As long-time readers here well know, every Friday we focus our attention on an aged pair of raw denim jeans through our weekly instalment, Fade Friday. Though not every episode is a fan favourite, there are a healthy handful that garner much more interest and enthusiasm.

More importantly, with 2013 now in our rear-view mirror, we take a moment to round up the top 13 fades from the past year. If there’s a pair that you think we’ve missed, let us know in the comments below.

1. Levi’s 511 Rigid Dragon (20 Months, 2 Washes)

Details

• Weight: 11.2 oz.
• Fit: Slim Fit
• Denim: 99% Cotton, 1% Spandex
• Length of Wear: 20 Months
• Number of Washes: 2
• Original Fade Friday

2. Samurai S5000S 21 Oz. (5 Months, 1 Soak, 1 Wash)

Details

• Weight: 21 oz.
• Fit: Straight Leg, Mid Rise
• Denim: 100% Cotton, Japanese Selvedge
• Length of Wear: 5 Months
• Number of washes: 1
• Original Fade Friday

3. Unbranded 201 UB201 (3 Years, 4 Washes)

Details

• Weight: 14 Oz.
• Fit: Tapered
• Other Details:
  • Blank fly buttons, rivets, and leather patch
  • Chain stitched hem
  • Two-toned stitching
  • Blue selvedge
• Original Fade Friday

4. Strike Gold 1105 (2 Years, 13 Washes)

Details

• Weight: 14.5 Oz.
• Fit: Slim Leg
• Denim: 100% Japanese Cotton Selvedge Raw Unsanforized Denim (golden sparkle ID)
• Additional Details:
  • Hidden Rivets
  • Button Fly
  • Deerskin Leather Tag
  • Iron Male Rivet – Copper Female Rivet
• Length of Wear: 2 Years
• Number of washes: 13
• Original Fade Friday

5. Pure Blue Japan XX-011 (26 Months, 10 Washes)

Details

• Name: Pure Blue Japan XX-011 
• Weight: 13.5 Oz.
• Denim: 100% Cotton Selvedge Denim from Okayama, Japan
• Fit: Tapered
• Other Details
  • Left Hand Twill
  • Indigo warp with grey weft
• Length of Wear: 26 Months
• Number of Washes: 10 Months
• Original Fade Friday

6. Levi’s 511 Rigid (14 months, 2 washes, 1 soak)

Details

• Weight: 11.2 Oz.
• Fit: 511 Slim
• Denim: 100% cotton
• Length of Wear:  14 Months
• Number of Washes: 2 washes, 1 soak
• Original Fade Friday

7. Eternal 811s (2 Years, No Washes)

Details

• Name: Eternal BIG811XXX “Contest Jeans”
• Weight: 14.5 Oz.
• Fit: Mid-rise, straight fit
• Denim: Unsanforized, 100% Japanese Cotton Selvedge Raw Denim
• Length of Wear: 2 Years
• Number of washes: None
• Additional Details:
  • 39″ inseam
  • Half-lined back pockets
  • 6 oz. indigo-dyed pocket bags
  • Custom contest label
  • Custom leather patch
• Original Fade Friday

8. Skull Jeans 5010xx 6×6 (4 Years, Unknown Washes)

Details

• Name: Skull Jeans 5010xx 6×6
• Weight: 14.5 Oz.
• Fit: Slim tapered cut
• Denim: 100% Pima Cotton
• Length of Wear: 4 years
• Number of Washes: Unknown
• Original Fade Friday

9. Iron Heart 634S-RAW (8 Months, 8 Washes)

Details

• Name: Iron Heart 634S-RAW Limited Run
• Weight: 21 Oz. (shrinks to 23 Oz. post-soak)
• Denim: Unsanforized 100% Zimbabwean Long Fiber Cotton Denim
• Fit: Straight Leg
• Length of wear: 8 Months
• Washes: 8 Washes
• Additional Details:
  • Button fly
  • Hidden rivets
  • Right Hand Twill
  • Limited Run
• Original Fade Friday

