A legendary item of clothing, jeans have gone through the ages. Unisex clothing, it comes in various cuts and colors and adapts to all generations (children, adolescents, adults and seniors.) If the origins of jeans date back to the 16th century and involve several countries, it should be known that French jeans has its own history, full of anecdotes and unusual information. We invite you to discover them in this article.
The term "denim » would be according to the legend a contraction of « de Nîmes “, because it corresponds to the twill of Nîmes. It is an economical fabric that was originally made of wool and silk, and which was made in the city of the same name. Later, the composition of denim evolved and cotton replaces other materials. Modern denim, made from cotton, was produced industrially in the United States from the beginning of the 19th century.
You also have to differentiate between denim and Genoa canvas which, at one time, was also called "jeans". This is made of wool and linen, and differs from denim in the weaving technique and coloring. Indeed, unlike denim which is dyed genoa blue (Blue jeans) and fades gradually, the Genoa fabric is dyed through the core, which causes the dye to penetrate inside the fibre. Note that for some, the name of the jeans would therefore come from the canvas of Genoa by linguistic deformation.
If history retains that the Bavarian Jew Levi Strauss made his first jeans with this fabric in the United States where he had emigrated, in France, the first work trousers in denim were designed in the 19th century, by Célestin Tuffery. This designer is probably the first to have created French jeans that became fashionable. Jeans are therefore an American-designed garment, made from denim, a cloth of French origin .
Over time, denim pants became more popular and when Levi Strauss' patent expired, other brands rushed to market with their own styles of jeans.
Contrary to what many think, jeans made in France are not a novelty. On the contrary ! They have a very good reputation especially when it comes to their quality. Indeed, as we said above, Célestin Tuffery created the oldest brand of French jeans. It exists since 1892 . At that time, the brand mainly marketed denim work overalls, which were particularly robust and functional.
Generations succeeded each other at the head of this family business until the 1980s during which the textile industry experienced a decline. To celebrate 125 years of the brand , the 4th generation of owners is relaunching its production thanks to new models, while continuing to use the practices it inherited.
Apart from this historic brand, other brands have also embarked on the production of jeans made in France. The key word for all is quality . Indeed, like the historic French brand, the new brands emphasize traditional French know-how, particularly through ancestral weaving methods.
With the craze for made in France, the models marketed by these brands are very popular. They have nothing to envy to those of the big brands. In addition, they bring a lot of innovations , whether in the choice of textiles, or in that of cuts and models. Thus, in addition to pants, you will find jackets and shirts and even denim dresses. There are also denim collections for babies and children.
French jeans also offer an eco-responsible dimension. Indeed, since 2010, the number of brands of jeans designed in France has continued to increase. What particularly appeals to them is their desire to design ethical products and ecological. Indeed, they are committed to developing denim clothing lines, with local products (textiles, buttons, etc.), to promote French know-how. The medium and long-term objective is to release products that are 100% made in France .
This design axis also aims to mark disapproval of the abuses that surround the design of this type of clothing in other countries, mainly those in Asia. Here, we work in well-equipped workshops, and the teams are made up of a major and qualified workforce .
Finally, this eco-responsible approach has an innovative aspect, since it also involves finding new materials to create jeans. Indeed, from cotton growing to dyeing, jeans require a lot of natural resources, especially water. In the years to come, we will be able to wear pants made of sustainable materials, which will have been designed with minimum energy , and which will have the label guarantee .
To end this round of information, here is some original information to complete your knowledge of jeans. Feel free to share them with your friends.
Jeans are the centerpiece of our wardrobes. It is suitable for all body types. We encourage you to adopt French jeans to promote local know-how.
