A Jort History of Denim

Denim’s Rugged Roots

Denim wasn’t born in America, but we sure made it our own. Originating in Nîmes, France (“de Nîmes” = denim), and embraced by Genoese sailors, this durable fabric found its true calling in the 1870s when Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis added rivets, creating the first blue jeans. Built for miners and cowboys, denim became the uniform of the working class—tough, reliable, and ready for anything.

From Rebellion to Runways

By the 1950s, jeans had gone from workwear to wear-if-you-dare. James Dean’s Rebel Without a Cause made denim a symbol of teenage defiance, and by the ‘70s, everyone from hippies to rock stars had adopted it. The ‘80s and ‘90s took denim from dive bars to designer runways, cementing its place in American culture—until the 2000s, when we veered into bedazzled pocket territory.

The Curse of Stretch Denim

Then came stretch denim, and with it, a tragic decline in jean integrity.

Why Stretch Denim is a Scam:

1. Flimsy Fabric – True denim gets better with age. Stretch denim, loaded with elastane (plastic), breaks down fast

2. Saggy Disaster – Ever had jeans fit in the morning but droop by lunch? Blame elastane.

3. Environmental Nightmare – It sheds microplastics and can’t be recycled like pure cotton denim.

4. A Lie – It tricks you into thinking it fits, then betrays you hours later.

Denim’s Future: Back to Basics?

Today, fast fashion churns out disposable, stretchy jeans, but a movement toward raw, selvedge denim is bringing back quality craftsmanship. True denim molds to your body, lasts for years, and never lets you down.

So next time you’re jean shopping, skip the stretch. Your future self—and your butt—will thank you.