10. Unbranded 21 Oz. 121 Skinny (2.5 Months, No Washes)

Details

• Weight: 21 Oz.
• Fit: Skinny
• Denim: 100% cotton, sanforized, rope-dyed raw indigo denim
• Other Details:
  • Silver matte fly buttons and rivets
  • Leather patch
  • Chain stitched hem
  • Two-toned stitching
• Original Fade Friday

11. Levi’s LVC 1947 501xx (9 Months, No Washes)

Details

• Weight: 14 Oz.
• Fit: Classic fit with straight leg
• Length of Wear: 9 months
• Washes: None
• Other Details:
  • 100% cotton
  • Shrink to fit selvage denim from Cone Mills Oak Plant
• Original Fade Friday

12. Naked & Famous Left Hand Twill (15 Months, 2 Washes)

Details

• Name: Naked and Famous Left Hand Twill Selvedge
• Weight: 13.75 Oz.
• Fit: Skinny Guy (Medium rise, Straight leg, Slim throughout)
• Denim: Old-School Left Hand Twill Weave
• Other Details:
  • Deep Indigo Dyed
  • Japanese Fabric
  • Made in Canada
• Original Fade Friday

13. Kamikaze Attack x Naked & Famous (6 Months, No Washes)

Details

• Name: Kamikaze Attack x Naked & Famous
• Weight: 14.5 Oz.
• Fit: Naked & Famous Skinny Guy Fit
• Denim: Super Dark Indigo Warp + Weft Unsanforized 100% Selvedge Denim
• Length of wear: 6 months
• Number of washes: 0
• Other details
  • Half-lined back pockets
  • Hidden copper rivets
  • Deerskin leather patch
• Original Fade Friday

Honorable Mention – SEXI14 (15 Months, 8 Soaks, 3 Washes)

Details

• Weight: 15 Oz.
• Fit: Slim Fit
• Denim: Pure indigo un-calendered, un-mercerized, & un-singed 100% selvedge denim
• Length of wear: 15 months
• Number of washes: 3
• Number of soaks: 8
• Original Fade Friday

The post Top 13 Fades of 2013 – Fade Friday appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Just over two months ago, Iron Heart forum founding member, Jonathan Joseph, teamed up with one of the member’s behind the no-nonsense Mega Beatle Buster and HWDC2, Gavin Smith (aka. Megatron1505), to bring a long standing dream to life. The duo wanted to bring their love for rare, artisanal clothing goods into the world of modern retail, so after years and months of ideation and planning, the team launched their online retail store, NoKipple.

NoKipple founding team (L-R) – Gavin Smith, Jonathan Joseph

The name is in reference to Philip K Dick’s “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep“ and appropriately translates to “No Rubbish”. The online store lives by the three fundamental rules that guide their decisions: 1) good people make good things, 2) good things endure, and 3) relationships matter.

It’s important to note too that Joseph and Smith happily admit there are plenty of high quality goods in the market that are well worth buying; their aim is not to spread rhetoric that is so common with numerous upstart projects. Rather, their goal is to represent artisanal brands that aren’t commonly found in the Western world that offer something new at the table.

Jonathan (center left) and Gavin (center right) with the Trophy Clothing team.

Thus, for their debut, the NoKipple lineup consists of select, curated brands; including Elhaus, Jelado, Sagar, Trophy Clothing, and Tush. Each represents timeless quality with elegant details in a unique way, and also have a host of interesting people behind them.

Trophy Clothing

Trophy Clothing is the brainchild of Masaki Egawa, an enthusiast of everything vintage related to motorcycles, clothing and music. Focused on the correlation of form and function, Egawa is determined to create products that are as durable and simple as possible, while still including complex details that will fascinate the wearer for months to come.

Jelado

Fellow vintage clothing lover, Yohei Goto, is the mastermind behind line Jelado. A real renaissance man, when Goto isn’t busy designing clothes or collecting vintage clothing pieces, he kick boxes competitively; perhaps contributing to Jelado’s wide scope and output. The brand’s collection includes jeans, shirting, jackets, outerwear, shoes, accessories with a focus in classic youth wear of the 1940’s and 50’s.

