Quality jeans are jeans made of cotton and will last for many years. Many would argue that the fabric in the jeans must be woven in Japan or the USA before 1970 to be of high enough quality to be called quality jeans. Check out our quality guide below:
1. Are the jeans made of cotton?
Jeans should be made of 100% cotton. The cotton fabric should be twill, which is a quilting technique that creates a diagonal pattern. This technique creates a fabric that moves and conforms to your body and your movement pattern.
There are many jeans that are made with 1-2% elastane. This makes the jeans a little elastic and more easily molds to your body. Many people like this feeling and prefer jeans with stretch.
If you want quality jeans that will last for many years, you should not choose stretch because the elastic in the pants will eventually loosen and the pants will quickly become a little sloppy.
2. Are the jeans light or dark in color?
Jeans are woven with cotton thread that is traditionally dyed indigo, a dark blue color. Because cotton is initially white, the cotton thread will have a core that is lighter in color than the outer edge of the thread. The outer edge of the indigo dye is so dark that it is almost black. As the jeans are washed, they lose their color and become lighter.
Many factories therefore wash the denim before selling it to consumers so that the color is lighter. This washing process also wears down the cotton fibers and reduces the lifespan of the pants.
3. Do the jeans have holes or areas that are much lighter than other areas?
Unless you buy used jeans, holes and light areas are a sign that the jeans are adapted to a fashion statement and not to have the best possible quality. These are trends that come and go in a fashion world characterized by fast fashion, and quality is rarely the foremost parameter when larger chains develop such jeans.
These jeans have been laser-treated, so that the cotton threads in various areas are burned with a laser to give them a worn look. The reason they do this is to make the pants look like someone has already worn them in.
All jeans will become lighter and more worn over time. If you want a quality pair of jeans that will last for years, you have to do the work of wearing them yourself. If you buy some that are machine-worn, you are buying pants that have already lost years of their lifespan before they even hit the market. It is not a sustainable way to make clothes.
Conclusion
1. Buy jeans that are 100% cotton
2. Don't buy jeans with stretch, but let the twill in the jeans mold to your body and your movements.
3. Buy jeans in a dark indigo color, so-called raw denim, and let your use and the ravages of time give the pants the worn look and "vintage jeans" feel that everyone loves.
By and large, only Japan produces cotton twill of a high enough quality to make quality jeans. Read more about why this is the case here .
