How much do you spend on jeans? Is a $200 pair really worth the money compared with a $30 pair? The true value of jeans is up to the individual purchasing them, and is either based on trendiness, durability, comfort or all of the above. However, it should be brought to your attention that some of the cheaper jeans on the market are in fact a higher quality than some designer jeans. Below I will explain to you how to judge the overall quality and durability of jeans, whether they are a $200 pair of designer jeans or a $30 pair of Levis.
There are several factors to building quality in a pair of jeans whether in art or science. The science of the jean comes in chemistry in both the yarns as well as the wash. The art is in the pattern as well as the design aesthetics.
Denim Weight/Twill – The first aspect of quality to look for in a pair of jeans is the fabric. The myth is the heavier the fabric of the jean, the better the quality. The weight does not determine strength; it is the yarn construction within the fabric. Without getting too technical, the main yarns used in any fabric are ring spun yarns vs. open ended yarns. You can find the garment descriptions online. OR…while looking at the garment in the store use this: in all denims there is an obvious cotton slub (a slight bump or white discolored yarn). The longer the slub, the longer the cotton yarn (in most cases this can be assumed to be ring spun). The longer the twisted cotton yarn the stronger the yarn. Think of a rope, when it is a single strand it is much weaker than if it is twisted with another of its kind.
As the jean is washed down to a lighter wash, the more broken down the fabric will become, therefore the softer the jean “should” become. If a jean is sold as a dark stonewash and the fabric is soft, that is a great indication the jean is made of ring spun yarns, which by nature are a softer, longer, typically stronger yarn. If the wash is sold as a light wash and the fabric is rougher to the touch, it is a good indication the fabric is composed of open-ended yarns…hence not of strong fabric. In-store action: Look for longer slubs (indicating long yarns) that are ring spun. If you can’t tell, ask an assistant in the store. Stonewash jeans that have soft fabric generally are spun by stronger, more durable yarns.
Belt loop fray happens when the jean is finished without a fusible in the belt loop. The inner loop should have a finished edge as an effect of using the fusible. A lesser quality jean will have the loop trimmed after wash which will eventually fray after a few home laundries. The inside of the belt loop should be cut diagonally to create a “point”. The loops that are cut straight across are trimmed after wash and most likely do not have the proper fusing in them. In-store action: Look for fused belt loops, which will reduce fraying after washing.
Stretch denim will naturally grow; it is the recovery of the stretch that is quality factor. If a stretch denim’s waistband (WB) is not properly sewn and/or fused, the WB of the stretch denim will grow and not recover to its original state. You can test this by pulling the WB several times, and if it is not sufficiently fused (on the inside) the WB fabric will appear wavy when laid flat.
Waistband – Contour vs Straight- In women’s jeans these are the two kinds of WBs. A two-piece WB is called a contour WB. This will curve and shape with your waist. A straight WB will sit simply where it hits the wearer and cut into the waist as it is not shaped to the wearer but to the legs of the garment itself. Contour, if correctly executed on the jean, should be more comfortable than a straight WB as it allows more give and should help to eliminate back WB gapping. A contour WB will not only have a topstitching needle line at the very top of the band, it should look as two pieces of fabric are sewn together. A straight WB will simply have a topstitch needle line, as the WB is cut in one piece and then doubled over. (This is more of a fit aspect than a direct component of quality). In-store action: If you can’t decipher whether or not the waistband is contour or straight, be sure to ask an attendant in the store or read the product description online.
Zipper - (YKK/Riri vs non branded) in most cases this can be checked right on the zipper pull. YKK is an adequate zipper, versus Riri which will only be on the higher price point jeans. Anything non-branded is suspect and a sign quality has been compromised.
Pocketing - Pockets were created as a necessity of function and therefore should be a comparable quality to the shell (denim) fabric. In a lesser quality jean, the pocketing is one of the first things (other than the denim) to get compromised. In some pocketing qualities, simply pulling the pocketing in all 4 ways will start to separate the yarns/fabric, creating the start of a hole. Pocketing should have a softer hand feel and not rough paper-like hand feel. A general rule of thumb is that the pocket should have the shape to allow your fingers to rest easy. If the shape of the pocket is short or squared it is a sign quality was compromised for cost. As always, any excess threads should be trimmed away from the inside of the pocket.
Overall craftsmanship – With any garment made, the garment goes through an inspection. A quick look at the jean can tell you if the extra threads have been trimmed as well as any excess embroidery backing out of the back pocket (if embroidery exists). A quality factory will catch these & send out a clean garment. With any jean, the wash is a huge component of quality. This is subject to opinion, but the more washed and processed (hand sanding, whiskering, ironed wrinkles) the jean, the more the jean costs to make. Each process requires a different technician to touch the jean, which adds cost.
Use these tips to self-evaluate the quality of jeans you are considering purchasing. If you have trouble assessing these features, don’t hesitate to write these points down and ask the store attendant about them in the design. This information is readily available in product descriptions for most retailers when you are shopping online. If you wish to buy designer jeans, you should still evaluate these points to ensure the longevity of your purchase.
Michele Wilkerson is an experienced expert in the field of men’s, women’s and children’s garment construction, which a strong emphasis placed on denim quality. As a consultant for LivingPlusSize.com she brings valuable experience in the field of fashion and product quality. Michele’s evaluation of retailer’s product quality is a strong filtering criteria used in determining who is included in the valuable resource listings on our website.
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