Denim dictionary

So what is denim anyway? 

Denim is a durable cotton or cotton-blend twill textile, typically used to make jeans, jackets, and (for adorable children and highly confident adults) overalls. To create denim fabric, the horizontal weft threads pass under two or more vertical warp threads. This process makes diagonal ribbing of denim that distinguishes it from cotton duck, which may sound like a stuffed animal but is actually the name of a similar twill fabric.

Where did denim come from? 

The quintessential American fabric originated far from America. The earliest use of denim refers to a serge material (a twill fabric commonly used in military uniforms) from Nimes, France in the 1850s. Historically, fabrics were named after their place of origin — serge de Nimes later evolved to “de Nim.” The fabric then was not the cotton denim we know today. It was a blend of silk and wool. Today’s all-cotton denim was first created in England and later perfected in American mills.

What's the history of the blue jean in 75 words or less? 

Denim work pants have been around since as early as the 17th century, when nobody could tell how they looked after 5pm because electricity had not been invented. But the first official blue jean dates back to May 20, 1873, when the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office granted patent #139,121 to Levi Strauss & Co. and Jacob Davis for the process of placing rivets on men’s denim work pants for strength.