Elhaus

Friends and colleagues, Raven and Eduardus, co-own Indonesian denim company Elhaus. Located in the hub of Jakarta, the two will be the first to admit that Indonesian denim does not have the same reputation as Japanese denim. However, as long as they are up and running, it is a personal goal of theirs to change this perception.

As a growing name in the Southeast Asia denim community, Elhaus has no problems with experimentation and tinkering. Aside from their creative skill set, their country possesses a rich textile history that allows the duo to push the boundaries on the clothes they craft.

Sagara

Also based in Indonesia is Sagara and it’s founder and owner, Bagus Satrio. According to NoKipple‘s Gavin Smith, when they asked how much of the boot-making process was automated, Satrio laughed and told him he couldn’t afford machines. From leather cutting to hole-punching to stitching, every boot and shoe is flawlessly constructed solely by hand.

According to Satrio, he will not sell Sagara products to physical retail stores as he claims he needs his products to reach customers in pristine conditions – people trying on his shoes or boots would ruin the experience he is trying to create with his products.

Tush

Tush owner Tush Kawakami

Last, but not least,the sole founder of Tush is Tush Kawakami, an artisan leather master. A longtime friend and collaborator of Trophy Clothing owner, Masaki Egawa, Kawakami shares a passion for vintage motorcycles, clothing and music. Much like Egawa, Kawakami is also a perfectionist and as a result every single product that leaves his room is designed, sewn, cut and assembled by Tush, the epitome of made from scratch by hand.

Though still very much in the early days of operation, it’s clear that NoKipple is dead set on fulfilling it’s vision through a curated offering of low volume, high quality goods. To learn more about their company and browse their selection, visit their website.

The post NoKipple Launch: High Quality, Low Volume appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

After seeing how popular their perpetually sold out 21 Oz. Straight Cut jean (IH-643S) was, Japanese denim heavyweights, Iron Heart, decided to step it up and offer it in a seasonally-appropriate black. The IH-634S-BLK is the same signature straight cut jean, except with a black rope-dyed sulphur warp.

The jeans feature many of the same details as the indigo version, like a natural weft, hidden rivets, a selvedge fly detail, poly/cotton stitching, and sanforized 21 Oz. selvedge to avoid shrinking.  They’re available now for $375.00 USD on Iron Heart‘s website, so be sure to check out the photos below and the brand’s online shop.

Details

• Name: Iron Heart Black 21 Oz. Selvedge Denim Straight Cut Jean (IH-634S-BLK)
• Weight: 21 Oz.
• Fit: Straight Cut
• Denim: 100% sanforized cotton super heavy sulphur-dyed black selvedge
• Other details:
  • Hidden rivets
  • Selvedge fly detail
  • Poly/cotton stitching
• Available at: Iron Heart for $375.00
  

Photos

The post Iron Heart Black 21oz Selvedge Denim Straight Cut Jean (IH-634S-BLK) appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

On the heels of our feature on Iron Heart‘s new Black 21 Oz. Selvedge Denim Straight Cut Jean comes the recent release of the Japanese brand’s new denim jacket. The Lefty Trucker (IH-526L) is a 19 Oz. selvedge left hand twill Type III jacket, differing from their other standard right hand twill Type III version.

What is interesting about this jacket, besides it being left hand twill, is that it is designed to be longer in the body and arms than Iron Heart‘s traditional right hand twill version. For those with long torsos or gangly arms, this will be a godsend.

Unlike the traditional design, The Lefty Trucker also features side hand warmer pockets, helpful for those with things to stash. The jacket also features a selvedge placket detail, felled internal seams, and a once-washed unsanforized fabric that will have little to no shrink.

It’s available right now for $475.00 on Iron Heart‘s website, so be sure to check out the photos below and then head on over to the brand’s page for even more info.

