Levi's Selvedge vs. Shrink-to-Fit
I am interested in picking up a pair of new Levi's denim and I was curious if anyone can attest if selvedge denim is usually higher quality than raw, non-selvedge denim?
9 Replies
What do you mean by "quality"?
the only difference between selvedge and non selvedge denim is that it is made on shuttle looms
and it has details that show up on the outside of the cuff
and sometimes other parts of the pants (like the front coin pocket)
it is more time intensive and therefore you are paying a premium for it
I have lots of great selvedge denim and I have lots of great non selvedge denim
with levis, the main difference lies in their lines.
- mainline is kinda garbage but is often much cheaper
- premium is a worthwhile step up in quality
- vintage & made and crafted are made in first world countries with much higher standards both for materials and build quality
Interesting, thanks for the insight
I got some of Levi's Selvedge from their premium line, we'll see how they turn out
And are the patches on the rear of Levi's premium line real leather or is it fake leather?
if it looks like leather its leather
on the lower end ones they use a paper-fabric material
Fair, I just wasn't sure if it was a vegan leather or something since they didn't advertise it anywhere that it was x y or z
And since we're slightly on the topic, what's your opinion on the cotton-hemp blend that Levi's uses in their selvedge?
I found it a bit strange at first that they weren't 100% cotton
I dont know much about it to be honest. I know that hemp is better for the environment, so thats the angle they are going for I think. That said, their higher end selvedge is always 100% cotten so who knows
Yeah I think that it is for their eco friendly angle.
Overall, everything I've heard, its a nice selvedge to get into as a first time raw/selvedge enjoyer, especially since I don't want to pay Sugar Cane or Iron Heart prices currently.
I just wish they listed more specifics like the oz of the denim and such, but I also think not many people who are buying Levi's care too much about that
Yeah. The only other decent selvedge in that price region is Unbranded and Bronson, SauceZhan, Bob Dong, & Red Tornado on AliExpress
and both have their drawbacks too
I actually looked at Unbranded due to their affiliation with N&F and I quite liked their 14oz denim, but the rise is incredibly low (at least for me) and it really turned me off of the brand.
Levi's selvedge has a 12 inch rise which is luckily what I was looking for