Broken Twill Fade February Fact #7: When Denim is woven into either a right hand twill or a left hand twill and sewn into jeans it has the tendency to twist in its respective direction.  A solution to this problem is the broken twill. As you can see in the picture, a broken twill is woven with 2 stitches to the right, and then 2 stitches to the left, resulting in a jean that will not have twisted seams.

Kicking Mule Workshop Left Hand Twill Fade February Fact #6: Yesterday we touched on right hand twill, the most common weave of denim. Today we’ll look at left hand twill. This is when denim is woven the opposite way.The weft threads go under three warp threads and then over one, creating a diagonal line to the left on the inside of the denim fabric. Cotton yarns that make up the denim are typically spun to the left, and it is thought that by also weaving the denim to the left that the end product will have a softer hand feel against the skin. Some agree with this, while others feel there is no difference. We’ll let you be the judge.

Right Hand Twill Fade February Fact #5: When manufacturing denim, there are a few ways to go about making the fabric. All fabric is comprised of warp (up and down) and weft (side to side)  threads. Denim is typically woven in a 3X1 twill, meaning the weft thread goes under 3 warp threads and over one (to the right) creating a diagonal pattern going across and down to the right. It is also known as the ‘Z’ twill because the stitches make a ‘Z’ shape.

Unspun Silk Fade February Fact #4: Webster’s Dictionary defines denim as “a firm durable twilled usually cotton fabric woven with colored warp and white filling threads “, but this hasn’t always been the case. When denim was first manufactured it was thought to be made out of silk and wool. Now denim is made out of cotton and occasionally has stretch elements added to it. Denim evolution for a denim revolution!  

George Washington Fade February Fact #3: It is said that George Washington toured a denim production line in Massachusetts in 1798. Not one of his most notable acts, but interesting none the less. The man was a trend setter, and denim is still going strong in 2012!

Have you ever wondered how denim got its name? If so, you’re in luck today. Fade February Fact #2: Originally, our favourite textile started out in Nimes, France. It was thought to have been produced by the Serg family, and was referred to as “Serg de Nimes”, and later on shortened to “de Nimes’. And now, denim!  There’s much more where that came from, stay tuned for some more denim facts.

“February” starts with an ‘F’ and so does “Fade”. In light of that information we have now deemed February as ‘Fade February’. For the next 25 days we will be posting interesting denim facts, questions, and definitions. The info will range  from the most basic, to facts the most denimy of denim heads might not know. Fade February Fact #1: Raw denim, also known as ‘dry’ denim, is not washed or treated with chemicals when it is manufactured. With lots of wear and love, the result is a jean exclusive to your your body and your life. Something that can’t be replicated. Love Raw!

Way back in November, we had a custom event with Naked & Famous. Our buddies at Hypebeast covered it and made a video for your enjoyment! Check it out:

We’ve received quite a few submissions for our record label, but are dying to hear more! Don’t forget to submit before January 31st, 2012. In the meantime, check out this artistic submission we received from the USA. The envelope is awesome, and the music sounds great too!

Although we did receive a bit of flack for our Boxing Day 2011 ad in the Georgia Straight, we still had quite a few supporters/protesters show up for our legendary Boxing Day sale. Thank you to everyone who made 2011 a great year for us! We love you!