Details

• Name: Iron Heart “The Lefty Trucker” 19 Oz. Left Hand Twill Type III Jacket (IH-526L)
• Weight: 19 Oz.
• Fit: Longer in the body and arms than Iron Heart‘s traditional Type III jacket
• Denim: Once-washed unsanforized, left hand twill Japanese selvedge denim
• Other details:
  • Side hand warmer pockets that have usable internal storage spaces as well
  • Selvedge placket detail
  • Felled internal seams
  • Once-washed sanforized fabric means little to no shrinking
• Available at: Iron Heart for $475.00

Photos

Model is 6’2″ with a 42″ chest, and is wearing a size Large 

The post Iron Heart “The Lefty Trucker” 19oz Left Hand Twill Type III (IH-526L) appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Self Edge and Iron Heart have a close working relationship that has resulted in exclusive denim and more than just a handful of collaboration pieces over the last half decade. In fact they’ve released 21 collaborations and for their 22nd collaboration, they’re releasing not just one jean, but two jeans and a jacket using a denim fabric that neither brand has ever used before – a 20 Oz. unsanforized loomstate left hand twill denim.

Made from American cotton, this denim is unique in that it is one of the few unsanforized fabrics that Iron Heart has ever used and on top of that, it’s uncommon to find left hand twill denim at this heavier weight. The denim has an interesting indigo color due to the grey weft yarns. The combination of the heavier weight, loomstate nature, and darker weft yarns should yield some pretty high contrast fades quickly that will please many Iron Heart fans.

The denim will be used in two styles of jeans: the slim tapered 301s cut and the 633s cut which is a modified 643s cut that is straight above the knee and tapers down past the knee with a longer inseam. Both jeans feature the same kind of details expected from Iron Heart which includes cotton poly core thread stitching, heavy canvas pocket bags, heavy leather patch, and the back pocket arcuates but in an indigo thread as opposed to the more commonly seen contrast thread.

As for the jacket, it is a modified Type III jacket with a longer body that makes it easier to wear a shirt untucked underneath. It also features hand pockets which is something Self Edge owner, Kiya Babzani, has been adamant about having with any collaboration jacket. A left hand twill jacket in a loomstate 20 oz denim is something that many denim heads will be excited about as it should quickly become comfortable to wear and lead to some interesting wear patterns.

The collection is a limited release that will not be remade, so be sure to pull the trigger quickly if you’re on the fence. It will be available for sale both online and in all Self Edge stores on Feb 15th at 12:00PM EST.

Self Edge x Iron Heart 20 oz Left Hand Twill 301s, 633s

SExIH22 – 633s

SExIH22 – 301s

Details

• Name: Self Edge x Iron Heart 20 oz Left Hand Twill 301s and 633s 
• Weight: 20 oz
• Denim: 100% American cotton, unsanforized, loomstate, left hand twill selvedge denim
• Other details:
  • Cotton-Poly core thread stitching
  • Grey weft yarns
  • Indigo thread arcuates
  • Hidden rivets
  • Heavy canvas pocket bags
• Available at: Self Edge 301s and 633s both for $400.00
  

Self Edge x Iron Heart 20 oz Left Hand Twill SExIH22 TYPEIII Jacket

Details

• Fit: Modified Type III jacket
• Weight: 20 oz
• Denim: 100% American cotton, unsanforized, loomstate, left hand twill selvedge denim
• Other details:
  • Cotton-Poly core thread stitching
  • Grey weft yarns
  • Lengthened body by 2 inches
  • Hand pockets
• Available at: Self Edge for $495.00

The post Self Edge x Iron Heart 20 Oz. Left Hand Twill Denim appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

It feels like “super” black selvedge denim has been on the rise lately, and for good reason. Don’t think that Japanese legends Iron Heart would be left out–they’ve recently come out with the Johnny Cash Works Too Superblack 12oz Selvedge Denim Work Shirt.

In a manageable 12oz weight, the difference with Iron Heart’s offering is that it’s reactive dyed. What is reactive dyed? Let’s take it straight from the brand themselves:

In a reactive dye a chromophore contains a substituent that is activated and allowed to directly react to the surface of the substrate. Reactive dyes have good fastness properties owing to the bonding that occurs during dyeing.

