RAW DENIM, EXPLAINED
Raw denim is considered denim in its purest form that has not been washed after being dyed and woven. Unlike most jeans today, which are washed or treated to soften the fabric and create a pre-worn appearance, raw denim starts out largely untouched.
New raw denim is characterized by its deep, uniform colour, typically indigo blue, although other colours are available. It also has a rigid, stiff appearance and feel that gradually softens with wear as the indigo fades in areas of repeated movement and friction. This results in a pair of jeans that develops unique fades and wear patterns tailored to your body and how you wear them.
Raw denim is often made with selvedge denim and may feature a selvedge ID line.
WHAT IS SELVEDGE DENIM, AND IS IT THE SAME AS RAW DENIM?
Off the top, selvedge denim is not the same as raw denim, although the two are often paired together.
Selvedge (from “self-edge”) refers to the self-finished edges created on traditional shuttle looms. It’s characterized by the selvedge ID, a clean, finished edge, often with a red thread, that appears along the outseam when you cuff a pair of jeans.
The weaving process is slower and is often associated with more premium-quality denim.
Raw denim, therefore, can be either selvedge or non-selvedge. It simply refers to denim that has not been washed after production.
WHAT ARE FADES?
Fades on raw denim are the lighter, almost white areas that appear as the denim is worn over time. Fades occur as the dye on the surface of the threads gradually rubs off through friction, revealing the white core underneath.
How fades develop depends on several factors, including how often you wear your denim, your lifestyle, the weight of the fabric and how hard you wear it.
The most common types of fades are:
Whiskers - Fading that forms across the thighs.
Honeycombs - Fading that forms behind the knees.
Stacks - Fading that forms at the bottom of the jeans as the denim stacks around the ankles.
WHY DO PEOPLE CHOOSE RAW DENIM?
Two of the main reasons to buy raw denim are improved durability and quality, as well as the natural fading process.
Compared to a pair of regular washed jeans, raw denim can be more durable because it has not undergone post-loom washing or processing that can weaken the cotton fibres, allowing the fabric to retain more of its original strength and density.
Another appeal of raw denim is the natural fading process that develops with wear, creating a pair of jeans that becomes unique to you and reflects how you wear them over time.
BEHIND FR. DENIM
Made from Japanese selvedge raw denim, cut and sewn in Los Angeles in small batches. Available in straight and slim fits. Finished with custom-branded buttons, rivets, a leather back patch and an inside pocket lining graphic.
But that only describes the finished product. What makes it special is the time invested before production even began.
The FR. denim program took more than 18 months to develop, from spending time at the Japanese mill to multiple rounds of sampling and tweaking in Los Angeles, followed by wear testing around the world. On motorbikes. On planes. In daily life. Every day.
Before leaving the factory, each finished pair was individually inspected and numbered by founder Ralph over the course of three days.
We are hands-on and part of the process from start to finish. We sourced the best materials we could find, then designed and constructed each pair to be worn for years.