Denim

Denim is one of those fabric-based products that people reach for when they want a sturdy, everyday material with a familiar look and a long shelf life in wardrobes and workwear. By our assessment, its strength is durability: denim stands up well to repeated wear, holds shape better than many softer fabrics, and has a plain, useful texture that fits jeans, jackets, skirts, and other basics. The downside is that the same toughness can feel stiff at first, and heavier denim can be warm and less forgiving than lighter cloth. In practice, it is a material that gets better when it has been worn in, which is part of its appeal and part of the patience it asks for. It sits between casual clothing and workwear, and unlike delicate fabrics it is chosen to take some abuse. Denim is for people who want clothing that can be worn hard and still look normal afterward.