12/12/2013
Facts About Denim
Where is denim manufactured?
Before the 1970’s denim was only produced in the United States. Since then denim manufacturing has spread through the world and all the following countries produce pretty serious amounts of denim: in no particular order) Italy, Greece, and Brazil. Turkey, Morocco, Tunisia, Japan, Taiwan. Korea, Hong Kong, China, India, Pakistan, Indonesia, Australia, Dubai, South Africa, Philippines, Mexico, and Spain.
Why only ring spinning?
Ring Spinning is the system used to make denim yarn in the 1960’s and earlier. During the 1970’s a new technology called “open-end” spinning replaced much of the former ring production.
Ring Spinning-it’s a process of inserting twist by means of a rotating spindle. Twisting the yarn and winding it on the bobbin takes place simultaneously and continuously.
Benefits of ring spinning are strength (important for wet processing) and hand feel. But the process is more expensive than open spinning.
Rotor Spinning-(open end spinning) this process inserts twists by means of a rotating conical receptacle into which the fiber is admitted. IN open end spinning air current and centrifugal force carry the fibers to the perimeter of the rotor where they are evenly distributed in a small group. The tails of the fibers are twisted together by the spinning action of the rotor and the yarn is continuously drawn from the center of the rotor. The greatest benefit is price and yarns can be virtually perfectly straight with few nubs. Unfortunately the yarns are weaker than ring spun yarns and lack of visual imperfections are not necessary attractive to the keen denim eye.
The change from Ring to Open end spinning?
Some historians believe America textile manufacturing was introduced to Czech open-end spinning machinery in 1967 at the international textile machinery show in Basel Switzerland.
At the time as denim demand was exploding across the planet. Manufacturers were keen to find machinery that could manufacture the product at a better price. And with a superior product.
How much denim is annually produced in the world?
We believe worldwide production stands near 2.5 billion yards. The US denim mills alone turn out about 1 billion yards annually between their American and foreign production plants.
Since 1997 American denim manufacturers have had difficult times, and denim production in China and India are growing quickly.
Who are the largest denim suppliers in the world today?
It would be great if this figure was available but the four largest producers are Cone Mills, Arvin, Santista, and Tavex
Who buys the most denim in the world?
Again it is unclear but the largest consumers of denim in the USA are Levi Strauss, VF Corporation, Wal-Mart, Gap, and JC penny
How big is the global jeans industry?
Just – Style believes the world retail jeans market was worth US $ 49 Billion in 2004 and Just –Style forecast that this figure will rise to US $53 billion by 2012 a volume growth of about 11%
How many jeans are sold in the USA?
As of 2004 the retail US jean industry was a $12 billion business, we believe 450 million jeans are sold each year.
Do Americans buy the most jeans?
Earlier this year as global lifestyle Monitor survey conducted by Cotton Incorporated and cotton council international revealed that Colombians own the most denim items (14.7) and own the most jeans on average (7.5 pairs). While Germans wear denim jeans/shorts most often (4.5 days per week) nearly one-third of the consumers surveyed say they were planning to purchase the same amount of denim. Jeanswear in the next 12 months as the previous year, while 41% of Colombians 32 per cent of British and 31% of Brazilians were planning to buy more denim.
Does denim fabric production pollute the environment?
YES
Are all jeans made from denim?
While the historical definition implies that all jeans are made of denim the word jeans generally mean a 5 pocket garment that has two pockets in the front two in the back and small change pocket inside the front right pocket. This style made in any fabric can be called a “jean” and certainly includes corduroy, and piece dyed cotton fabrics.
What is the difference between the jean Levi Strauss made in 1864 and current jeans?
Today’s indigo dyestuff is synthetically manufactured and the yarns and weaving are much more technically advanced. The quality is much superior also.
What is fuss about salvage? And why is it so expensive?
The selvage denim or akamini as they call it in Japan is the denim used by Levi for their 501 jeans until 1986. The fabric was produced on a narrow shuttle loom and usually contained a red thread woven into the selvage which is the finished edge of the fabric.
The outside leg pattern piece was laid out flush with the edge of the fabric so that the outer seam was made of this colored striped selvage.
Lee also used selvage denim in their early years but their yarn was green/blue rather than red. Wrangler selvage yarn was yellow, blue, or left completely white.
All vintage selvage jeans are highly collectable.
