in denim production.

💡Elastane

Elastane is a synthetic fiber known for its exceptional elasticity. It is often used in fabrics to provide stretch and recovery. The script explains that elastane is twisted into the cotton thread to create a stretch denim, which allows the fabric to have a stretching ability.

💡Dyeing

Dyeing is the process of applying color to a fabric. In the script, the characteristic blue color of most jeans is achieved through dyeing with indigo, which is a natural dye derived from the indigofera plant. The dyeing process is detailed, showing how the threads are dipped in indigo and oxidized in the air to achieve the blue color.

💡Indigo

Indigo is a natural dyestuff obtained from the indigofera plant and is historically used for dyeing textiles, particularly cotton. The script describes how indigo is used to create the iconic blue color of jeans, with the threads being dipped repeatedly in indigo to achieve a deep blue hue.

💡Twill Pattern

A twill pattern is a type of textile weave with a diagonal pattern that is typically more visible and pronounced than other weaves. In the script, the twill pattern of blue and white threads is mentioned as a characteristic feature of denim, with the blue warp threads and white weft threads creating the distinctive look of the fabric.

💡Weave

Weave refers to the way in which the warp and weft threads are interlaced to create a fabric. The script discusses the most common weave for denim, a three by one weave, which means that three warp threads are visible for every weft thread, contributing to the fabric's unique appearance.

💡Salvage Weaving

Salvage weaving is a traditional method of weaving denim on old shuttle looms, which is slower and requires more skill than modern looms. The script mentions that this method is used in the RDD collection, resulting in a softer and more durable fabric due to the reduced tension on the yarn.

💡Quality Control

Quality control is the process of ensuring that the fabric meets certain standards of quality before it is used for production. The script describes a strict quality control process at the fabric mill, where any defects, variations in color, or inconsistencies in the fabric are detected to ensure the consistent quality necessary for high-quality jeans.

Highlights

Cotton comes from fields all over the world.

The length of the cotton fibers determines the toughness of the denim fabric.

To ensure consistent quality, cotton is blended by scraping layers off each bale and drawing them into the mixer.

Impurities such as seeds and weeds are filtered out to obtain pure blended cotton fibers.

The pure cotton fibers are combed and poured into a thick rope called a sliver.

Six cotton slivers are stretched and combined to create a stronger yet slimmer sliver.

The sliver is pulled and twisted into a strong thread.

For stretch denim, elastane (a kind of rubber) is twisted into the thread, providing stretchability.

The threads are collected on large barrels to prepare for dyeing.

Most jeans are colored with the characteristic blue indigo dye.

Indigo dye originates from the indigofera plant and is among the oldest dyes used for textile dyeing.

Threads are dipped in large tubs of indigo color and exposed to oxygen to turn blue.

The repeated dipping creates an intense dark blue color with a white core, giving denim its characteristic faded look when worn.

Denim's twill pattern consists of blue (warp) and white (weft) threads woven together.

The most common weave is a three-by-one pattern, where three warp threads are visible for every weft thread.

Salvage denim is made on old shuttle looms from the 1950s, producing a softer and more durable fabric.

Salvage denim production is slower and requires skilled workers, primarily in Japan and Italy.

To prevent fabric twisting, denim is softened, stretched, heated, and shrunk.

Strict quality control detects any defects or variations in color to ensure consistent quality.

Consistent quality denim is essential to maintain Jack and Jones' standards in jeans.