Selvedge denim (details)
Also known as: Selvage denim, Self-edge denim, Shuttle-loom denim
Denim woven on old shuttle looms in a narrow width (~76 cm / 30 in) with a self-finished edge — visible as a coloured line (usually red) in the trouser cuff; cult status in the raw-denim scene.
Description
Selvedge denim (also self-edge) is woven on old shuttle looms — typically rebuilt Toyoda or Draper X3 machines. These looms carry the weft back and forth with a wooden shuttle, so both edges close up with a compact, non-fraying border. Because the machines run slowly and the fabric is only about 76 cm wide, selvedge denim is roughly five times less productive than modern projectile denim — and its price reflects that.
To mark the edge, a coloured warp thread is inserted (classic red for Levi's; other mills use yellow, green, white or blue). When the trouser leg is cuffed, this edge shows prominently — a key identifier. Today the most important producers are Japanese mills in Okayama/Kojima (Kaihara, Kuroki, Nihon Menpu, Collect), Turkish Isko and selected US weavers; the legendary Cone Mills White Oak (North Carolina) closed in 2017. The combination of shuttle loom, unwashed ring-spun indigo yarn and often un-sanforised cloth is what makes selvedge so appealing to denim enthusiasts.
- Loom: shuttle loom (Toyoda G3, Draper X3, Picanol), slow, narrow width
- Width: typically 30–32 in (76–81 cm)
- Recognition: coloured selvedge visible on cuffed leg
- Centres: Okayama/Kojima (Japan), USA (historic), Turkey
Properties
| Loom type | Shuttle loom (Toyoda G3, Draper X3) |
|---|---|
| Fabric width | 30–32 inch (76–81 cm) |
| Identifying feature | Coloured selvedge line (red, yellow, green) on cuff |
| Main producers | Kaihara, Kuroki, Nihon Menpu, Collect (JP); Isko (TR) |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Selvage Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selvage
- Heddels: What Is Selvedge Denim? heddels.com https://www.heddels.com/2011/01/what-is-selvedge-denim/