The work shirt’s warp and weft are both dyed, ensuring the deepest of black hues. It also features metal buttons, a chain stitch run-off, and felled seams throughout. There is some shrinkage to be expected, so Iron Heart made them slightly oversized to compensate.

Check out the photos below and then head over to Iron Heart‘s site for more.

Details

• Name: Iron Heart “The Johnny Cash Works Too” Superblack 12oz Selvedge Denim Work Shirt (IHSH-95)
• Weight: 12oz
• Fabric: Reactive-dyed Japanese selvedge denim
• Fit: Slightly oversized to compensate for shrinkage
• Other details:
  • Metal buttons
  • Chain stitch run-off
  • Felled seams throughout
• Available at: Iron Heart for $335.00

Photos

The post Iron Heart The Johnny Cash Works Too Superblack 12oz Denim Work Shirt appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Indigo knitwear has surged in popularity recently, with far-reaching brands like J.Crew and Club Monaco putting out indigo tees and sweaters of all sorts this season. While those options are attractive, it’s brands like Iron Heart that are truly leading the charge with their breadth of knowledge in all things indigo. One such available option from the Japanese brand is the Iron Heart Indigo Dipped Long Sleeved Thermal Henley (IHTL-1303).

Waffle thermals are well-regarded for how incredibly comfortable they are, so combining the fading properties of indigo with this particular piece of knitwear is a no-brainer. The henley itself has been hand-dipped in indigo four times for the richest of blues, with the unique benefit of the dyeing process removing all shrinkage. It will be a nice feeling for the customer to know that their henley won’t shrink unpredictably after the first several washes. Another notable detail is the four-needle flat seam construction, proving that the shirt will stand the test of many, many wears.

Like all indigo-dyed clothing, the shirt should be washed separately for the first several (or maybe just all) washes. It’s also important to note that due to the stretchiness of the fabric, Iron Heart warns that there may be some variation in sizing. Check out the details and photos below before heading over to the brand’s website for more.

Details

• Name: Iron Heart Indigo Dipped Long Sleeved Thermal Henley
• Fabric: 100% cotton
• Other details:
  • Dyeing process has removed all shrinkage
  • Stretchiness of fabric may cause some sizing variation
  • Hand-dipped in indigo four times for a deep, dark finish
  • Four-needle flat seam construction
  • Made in Japan
• Available at: Iron Heart for $200

Photos

The post Iron Heart Indigo Dipped Long Sleeved Thermal Henley appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Indigo is one of the first dyes man ever used to color fabrics and it’ll probably be one of the last. The pigment is made from fermented leaves off of the indigo plant, which has flourished in India, China, Japan, Egypt, Africa, and Central South America. But indigo’s beauty doesn’t come from how hardy and colorfast a dye it is, in fact it’s the exact opposite. The simple scuffs and scrapes that come with regular wear cause indigo to slough off and lead to individualized wear patterns, like denim fades.

Many of our favorite brands have put a new spin on classic items by giving them an indigo bath, like the Red Wing x Tenue de Nîmes Indigo Boot or Iron Heart’s Indigo Henley.

Part of the reason for indigo’s longevity is that dyeing with it is a relatively cheap and easy process. Easy enough, in fact, that you could do it with an afternoon in your backyard! So we’d like to take the mystery out of every denimhead’s favorite pigment and show you how to blue yourself at home.

Materials

This recipe will dye roughly 15 t-shirts or 7 pants/sweatshirts:

• Five gallon bucket with lid
• Dyeing agents (available separately or as a kit)
  • 20 grams pre-reduced indigo granules
  • 150 grams thiourea dioxide (thiox)
  • 100 grams soda ash
• Rubber gloves
• Clothesline with clothespins
• Stick long enough to reach the bottom of the 5 gallon bucket
• Wet non-synthetic things to dye (cotton, wool, linen, leather, etc.) plus test scraps

No, that’s not dog poop. I just had my lawn aerated, thank you for noticing.

For this batch we’re going to be dipping wool rag socks, a short sleeve oxford cloth shirt, khaki duck chinos, a terry cloth sweatshirt, a plain white tee, and a baseball cap (a last second addition and thus not pictured).

