Fashion Terms — the Apparel Search fashion terminology directory
Dry or raw denim — contrasted with washed denim — is denim that is not washed after having been dyed during production. Because it starts unwashed and unshrunk, raw denim fades and softens according to the body and daily activities of the person who wears it, producing a natural fade pattern that artificially distressed denim tries to imitate.
Dry or raw denim (contrasted with "washed denim") is denim that is not washed after having been dyed during production.
Over time, denim will usually fade, which is considered desirable by some people. During the process of wear, fading will usually occur on those parts of the article that receive the most stress. In a pair of jeans, these parts include the upper thighs, the ankles, and the areas behind the knees.
After denim is made into an article of clothing, most are washed to make them softer and to reduce or eliminate shrinkage (which could cause the article to not fit properly after the consumer washes his or her jeans). In addition to being washed, "washed denim" is sometimes artificially distressed to produce a "worn" look.
Much of the appeal of artificially distressed denim is that it resembles dry denim which has over time faded. In regard to the jeans made from dry denim, such fading is affected by the body of the person who wears them and by the activities of his or her daily life. This process creates what many enthusiasts feel to be a more "natural" look than the look of artificially distressed denim.
Most dry denim is made with 100% cotton and comes from numerous countries of origin. In particular the USA and Japan are well known popular sources of cotton for making raw denim
As with most types of denim, dry or raw denim also varies in weight, typically measured in by the weight of a yard of denim in ounces. 12 Oz. or less is considered light denim, 12 Oz. to 16 Oz. is considered mid-weight, and over 16 Oz. is considered heavy weight. Heavier denim is much more rigid and resistant to wear, but can also take more wears to break in and feel comfortable.
You may want to learn about selvage denim as well.
RAW VS. SELVEDGE
One common misconception is that raw denim and selvedge denim are the same thing. Raw denim refers to unwashed denim that has not been shrunk, whereas selvedge denim is a type of denim made using a traditional shuttle loom.
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Raw denim asks more of its wearer than washed denim, and returns more. A washed jean arrives soft, pre-shrunk and already faded in a pattern chosen by the manufacturer; a raw jean arrives as a stiff, deep-indigo blank. The first wears are a break-in period, especially in heavier fabric, as the cotton molds to the wearer's knees, hips and stride. In exchange, the fades that develop are a record of one person's life — the thigh wear from a commute, the wallet outline in a back pocket, the creases behind the knees — rather than a factory's idea of what wear should look like. Enthusiasts value exactly that: the finished garment is unique because it was finished by wearing it.
Weight is the main specification to choose. Denim weight is the weight of a yard of fabric in ounces: 12 ounces or less is light denim, 12 to 16 ounces is mid-weight, and over 16 ounces is heavyweight. Light and mid-weight raw denim breaks in quickly and suits year-round wear, while heavyweight denim is much more rigid and resistant to wear — it can take many wears to become comfortable, but it also holds sharper creases and develops higher-contrast fades. Most raw denim is 100% cotton, and the United States and Japan are particularly well-known sources of the cotton and the finished cloth.
Two practical consequences follow from the unwashed state. First, shrinkage is still to come: because raw denim has not been shrunk, the first wash can change the fit materially, so length and waist should be bought with the maker's shrink guidance in mind. Second, indigo dye that a factory wash would have removed will transfer — onto lighter clothing, furniture and skin — during early wears. Neither is a defect; both are the direct result of skipping the wash, and both are why raw denim is best understood as a material the wearer completes, in contrast to ripped and distressed denim, where the worn character is applied before the garment is ever worn.
Raw (dry) denim is not washed after dyeing, so it reaches the wearer stiff, dark and unshrunk. Most denim garments are washed before sale to soften them and to reduce or eliminate shrinkage, and washed denim is sometimes artificially distressed to produce a worn look.
Fading occurs where the garment receives the most stress and friction — in jeans, the upper thighs, the ankles and the areas behind the knees — shaped by the wearer's body and daily activities.
No. Raw describes the finish — unwashed, unshrunk denim. Selvedge describes the weave — denim made on a traditional shuttle loom. A pair of jeans can be raw, selvedge, both or neither.
For the full guide, see Raw Denim: shrinkage, fabric weights, selvedge, break-in, personal fades, and washing guidance in full.