Like most textiles, it is available in a variety of weights, ranging between 5 and 32 ounces (oz).
What does this number actually really mean?
Denim is measured according to the number of ounces in one square yard. Although there aren’t any standardized designations for denim, generally, light denim weighs 5-12 ounces, and medium weight is 12-16oz. Anything above 16oz is deemed heavy weight. Many people consider 13-16oz mid heavy weight.
Designers and manufacturers decide the best denim for the time of year and the style of clothing being created. Fabric that is light denim or other tends to be more flexible and supple. It’s usually reserved for tops, skirts, as well as summer clothes.
The majority of shirts, jeans, and jackets are constructed from 11-13oz of denim. It is more of a medium weight denim. There’s enough heft to make it tough and suitable for all weather conditions, but it has enough flexibility that it is very wearable.
It is likely to be denim that is heavy weight to make upholstery and, occasionally, jackets and jeans. The weight will need more time to break in since the fabric will be more rigid.
Denim weight can affect your comfort. Denim that is heavy in summer could be hot, and lighter denim in winter will not keep you sufficiently warm. The weight and the size of denim that you are purchasing will give you an idea of if it’s the ability to wear 1-2-3, or even 4 seasons.
Factors That Influence The Denim’s Feel
Denim weight is the result of how the yarn used to create denim is and how tight weaved the yarns are, as well as how much yarn weighs. Different fibers weigh differently. If cotton is mixed with elastane instead of polyester, There will be an imbalance in weight and also different qualities of stretch and durability. Therefore, the 11oz blend of denim is different based on the fabric it’s mixed with.
Even when you think the fabric is made of cotton, various looms can weave fabric with different densities or yarn counts (mass in units of length). This video will explain the yarn count. Traditional selvage jeans are usually produced using older shuttle looms, particularly Japanese selvage denim. The denim made on those looms actually made into a tighter space than fully automated bullet looms. Yet, it maintains flexibility as well as a soft feel, even though they might weigh more.
Denim weight isn’t the only thing that determines how rigid it is. In particular, the way in which the fabric was processed? Was it prewashed and softened by treatment with ozone the results are similar to stone washing but more beneficial to the environment, or was it mixed with other fabrics to highlight certain characteristics like elastic (stretchy) and Lyocell (flowy).
Raw jeans can feel more rigid regardless of weight, as they’re not washed prior to washing and retain the starch needed for the cutting process and in sewing. Many denim enthusiasts believe it is essential to begin with denim in a raw state to ensure that, as jeans get older, they’ll display whiskers lines around the crotch region or honeycomb behind the knee patterns that are reflective of the wearer. Even in raw denim, lighter weights will not create distinct patterns the way mid to heavy weight jeans will since it doesn’t fold as deep.
However, the opposite is that mid to heavy weight denim comes with a longer period of break in and may be truthfully uncomfortable.
In the end, fabric weight can affect the fashion, specifically of jeans. Denim that is heavy-weight requires more of a slender cut. If your jeans are cut too narrow and tight, you cannot move them, and there’ll be plenty of skin abrasions and fabric on fabric abrasions. In contrast, denim that is lightweight can move very well, so it’s ideal for slim jeans, high waisted, or extremely wide legged jeans.
Some Sustainable Jeans Brands To Explore
Lightweight denim most denim tops fall into this category.
- 34 Heritage offers 8.5oz denim
- Toad & Co. offers 10oz jeans
Midweight.
- Wrangler provides a large range of products ranging from 11.7 and 15.25oz. Many of the fibers are blended.
- Matt & Bow – 11.5 to 12.4oz.
- Levi’s is the name you can count on for all things jeans. A lot of their jeans are 12.5oz downgraded approximately 10 years back from 14oz. Levi’s identifies which options are eco friendly. They also have several blends, including hemp which they describe as heavy-weight.
- Patagonia is also has a blend of hemp and cotton in 13.8oz. The natural cotton jeans weigh 12oz.
Heavy-weight.
- Unbranded Brand offers selvage options ranging from stretch 11oz to 21oz heavy-weight.
- Naked, as well as Famous, has a selection of 5.5 tech denim to 9.5oz Japanese selvage, all the up to 19oz, and even 32oz of heavy-weight denim.
- Iron Heart has some medium weight selvage starting at 14oz, however, their jeans are 25oz of selvage. Their denim jackets are within between 14-22oz.
Final Thoughts On The Denim Weight Of Jeans
There are many of elements that make denim, including fiber content, the type of loom, and the density of the weave. There are other elements that influence the feeling of denim. If you’re purchasing medium, light heavy, or heavy weight jeans, these variables combine to form a unique fabric that, coupled with the right clothing, creates something that is loved and durable. It is also wearable.
