CHAMBRAY • Chambray is a lightweight, woven fabric that’s denim-like in appearance. It’s often used in shirts for comfort and breathability.
CORDUROY • Corduroy is a type of fabric made from twisted fibres that, when woven, lie parallel to form “cords”.
COTTON • Known for its softness and breathability, cotton is one of the most common fabrics used in clothing of all types. Most Levi’s® jeans are made from cotton dyed with indigo.
CROSSHATCH • Denim woven with uneven yarns in both the warp and weft, creating a unique, grid-like finish.
DENIM • Denim is a strong, durable fabric made of cotton twill, used to make jeans, overalls, Trucker Jackets, Western Shirts and other clothing. The Levi’s® brand is known for using denim and copper rivets to make the first pair of jeans ever, in 1873.
DIRT REPELLENT • Dirt repellent fabrics are treated with a coating to repel liquids and particles. Some of our Levi’s® Commuter™ styles use these fabrics to keep cyclists clean and dry on their ride.
DYNEEMA© • The world’s strongest fibre, Dyneema© is woven into our garments for added durability.
ELASTANE • Elastane is a synthetic elastic material made of polyurethane, used to add stretch and recovery to clothing. Levi’s® denim is made with varying amounts of elastane, depending on the level of stretchiness desired.
FABRIC WEIGHT • Fabric weight is the measure of ounces per square yard of fabric. Denim is typically woven in weights ranging from 4 to 15 ounces.
FINISHES • Any treatment to jeans after they’ve been cut, sewn and washed to give them a desired surface effect. Common finishes are whiskering, fraying and embroidery.
FLEECE • A lightweight, breathable fabric known for its supreme softness, commonly used in jackets, scarves and hats.
HAND FEEL • The “hand feel” of the fabric refers to how it feels. Examples: soft, crisp or dry.
HEAVYWEIGHT DENIM • Extra durable denim weighing 13 oz or more per square yard of fabric.
JERSEY • A soft, ultra lightweight knit fabric typically used to make tees.
LIGHTWEIGHT DENIM • Lightweight denim weighs less than 10.5 oz per square yard of fabric. Because of its lightness, it’s perfect for warm weather styles.
LINEN • A lightweight-yet-durable natural fiber that comes from the flax plant. Linen is often used in spring/summer clothing because of its maximum breathability.
MADRAS • Madras is a lightweight plaid cotton fabric, used primarily for summer clothing like shorts and dresses.
MIDWEIGHT DENIM • Denim weighing between 10.5 oz and 12.5 oz per square yard of fabric. Most Levi’s® styles are crafted from midweight denim.
MOTION FABRIC • Levi’s® stretch denim engineered for maximum comfort. Easy fit for every wear.
PRESHRUNK DENIM • Also known as “sanforized,” preshrunk denim is treated to prevent shrinking after washing and drying. Preshrunk denim first became available in the ‘60s – before that, all denim was Shrink-to-Fit™ Fabric.
RAW DENIM • A favourite of denim purists, raw denim has not experienced any washing or distressing processes. It has a more rigid feel, shrinks roughly two sizes when washed, and forms to your body and movements over time.
SATEEN • Sateen is a cotton fabric similar to satin, known for its soft, smooth texture and shine.
SELVEDGE • Premium selvedge denim comes from the term “self-edge,” the woven strip on both edges of a roll of fabric. It’s traditionally woven on narrow-width shuttle looms, producing a clean edge with no fringe.
SHERPA • A soft, thick fabric originally made of sheep’s wool. Typically used to line garments for added warmth.
SLUB • Slub refers to a thick, nubby yarn that’s intentionally spun to look irregular in shape, adding texture to knit garments.
SPANDEX • Spandex is a fibre known for its exceptional elasticity. It’s used in some of our denim to give it extra stretch and recovery.
STRETCH DENIM • Stretch denim is made with a blend of cotton and elastane for increased comfort and recovery.
SILK • Silk is a soft, lustrous thread or fabric made from the fibres produced by silkworms.
TENCEL • Also referred to as Lyocell, Tencel is an eco-friendly fibre made from wood pulp, with a similar feel to rayon.
TWILL • A lightweight, woven fabric with a surface of diagonal parallel ridges. Denim is made of durable cotton twill fabric dyed with indigo.
WATER RESISTANT • Water-resistant fabrics have been treated to become resistant to water penetrating the fabric weave. We use them in some of our outerwear and Levi’s® Commuter styles.