Naked & Famous Denim Product Guide

Naked-Famous-Interview-2.jpg

Fit guide

Super Guy: The Super Guy is Naked & Famous's classic skinny jean cut. This cut is slim in the thighs, and tapers below the knee to a small leg opening. With a low-mid rise, the Super Guy tends to fit small, so going up one size is highly recommended. They come with a standard 34" inseam that leaves plenty of room to cuff them and show off your selvedge, or they can be hemmed to a desired length for a clean break without a cuff.

Weird Guy: Ironically named for its extreme popularity, the Weird Guy is the most universally fitting denim cut from Naked & Famous. With a mid rise, looser leg opening, and slight taper from the knee down, these jeans accommodate most thigh and calf shapes with room to spare. They generally fit true to size, and some even go down one size for a slightly slimmer fit. The Weird Guy comes with a 34" inseam.

Easy Guy: Originally designed as an athletic cut, the Easy Guy is a high rise fit with a lot of room in the seat and thigh, and a sharp taper from the knee down. The Easy Guy is slowly becoming the most popular denim we carry due to its loose but tapered nature. The cut makes wearing ultra-heavy textiles less cumbersome, and looks flattering as a result of the taper, whereas most loose cuts generally look baggy all the way to the bottom. The Easy Guy is made with a 32" inseam, which leaves enough room to cuff for most, but when left alone also stacks beautifully over a pair of leather boots. This cut fits on the large size, so going down one or two sizes is recommended.

CORE Fabric guide

Left Hand Twill is the staple core classic fabric from Naked & Famous. It is a 13.75oz indigo rope dyed Japanese selvedge denim, woven on vintage shuttle looms in a left hand twill construction. Whereas most denims are "Right Hand Twill", Left Hand Twill construction creates a softer hand feel on the inside of the denim, and substantially expedites the break-in process. These traits makes the Left Hand Twill an excellent first pair of 100% Cotton raw denim for a new denim enthusiast, or simply a great hard wearing and affordable classic indigo jean for the everyday denim wearer.

Stretch Selvedge is constructed with 2% Elastane, the Stretch Selvedge is the perfect everyday denim for someone who prefers a comfortable pair of jeans on day one. Stretch Selvedge fabrics are commonly referred to as "practice raw denim", due to the fact that they are simpler to maintain, easier to break in, but nevertheless till achieve a beautiful fade over time. Many people who first hear of Naked & Famous start out with a Stretch Selvedge fabric before making the jump to a Left Hand Twill, or something even heavier! The Stretch Selvedge also comes in a variety of colours, opening you up to more style options in the same textile family.

Power Stretch has the highest stretch content denim that we carry at GERHARD. This fabric is made with 5% Elastane, which gives the denim a slightly tighter fit, and makes them perfect for those who plan to ride a bicycle in their jeans, or simply want something that is very comfortable on day one. Though denim fades will still appear, they will be softer and less pronounced than if you were to get something with a higher cotton content. If you want blue jeans that stay blue longer, these are an excellent option!

COMMON Terminology

Raw Denim Jeans have the unique ability to conform to you, the wearer. As you wear your jeans, they will crease and mold to your body, fade at points of strain, and wear and tear according to how you live your life... making your jeans that much more personal and unique. Some denim enthusiasts wear their jeans for months (and sometimes years!) on end without washing in order to engrave their lifestyle into the jeans.

Selvedge Denim is made using vintage low-speed looms called shuttle looms. A small wooden shuttle containing the weft yarns weaves the fabric as it is "shuttled" back and forth along the loom. On each pass, the shuttle seals the edge of the fabric creating a "self edge", earning the name selvedge denim. Shuttle looms are slower, narrower, and require the skill of master artisans to operate. The end result is a denim with a hand-woven feel that cannot be mass produced.

Rope Dying is the core reason why Japanese raw denim is so highly praised for its fading properties. The process is done on impressively tall machines that extend up to the 2nd floor of the factory. Warp yarns are suspended from the top of the machine and sent down to be dipped in a bath of indigo waiting below. After each dip, the yarn travels all the way back up, allowing the dye to oxidize and adhere to the cotton yarn. This process is repeated along the machine multiple times to obtain the desired shade of indigo. What's key is that because the yarns continuously travel up and down this long machine, and are never simply left in a large vat, the dye does not completely saturate the core of the yarn. Instead, only the outer layer is dyed, and the core remains white.

Sanforization / Pre-Shrinking:

denim weights

Denim weight is the weight of the fabric per square yard measured in ounces. The thickness of warp (vertical) and weft (horizontal) yarns, and the density of weave determine the fabric weight.

5-6oz: Featherweight

The lightest weight denim available. Thin and comfortable, the perfect weight denim for hot climates and summer weather.

7-9oz: Lightweight

Light enough for the spring and summer, yet heavy enough for the fall. Multi season jeans that are comfortable right off the bat.

10-13oz: Standard Weight

 The most common weight used to make jeans.  Perfect for all seasons with a proper balance of durability and comfort.

14-16oz: Midweight

Heavier than your average denim, and quite rigid to start.  These jeans usually require a few weeks to break in.

17-21oz: Heavyweight

Made for hardwearing, these jeans can handle just about anything you throw at them.  These jeans will produce distinct high contrast wear patterns.

22oz +: Super Heavyweight

It's like wearing a cardboard box shaped like pants. You must be willing to go through pain and suffering to conquer these jeans.

32oz: World's Heaviest Jeans

Guaranteed uncomfortable. Courtesy of Naked & Famous Denim. You're welcome!

denim care

Washing

Knowing when is the right time to wash your jeans isn't dependent on how many months old your jeans are, but rather on the frequency of wear, and on how dirty they have become from your personal lifestyle. Some people prefer to wait as long as they can before the first wash because this allows the denim to crease and fold to the contours of your body. Then, after the first wash, you will be rewarded with higher-contrast fades at those points of strain. Washing your jeans after a shorter period of time will produce a fade with a more uniform color.

The easiest way to wash your jeans is in cold water, inside-out and hung to dry.

Some more finicky fans prefer the soak method:

1. Turn the jeans inside out, fasten the front buttons or zipper (this is to avoid abrasion to the denim while washing).

2. Soak the jeans in a tub using cold water to minimize indigo loss (if the jeans are very dirty, you can use a small amount of detergent).

3. Gently scrub the jeans and let them soak for about an hour.

4. Remove the jeans from the tub and rinse with water to remove any leftover dirt, dye or detergent. Ring out any excess water, and finally hang to dry.

The jeans may feel a bit tight after washing; they will soon stretch back out to normal with wear.

Maintenance

Jeans are not indestructible; no other garment is worn as frequently or as hard as a pair of raw denim jeans. Longer wears between washes can cause an accumulation of sweat, oil and dirt, which will weaken the cotton fibers and allow holes to form. It's important to do maintenance from time to time; not only will it prolong the life of your jeans, but repairs add a great deal of character.

Patch up any small holes that form using a small piece of denim (patch the jeans from the inside for a cleaner look, patch the jeans from the outside for a more vintage look) or try using a contrasting patterned fabric for more personality.