Behind the Scenes : THE DENIM FABRIC

Making modern denim fabric is a highly technical and mechanised affair.  

The looms are either Rapier looms which are more slow but capable of making great developments.  For speed in production air jet looms are the choice of most Mills. they are less flexible than the rapiers but super fast.

these charming drawings from Danny Southern pictures the processes from weaving through finishing and sanforizing to the final quality inspection.

©TheDenimEye2016

The weaving shed,  finishing ranges and inspection in a modern denim factory today.

©TheDenimEye2016

BEHIND THE SCENES: Making denim fabric.

From delivering the cotton bales to dispatching the finished denim fabric.

This charming drawing by Danny Southern late of Burlington Denim in North Carolina depicts the whole process of making the denim fabric.  Although the equipment has been modernised and some added the processes remain the same today as they were in the late 1800's.  Over the coming weeks we will take you though the journey of Indigo denim from cotton through original indigo dyeing to the finish jean.

©TheDenimEye2016

Cotton fields ripe for picking 

©TheDenimEye2016

Raw cotton bales are stored outside during the dry months in Pakistan.  Which is one of the biggest manufacturing hubs for the supply of denim and jeans to the USA and Europe.

The following charming images depict the flow of the cotton from the opening process through to drawing.

Local construction workers working on site at a Pakistan denim factory.