1. Prep the Dye

Fill your 5 gallon bucket with 4 gallons of warm tap water.

Add the indigo, thiox, and soda ash.

Stir for several minutes. It’ll take a while for all of the chemicals to dissolve within the water. You should have a marble-metallic type sheen across the solution’s surface when it’s ready.

Cover the bucket and let it sit for 20 minutes. You can use this time to set up your clothesline and wet your clothes down or watch our Norman Porter video five times.

2. Giving it the Dip

Your dyeing solution should be a a dark yellow-green color when you remove the lid.

Check how the dye is working with a test scrap before dipping any of your garments. It’ll be a light green when it first comes out. Don’t worry; the fabric will turn that dark indigo color we all know and love as it oxidizes over the next 10-15 minutes. Here’s the same scrap not five minutes later:

If you’re satisfied with the look of your test scrap, start with your first item. Make sure it’s thoroughly wet before you add it to the indigo or else it won’t dye evenly.

Squeeze out all the excess air and water as you dip your item. You’ll want it as thoroughly saturated with the stuff as possible but be careful not to not let it touch the bottom, there’s most likely undissolved sediment down there and your item won’t dye evenly.

Once your item is soaked to your satisfaction, hang it up on the clothesline to oxidize.

Squeezing the air out of your clothes can create concentrated bubbles of oxidized indigo, which can make your item not dye evenly. Be sure to scoop them out and discard before moving on to the next piece.

After you’ve dipped all of your items, give them a few minutes to oxidize on the clothesline. You’ll probably want to do several more dips but you need to wait until all of the green has turned blue first or else–you guessed it–it won’t dye evenly.

The drippy ends of the bottom of your garments will be the last to turn, but be sure you also check the inside hems where fabric may have stuck together and prevented oxidization, like the turquoise patch on the sweatshirt above. Also, note that indigo will not adhere to synthetic materials like the nylon thread in the sweatshirt which will give you some neat contrast stitching.

Most items will require several dips to achieve a deep and uniform color. Repeat all steps above until you reach a satisfying level of indigo-ness, for me that was around 5 dips total.

3. Rinsing and Clean up

If you have any dye left over you can cap it and set aside for use at a later date, it should last about a month before becoming fully oxidized. The dye is also non-toxic so if you have too little to save or just don’t care to, you can pour it out on your lawn or down the drain.

So now you’ve got a heap of dripping blue clothes. Even after drying, they’re still going to be super-saturated with indigo and give you a crazy amount of crocking.

Give them a quick bucket rinse to get rid of the excess dye.

Again, aerated lawn, not dog poop.

Look at all the blue that would’ve ended up on your shoes, sofa, or skin. Even though we’ve washed them, everything we’ve dyed is still a looooong ways from being colorfast. Make sure you wash them separately until you’re sure they’ve stopped bleeding.

All that’s left is to let them dry, throw them on, and you’re ready for a high-class night out in Alberta!

The post The Backyard Guide to Indigo Dyeing appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Iron Heart is a denim brand that needs no introduction for denim heads worldwide. The motorcycle themed label has long sought to create garments that function at the highest possible level, and their recently released IH-817 from their Engineer denim line is no exception.

Like the previous Engineer incarnations, this pair features details that will shine on the job and extend its life. These include triple-needle felled seams, half-lined pockets, belt loops tucked into the waistband, plus some nifty extra pockets and tool loops for the people that’ll use these pants for their intended purpose. Fit-wise, they feature the same straight leg cut of previous Engineer brethren, the IH-808 and IH-809. The 817s don’t have the same weatherproof resin coating but according to Iron Heart UK’s Giles Padmore, the denim’s extremely tight weave should be wind resistant.

The biggest aesthetic difference in the IH-817′s orange-contrast stitching as opposed to the usual white, but Giles says it’ll tone down with wear. And unlike most of Iron Heart’s scale-tipping heavy denim, the Engineer line has weighs in at a modest 16oz. This fabric has often been used by parent company Triple Works and it’s known to be a quite stubborn fade, but those willing to wait will be rewarded with crazy high contrast results.

