Whether baggy, boyfriend, flared, carrot or skinny, whether in white, black, blue, colorful, torn or not: everyone knows them, almost everyone loves them - in every color and shape, in every way. Probably the most purchased item of clothing in Germany: jeans.
But how long have jeans been around and who came up with the idea of this great invention? And why are jeans called jeans anyway?
Jeans originated in the USA. In 1853, 24-year-old Levi Strauss from Buttenheim (Franconia) opened his first textile shop in San Francisco, in the western USA, together with his brother and brother-in-law. Levi was of Jewish descent. His real name was Löb Strauss. After immigrating and acquiring American citizenship, he changed his first name to Levi.
Already in his childhood, his family had influenced him to sell household goods, including fabrics and sewing kits. Robust work clothes were in great demand during the gold rush. The workers in the gold mines in particular needed trousers that could withstand the hard daily work.
In 1870, the tailor Jacob Davis developed the first rivet-reinforced jeans. He had the idea of reinforcing the corners of the trouser pockets and the lower end of the fly with a rivet. The use of copper rivets from horse harnesses made the jeans even more robust and durable. This prevented the seams and pocket corners from constantly tearing. The work trousers he developed were pulled over the actual trousers like a kind of overall. Jacob Davis did not have the money to patent his idea. He turned to his business partner at the time, Levi Strauss. Convinced by the idea, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis jointly patented the production process for rivet-reinforced jeans on May 20, 1873. The patent marked the birth of the first Levis jeans. Levi Strauss has been considered the inventor of jeans ever since.
In order to stop producing these work trousers at home, the two inventors opened their first own sewing shop for jeans in 1880. Another 10 years later, the world-famous Levis 501 (R) was produced. It owes its name to the batch number "501", which was used for series production of the jeans.
The production of what was probably the most popular 5-pocket jeans followed in 1901. On February 26, 1902, at the age of 73, Levi Strauss died unexpectedly. His company Levi Strauss & Company, founded in 1853, was passed on to his four nephews as the only descendants. They continued production. Another highlight was the launch of jeans with belt loops, which were not produced until 1922.
Initially only worn by men, women also discovered jeans in the early 1920s. The “Levis Lady L” model became popular among female riders as a durable pair of trousers.
In addition, wearing jeans was frowned upon by women. It was not until the 1950s that jeans made their breakthrough in the women's world. Women no longer wanted to limit their clothing style to skirts and dresses. Elvis Presley, Marlon Brando and James Dean preferred wearing jeans just as much as well-known film stars such as Marilyn Monroe and Doris Day.
The color of jeans was not blue at first, as you might have guessed. Jeans were made of a pure, naturally white cotton fabric that was dyed with indigo. The first design and the first fabrics for the cotton pants were exported from the Italian city of Genoa to the USA. The French name for Genoa was "Gênes," which soon became the colloquial derivation for "jeans." Levi Strauss made the first jeans from the tear-resistant and robust cotton/hemp fiber fabric "Serge de Nîmes." A material that came from the city of Nîmes. This is how the name "denim jeans" that is commonly used today came about.
Most jeans are made from cotton yarn. The yarns are woven using a special weave to make them more durable. When making denim, the so-called warp and weft threads are used. The warp thread runs above the fabric, the weft thread below. Only the warp thread is dyed, the weft thread remains white. This is why your blue jeans are white on the inside. The warp thread is not completely dyed. Various washes create a wide variety of denim colors and color effects.
In the early days of jeans, there were only a few models, and they were almost exclusively made in shades of blue. Today, jeans have their own individual look thanks to special techniques and dyes. The pure denim fabric is now more elastic thanks to the addition of polyester and elastane. These additives mean that tight-fitting jeans make it comfortable to sit down and bend over.
The advantage of the additives also has a small disadvantage: the jeans are no longer as durable and resilient as they once were. But with such a large selection, the joy of a new pair of jeans from our online store is all the greater. But don't worry, before the jeans go on sale, they usually undergo numerous abrasion and tear tests. The good workmanship of the seams also plays a role. The more robust and heavier the denim fabric, the more durable the fabric is in general.
