Selvage

[rollups]

Is this selvage?

[merle]

Looks like it to me mate!

[adero]

no it is not. just an open seam with "zigzag" finish.

[CD]

No - that is not 'selvedge'.

It is an 'overlock stitch' (closed overlock stitch). If you take a look on the seams of t-shirts usually at the side, or the heams on the sleeves/waist - you will see this type of stitching. It basically stops the edge of the fabric from unravelling or fraying. However selvedge does not need this stiching as it is weaved in such a way that it won't unravel/fray.
The 'fake' selvedge (the overlock stitching) is used on jeans that don't use the selvedge. Some brands even use coloured stitches to give it a coloured look similar to real selvedge.
Stitched :


Real selvedge being made.



Selvedge denim made - can you see it has a straight edge!

[lamelad]

i still just don't get it! what is selvedge in simple idiot-proof language?

[CD]

Originally Posted by lamelad

i still just don't get it! what is selvedge in simple idiot-proof language?

Ok.

So you understand how fabrics are woven?
You have a row of vertical threads.
You then weave a horizontal thread across the vertical threads.
The horizontal thread goes over a vertical thread, then under a vertical thread, then over a vertical thread, then under a vertical thread etc etc.
With selvedge denim the horizontal threads go back and forth. across the vertical threads. Bascially the horizontal threads create a snake effect or a continuous S shape :
S
S
S
S
or like this -
_______ **
[_______
_______]
[_______
_______]
[_______

The [ & ] symbols are where the horizontal threads go back on themselves. These are what creates the straight edge on the fabric and stops it unravelling. This is what is known as the selvedge.
If you tried to pull the horizontal thread where the ** is then it would not unravel because it is stopped from doing so because it is looped around the vertical thread at the other end of the fabric.

As you see in the photos the vertical threads are indigo and the horizontal threads are white. Normally the selvedge is white with a red stripe. Have a look at the photos again and you will see that the end vertical threads are white with a couple of red threads - which will be the stripe. You can choose any colours you want and can vary the thickness of the selvedge aswell. Paul Smith uses his multistripe design on the selvedge for some of his Red Ear jeans. Some mills even have words in the selvedge - something used on the Yoropiko x Star Wars jeans.

non selvedge horizontal threads:

________
________
________
________
________


Non selvedge denim has the horizontal threads cut at each end and does not loop back on itself.
If you were to pull one of the horizontal threads where the ** is then the thread would come out (it wouldn't as the weave is pushed very tightly together to stop this happending - but in theory it could).
Non selvedge denim with horizontal and vertical threads would looke somthing like this :

++++++ **
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++

If you pulled the ** horizontal thread :

l l l l l l l
++++++
++++++
++++++
++++++

You would be left with the vertical threads.
So to stop the threads unravelling they use an over lock stitch which will stop the edge of the fabric from fraying.

(Now I'm not 100% sure this is correct as I'm no denim manufacturer! This is how I understand it. Please correct me if I'm wrong).

Understand now?

[Candleguy]

perfect

[dumb5]

you should be a school teacher cd. even i get it now

[altitude]

nice one CD!

[PRADA]

I read somewhere that selvage is just marketing hype and it is no better quality that regular denim. I agree that it can be good quality but it is not always better.

I was looking at some jeans the other day that were the best quality i have ever felt and they were not selvage denim. They were produced on suttle looms though but just a zigzag finish to the seam. One of the main benefits of selvage denim is that the seams are not meant to come apart as easily, however i have never ever had a pair of jeans that have come apart and i have a lot of jeans!