Ecofriendly Handwoven SelvedgeDenim – 6.0 Oz – White (Undyed)

100% Cotton Hand-spun Hand-woven Denim

The term “khadi” refers to a cloth or fabric which has been hand-woven out of hand-spun yarn made on a “charkha”. Thus, “khadi denim” implies a three up one down (3 x 1) twill weave fabric which has been made using 100% cotton hand-spun yarn.

Authentic khadi denim has a very soft hand-feel, and is highly breathable and comfortable for the wearer. But, it is very difficult to find genuine khadi denim in the market.

The weaving of hand-spun yarns, in itself, is a difficult thing to do. It becomes still more complex when the weave is 3 x 1, and the fabric construction is dense. Therefore, it is usually very difficult to find authentic khadi denim in the market.

In the recent years, many suppliers, brands and even high-end fashion designers have started selling “khadi” and even “khadi denim” which is woven out of charkhas that have been modified, or in which the mill-made roving is used as the input material for making yarn.

So, whenever you come across some fabric being promoted as “khadi denim”, do take a closer look at the yarns. In authentic hand-spun yarns, you can very easily notice variation in thickness of yarn along the length, and the variation is quite random. If the thicker portions are repeating at intervals, in all probability it is not hand-spun yarn, and the fabric is not khadi.

Organic Cotton Khadi Denim

If the cotton used for spinning yarn has been grown organically – without using chemical-based fertilizers and pesticides – the resultant fabric is Organic Cotton Khadi Denim. It is still rarer to find, and is a high premium product.

A selvedge or selvage is a “self-finished” edge of fabric, keeping it from unraveling and fraying. The term “self-finished” means that the edge does not require additional finishing work, such as hem or bias tape, to prevent fraying.

In woven fabric, selvages are the edges that run parallel to the warp (the longitudinal threads that run the entire length of the fabric), and are created by the weft thread looping back at the end of each row. This looping is possible only if the weaving is done using a “shuttle”, which carries the weft yarns from one end to the other and then returns.

After the introduction of shuttle less weaving machines in 1950s, almost all fabrics – including denim – have a frayed edge, because the weft yarn is cut at the edge of the fabric, and no looping happens.

Our entire collection of eco-friendly denim fabric is made on shuttle handlooms, and therefore comes with a neat and clean, well formed selvedge along both the edges of the fabric.

Click here to know more about selvedge denim.