Meanwhile, there was also a fabric known in France as “nim.” Both fabrics were composed partly of wool. So, how has the word “denim” thought to be from the word “serge de Nimes?" Serge de Nimes was made of silk and wool, but denim has always been made of cotton. This is a relation between fabrics that is in name only, both fabrics are a twill weave, this is the only connection and relation of both fabrics.
At this same time, there was another
fabric known as “jean.” Research on this textile indicates that it was a "fustian", a cotton,
linen and/or wool blend. The fustian of Genoa, Italy was called jean; this is where we see evidence of a fabric being named from a place of origin (unlike the confusion between the origin of the word denim).
I8th century jean was made completely of cotton, and made to make men’s clothing, mainly for its property of durability even after many washings. Denim was stronger and more expensive than jean, and though the two fabrics were very similar, they did have one prime different. Denim was made of one coloured thread and one white thread whereas jean was woven of two threads of the same colour. I never knew this difference and I am intrigued and will keep an eye out at and look closely to the weave of the denim.
I8th century jean was made completely of cotton, and made to make men’s clothing, mainly for its property of durability even after many washings. Denim was stronger and more expensive than jean, and though the two fabrics were very similar, they did have one prime different. Denim was made of one coloured thread and one white thread whereas jean was woven of two threads of the same colour. I never knew this difference and I am intrigued and will keep an eye out at and look closely to the weave of the denim.
Research shows that jean and denim were two very different fabrics in 19th
century America. American advertisements show
working men wearing clothing that illustrates the difference in usage between jean and
denim. Mechanics and painters wore overalls made of blue denim; working men in
general (not engaged in manual labor) wore more tailored trousers made
of jean.
http://www.levistrauss.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/01/A-Short-History-of-Denim2.pdf
http://theswatchbook.offsetwarehouse.com/2014/09/16/what-is-raw-denim/
http://www.wgsn.com/blogs/fashion/denim/