What makes selvedge denim so attractive?

Why are selvage jeans so expensive?

The fabric price of selvage denim is almost the same price range as non-selvage fabric even though it is half the width.           
 The reasons are・・・・・        
              Low production speed.
              Operating a vintage weaving machine requires an experienced technician who knows the weaving machine well.
              It requires a high level of experience and skill actually and shuttle loom operators are more like "craftsmen" actually.
              Since this is true vintage equipment there are almost no parts suppliers left, and parts must be special ordered. 
             Sometimes, our technicians & craftsmen have to create or custom make parts when none are available.
              So the entire process of making the fabric and even maintaining the equipment requires a great skill level and lots of
              experience.

Which of the below characteristics describe selvage denim ?               
              〇 The fabric width is only 30".    
              〇 Because the fabric width is narrow, the leg opening of each jean will show the selvage ID.  
              〇 Slow weaving of the fabric results in a textured surface, vintage yarn character, and         
                 jeans worn over and over without washing result in a beautiful naturally worn appearance.       

So additional reasons Selvage denim is a bit expensive is because the fabric width is very narrow which requires a higher yield of fabric per jean, and the productivity of garments is very low.
 
Selvage fabric is becoming very rare due to the vintage equipment and experience required to make it consistently.
Selvage fabric is beautifully inconsistent with great character in the fabric due to nature of antique equipment used to make it.
The result is an inconsistent yarn character, and rugged surface which selvage enthusiasts truly love.
(Please refer below picture.)

The difference of fabric surface of normal denim and selvage denim. The left is the surdace of normal denim and the right is surface of selvage denim. Due to this character, the selvage denim jeans if worn repeatedly wears in with a beautifull natural character over time.

How to enjoy selvage jeans

Rolling up the bottom hem of selvage jeans sets Selvage denim apart from any other type of denim.
People love to show the seams of their selvage jeans to show the unique edge tape colors.

How to personalize your selvage jeans - starting raw (unwashed jeans). There are also other ways to customize your jeans from raw status. Allow us to explain:                                     
                           
Washing                                     
Starch applied to yarns in denim making is an essential process to production quality.                                   
It keeps the yarn surface smooth to avoid tangling and to add strength to keep the yarn from breaking.                                    
Normally starch is removed by industrial washing of the garment in the first step.                                 
When you buy denim it feels very stiff and raw - this is due to the start or "sizing" on raw fabric.                                      
Some choose to wash and make more soft - and others wear RAW over and over to have natural wear in.                                         
Some denim enthusiast who NEVER wash their raw jeans - put inside a plastic bag in the freezer for a night every week.                                    
This will kill any germs or unpleasant smelling microbes in the jeans that are not washed.                                  
If you do decide to wash your selvage jeans (or any raw denim for that matter) please keep the below in mind:                                         
        Don't wash with other clothing unless it's other dark or raw jeans.                 
        There will be a large amount of loose indigo that comes off in the first washing.                
        This is why we caution you to wash separately as other clothing items in the same wash loan could be stained by this indigo.                   
              You can rinse with cold water without any soap or detergent to avoid losing to much color in the wash process.              
              If you want to lighten up your jeans you may want to use warmer water and soap/detergent in the wash process.                  
                However, doing so you may lose the depth color in a shorter time period.                   
                                         
Shrink to fit                                   
In denim fabric production, one of the most important processes is sanforizing which makes fabric pre-shrunk control its shrinkage during industrial washing.  But since denim is a heavy fabric , it may shrink more than other types of fabric.                               
If you were to dive into a pool, lake, or even a bathtub with your jeans on - and let them dry while wearing your jeans will start to shrink to fit your body. (Caution if using a bathtub -The water in the bathtub will be blue and may stain)                                    
Or, if you rinse at home in cold water., allow the full extract process in wash cycle before drying and hang dry the jeans -  They may shrink some but when you wear again after some time wearing the fabric will relax and begin to shape to your body.                                      
                                         
Natural Aging                                
Aging is very important and special characteristic of denim.                                       
Cotton actually has no affinity to Indigo dye and therefore does not penetrate to yarn, rather it sits on top and is applied in layers during the rope dying (or slasher dying) process. . That's why denim has a white effect  after extended wearing called"whiskers", or "wear marks". This can happen naturally over time or it can be manufactured in denim laundries by scraping/rubbing, & abrasion.                                  
Every jean that is naturally worn is "one of a kind" and there aren't 2 jeans that will wear-in with the exact same pattern.                                 
When naturally worn-in the appearance develops slowly over time and repeated wearing creates an aged appeance. So many people enjoy the unique, naturally worn vintage appearance from "wearning-in" selvage denim jeans.
There is nothing like else quite like it. Industrially worn-in Selvage denim can also be beautifully washed in an industrial laundry to create a variety of great looks, and softer handle.

In Summary:
Our customers appreciate Kurabo's commitment to the highest quality fabrics that lasts a long time.
We believe that this is real sustainability to provide quality goods that last a long time.
A legacy of quality and excellence is an important thing for Kurabo to pass on to future generations.