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WITHIN · FIELD GUIDE · Revised November 5, 2026

Selvedge denim and raw denim, explained

Two words that get sold as one. Selvedge is the loom, raw is the finish, and the ounces are something else again.

How to spot selvedge in ten seconds

Turn up a cuff. Selvedge jeans show a clean, tightly woven band along the outseam, many with a coloured thread running through it, and no overlocked edge. A regular pair shows a zigzag of overlock stitching where the cut edge was bound.

That edge exists because the weft thread on a shuttle loom turns back at each side instead of being cut. It is also why the cloth comes out narrow, and a pair needs more length of it.

Selvedge, raw, sanforized: the words on the tag

WordWhat it meansWhat it does not mean
SelvedgeWoven on a shuttle loom, with a self finished edgeHeavier, darker or better sewn
Raw, or dryNot washed after the jeans were madeUnsanforized, or shrink to fit
SanforizedShrunk before sewing by stretching and fixing the cloth, a process patented in 1930Washed or faded
Unsanforized, loomstateNot shrunk before sewing: it shrinks in the first soakSelvedge, though many selvedge jeans are both
OuncesWeight of one square yard of the clothQuality on its own

What the ounces feel like

Weight a yardHow it wears
Under 12 ozSoft from day one, breaks in fast, good for summer and for shirts
12 to 14 ozThe usual weight for jeans: comfortable within a week or two
14 to 16 ozStiff for the first weeks, holds sharp creases and high contrast fades
Over 16 ozHeavyweight: warm, slow to break in, built to be worn for years

One example from the shelf: on 5 November 2026 Utopia listed Kapital 14oz slim fit jeans in a dark and a light wash, CAD 400 each. Fourteen ounces sits at the heavy end of typical, so expect a firm first month.

How to wash raw denim

  • Wear them for weeks before the first wash if you want the fades to follow your creases.
  • Turn them inside out and use cold water with a mild detergent, by hand or on a gentle cycle.
  • Hang them to dry. A hot dryer shrinks cotton and sets creases you did not choose.
  • Expect indigo to bleed for the first few washes: keep them away from light coloured clothes and pale sofas.
  • Unsanforized denim shrinks in its first soak. Follow the maker's own advice on how much.

Checks before you pay

  • Turn up the cuff and look for the selvedge band, not a printed or stitched imitation of one.
  • Find the weight on the tag or the listing. No weight given is a question to ask.
  • Ask if it is sanforized. If not, size for the shrink.
  • Measure a pair you own flat and compare: how to measure jeans shows the five numbers.

Selvedge and raw denim on within

Jeans in stock at the boutiques today, each with its price and sizes.

Common questions

What is selvedge denim?
Denim woven on a shuttle loom, which makes cloth about 30 inches wide with a self finished edge, the selvedge. Jeans cut from it put that edge on the outseam, so the clean band with a coloured thread shows when you roll the cuff.
Is selvedge denim better?
It is slower to make and narrower, so it costs more, but good denim can come off either kind of loom. Selvedge tells you how the cloth was woven, not how heavy, how dyed or how well sewn the jeans are.
What is raw denim?
Denim that was not washed after the jeans were sewn. It keeps its full indigo and its stiffness, and it fades to the way you move. Raw is about finishing; selvedge is about the loom. A pair can be one, both or neither.
Does raw denim shrink?
Most raw denim is sanforized, a shrinking treatment done at the mill patented in 1930, and moves little. Unsanforized, or loomstate, denim shrinks in its first soak, so buy it to the maker's own shrink advice.
How heavy is heavy denim?
A yard of denim weighs anywhere from 9 to 32 ounces, with 11 to 14 ounces typical. Past about 16 ounces the jeans are stiff for weeks and warm in summer.

Sources

Jeans in stock now, to check against this guide

Kapital, Nudie Jeans and Ksubi, from the boutiques on within.

More Kapital on within