How denim fabrics are made

Summary

This 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.