When Was Denim First Used As A Word?

Denim, a popular fashion staple since the mid-19th century, gained popularity in the United States when Jacob W. Davis, a tailor from Nevada, manufactured the first pair of rivet-reinforced denim pants in 1873. The demand for denim jeans outstripped Davis’s small shop, leading him to move production to San Francisco. In 1853, Levi Strauss found himself in San Francisco trying to start a branch of his family business.

Jeans are pants made from denim or dungaree cloth and were invented by Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss in 1873. The word “denim” comes from the French word “de Nîmes”, referring to the French city of Nîmes where the fabric was first produced. The fabric was also made in Genoa, Italy, where it was known as “jean” or “jeane”. Through trial and innovation, weavers inadvertently created the first form of denim, laying the foundation for a fabric that would redefine fashion for centuries.

The term “denim” derives from the French “serge de Nimes”, meaning “serge (a sturdy fabric) from Nimes”. Most denim made today is made on a shuttleless loom that produces blue denim. The term “jeans” often refers to a particular style of trousers called “blue jeans” with the addition of copper pocket rivets added by Jacob W. Davis in 1871.

The origins of the term “jean” remain unclear, but it is believed to be derived from the French phrase “Serge de Nimes”. In the late 17th century, weavers in Nimes, France, accidentally made the first modern denim, a course, sturdy, cotton fabric. The word “jean” started out in the 1800s, in reference to a twill cotton cloth used for trousers, but the textile soon became conflated with other clothing items.