Why We Love Heavy Weight Denim
This week we sat down with our best denim friends and asked them the question.
Why do you love heavy weight denim?
Nick Noguchi – Designer and Brand Director of HIROSHI KATO:
People who like denim, especially vintage denim, including myself, like heavy denim because we basically think that 100% cotton 13oz selvedge jeans are the real deal. That's because most vintage jeans from the 1900s are 100% cotton and 12-13oz. However, as Hiroshi Kato's jeans are, jeans have evolved and stretch jeans that look like real vintage jeans appeared in the 2000s. Jeans lovers seek out jeans made of more real selvedge denim, and they enjoy showing off how similar the fade of their jeans is to that of 1900s vintage jeans after wearing them in raw denim. Selvedge denim woven on old looms can reproduce that vintage-like fade, and jeans of about 13oz are the best. I also know that the fade of my worn jeans is customized, and it becomes more authentic by wearing them for a year, two years, or three years. For that, it is necessary to have a more complete fade while handling it roughly for a long time. Heavier jeans are suitable because they are strong enough to withstand that for a long time. By becoming heavier than 14oz, 17oz, or even 20oz, the strength increases and the fade design that took a long time to complete is completed. Also, heavier denim is more likely to show natural wrinkles from wearing, such as Whisker and Honeycomb. Also, jeans were originally work clothes in the early 1900s, and originally emphasized durability and functionality rather than fashion, but they have a rare history of being adopted as fashion since the 1970s. I don't think there is any other clothing other than jeans that can be recognized as fashion even if it is actually torn. It is only jeans that attract people as fashion when worn out. So denim guy seeks heavier denim in search of durability and ideal fade.
Bryan Szabo - Editor and Writer of Denimhunters
There’s really nothing like it. While selvedge enthusiasts often refer to themselves with terms like “heritage” and “vintage style”, heavyweight selvedge is more a product of this century than any other. Around the turn of the twenty-first century, brands began pushing the limits of what was possible, and those who wore the heavy pairs found that they faded in ways that couldn’t be matched with lightweight denim. Rather than creasing sharply, they roll into thick folds, and the added weight places greater strain on these creases. The result is eye-popping contrast fades across the lap, behind the knees, and above the cuffs. Once you’ve produced fades like this on a pair, you’ll be entirely hooked. You’ll wonder how you ever wore anything else.
Deyvis Aucca – Marketing Manager, Blogger and Vintage Collector Instargam@deyvisvintagestyle
I love heavyweight denim because it offers an unmatched feeling of quality and durability. The weight and texture bring a sense of authenticity that you just don’t get with lighter fabrics. Plus, the transformation process is truly special, watching heavyweight raw selvedge denim evolve into beautifully faded denim over time adds a personal touch that makes it unique. The deep, classic fades tell a story of wear and character, making them more than just jeans. In my experience, heavyweight denim isn’t just tougher, it’s surprisingly versatile and becomes even more comfortable the more it’s worn. It’s all about the journey, and heavyweight denim delivers every step of the way.
Ross Takev – Good friend of KATO
Instagram @ross.takev
I admire heavyweight denim for its undisputable functional qualities, like robustness and wear resistance. Of course, there's also the aesthetic joy of experiencing the fabric in its visual appearance, and there's something even more in it.
That is the thrill of the tactile experience of the cloth in every nuance. The touch, how it feels next to the skin when it moves around the body, and not the least – the draping manner because of the higher gravitational force.
And then, if it is raw, the character will be more pronounced. That is the cherry on the pie, and I am charmed.
Greg Tamura – Denim Hound
Instagram @denimhound
I initially became obsessed with denim not as a textile, but as a realization. The feeling that my life and our culture at the time lacked substance, quality, and roots. Denim is a philosophy that strives to do more with less and to appreciate the passage of time and the aging of all things. It is an emblem that symbolizes my values. It fades into a tapestry and, like art, it is a visual result of my life experiences. Denim represents my heritage, the roots of my story peaking up just above the surface. Denim is strength and grace.
At some point, anyone who dives into the world of denim wrestles with the prospect of heavyweight denim. The idea of it is intriguing. I liked the idea of stronger, longer-lasting denim. I read it fades “Better.” I saw pictures online of faded heavyweight denim in all of its glory. I wanted in.
My first pair of raw heavyweight denim was a 20oz Japanese selvedge. It was a novelty I had never seen before in any mall, in any fancy designer store on the bougie side of town, or any overtly chill boutique vintage shop on the cool side of town. Sooo heavy and textured. So coarse. So…uncomfortable! In a good way. Is that weird? Am I a weirdo? I hop on social media and it turns out, there are a bunch of us weirdos.
There were many reasons people got into heavyweight but for me, it felt like it was taking this symbol of my philosophies to its natural pinnacle. It’s the most substantial expression of my connection to my cultural heritage. It felt like an investment that would pay off longer than any other pair of jeans. An American rite of passage like breaking in your first baseball glove or learning how to tune up your own car.
The first couple of weeks I felt crazy, walking around in what I could only describe as sailboat sails or some kind of welder’s protective armor. Some people noticed and said something like, “Woah, those are some serious jeans!” Half compliment, half circus marvel. Most people didn't notice, which made me feel better about the whole thing.
By the time they started to break in, I was hooked. They were strong and soft like some rugged blanket. The first few years I even wore them in the summer. Every step I was walking the glorious path to grail fades, on hikes, at the beach, in the ocean, camping, bike riding, at work, at home, all day, every day. Nowadays I have leveled out and reserve the heavy weights for when the weather drops below 70º. But every fall, I am reunited with my old friends, like some motley crew of monsters living in my closet.
Here are some facts, and opinions I have gathered from my decade in raw heavyweight selvedge denim. First, some facts. It is not indestructible. Yes, heavyweight denim can be more durable than average denim, but only if you properly care for it. Because of the thickness of the denim, its creases when still raw and unwashed are more rigid and more pronounced. This can lead to holes much faster than a more malleable denim of average weight. Doing a soak of your raw heavyweight denim to wash out the starches before wearing and hand washing at least every 30 wears will dramatically prolong the life of heavyweight denim. Also, make sure you clean the dirt and pebbles out of your cuffs every couple of days or you will eventually get holes in your cuffs.
The next thing I feel needs clearing up is the idea that heavyweight denim fades “better” than regular denim. The fading potential of all rope-dyed denim no matter the weight depends on how light the core of the rope-dyed yarn is and how thick and stubborn the indigo dye on the outside of the yarn is. This determines how fast the denim fades and to what level of contrast. The weight of the denim has no bearing on this. It does however crease differently so the patterns it creates are different and the difference in contrast between the creases and the faded flat surfaces can be stronger. The creases are farther apart from each other and have a bolder line on areas like the honeycombs, stacks, and whisker areas.
For me, I think between 18oz and 22oz is the sweet spot for heavyweight denim. I feel ridiculous wearing 25oz+ denim in the city. If I worked construction or something and it had a utility, then I’d be into it. I’d probably also wear it after work. As I am writing this, I am breaking in a new pair of 21.5oz denim.
