The Story of Blue Jeans - Part 1
Wearing jeans is so common and popular today, and it is no wonder. Jeans are so durable and trendy. and they don’t cost very much. Everyone enjoys the simplicity and comfort for work, for everyday wear and even for formal events. People are wearing jeans for times at home relaxing, as work clothes, for social occasions and even a night out on the town. Jeans withstand the test of time so you can really wear them just about anywhere.
Who Created Blue Jeans?
There is no one “inventor” of jeans. Believe it or not, they evolved over a long period of more than 400 years. They started out as versatile and rugged pants worn by sailors and turned into the everyday uniform now worn by millions of people around the world.
Jeans are made of denim which is a durable woven cotton fabric that appeals to most people. There are many reasons: denim has long-lasting durability, it is comfortable, it comes in varying hues, it is versatile and it is not terribly expensive. Denim jeans can be worn for hard physical labor, out to dinner, or any type of activity in between.
Before the 1600’s there was a distinctive cotton cloth developed in India called “dungaree”. This name derives from the area near Bombay where it was made and sold. “Dungaree” became a popular fabric for making clothes for Portuguese sailors on trading vessels plying the Spice Route. It was normally dyed indigo blue, as it still is today. The Portuguese introduced this material to other parts of the world.
Not too many years later the fabric was being manufactured in Europe, more or less as the thick cotton material we know well today as “denim”. In France in 1600s denim was woven near the city known as Nimes where the cloth was called serge. It became known as “serge de Nimes” which was eventually shortened to “de Nimes” and anglicized to “denim”.
Denim trousers became known as “jeans” because the port of Genoa (Genes in French) became a major manufacturer of denim pants. The sturdy pants were used by sailors in the Genoese Navy. They were ideal for sailors, like modern teenagers - who had to practically live in their clothes. They could wear their denim clothing wet or dry, the legs could be easily rolled up, and they could be washed simply by dragging them behind the ship in a large net.
You can’t get any better than that!
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