Act quick if you’re interested in picking up a pair–Iron Heart UK already has them on the Endangered list!

DETAILS

• Name: Iron Heart 817 Deep Indigo Engineer’s Jean
• Weight: 16 Oz.
• Fabric:  100% cotton Sanforized dark indigo Japanese denim
• Fit: Straight
• Other details:
  • Triple needle stitch construction
  • Felled side seams
  • Non-selvedge finish
  • Belt Loops stitched into waist band
  • Half lined rear pockets
  • Talon zip fly
• MSRP: $300 at Iron Heart UK

Triple Stitched Felled Seams

The post Iron Heart New Release: 817 Deep Indigo Engineer Jeans appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

The second ever Heavyweight Denim Competition (HWDC2) recently passed its halfway point and the results so far have been quite impressive. A record 287 individuals have put their legs to the test for the two year competition, and a surprising number have continued to stick it out.

But according to co-organizer Gavin Smith (Megatron1505), HWDC2 almost never happened: “I never wanted to do HWDC2, and I wouldn’t have done it if so many people hadn’t requested it,” Smith said. “My first thoughts on doing HWDC2 were to make it significantly different from the first competition, we suffered a lot from the initial wave of interest dropping quite rapidly so the challenges were brought in to try and keep people motivated and competing, which I think has been a lot of fun and has succeeded to a degree.”

Megatron1505 and Beatle – The Masterminds Behind The HWDC2

Around 100-150 people are still active across all the official forums for the event, over double what Smith expected at this point. In case you haven’t had the chance to check out one of the official threads, here’s a highlight on some of the participants, all actively wearing their jeans to shreds and joining in on HWDC2′s camaraderie. Each competitor answered the same set of questions and is referred to by their SuperFuture handle, all jeans have been worn for one year with one more to go.

Max Power – Samurai Naniwa Special

The Samurai S700, which features the same fabric as the Naninwa Special but a slimmer fit.

Competition Jean: Samurai AS-500XX Naniwa Special 19 oz, limited Model for Aikidou (100 pieces)

Raw Denim Owned: 16 pairs at the moment

First Pair: 2008, Nudie Slim Jim Dry Japan

Home: Hamburg, Germany

Favorite Brand: Samurai

Number of Denim Competitions: Pike Brothers German Tour, HWDC1, HWDC2, UES Contest

Method of Denim Destruction: Working (office), skating, cycling, going to live gigs, hiking, leisure wear. I don’t own sweatpants, so I wear them all day, no matter what I do.

Washing method: I soak 2-3 times before I wear them, then do handwashes every 1-2 months, after approx. 4 months I start machine washes. Every 6 weeks approx. or whenever needed.

Favorite Competitor’s Pair: Many. I am biased, my favorite denim is the 19 oz Samurai denim, Cander49 has an awesome pair and shows the kind of fading, that I like best. MMBJ‘s Samurai Element pair is also nice and so is louisbosco’s Pure Blue Japan.

Megatron1505′s Take on Max Power:  He is mister consistent when it comes to denim, I’ve never seen him wear any denim that doesn’t end up with amazingly defined high contrast fades and that goes for jeans, shirts and jackets. I’m not entirely sure what his secret is but it certainly bears results.Personally speaking I am more of a fan of subtle, vintage wear and fade patterns than I am of high contrast, but I am very aware that I am in the minority when you look at the top jeans from the last HWDC and other denim contests from around the web.

Fanya – Iron Heart Mega Beatle Busters

Competition Jean: Iron Heart Mega Beatle Busters (25 oz. HWDC2 Competition Model)

Raw Denim Owned: 6 pairs

First Pair: Nov 2012

Home: Born and raised Minnesota but currently in Baltimore, Maryland

Favorite Brand: Iron Heart

Number of Competitions: First one

Method of Denim Destruction: Everyday. Work and play. I lead a pretty active life. I skydive, climb, hike, ride motorcycle, cooking, cleaning, reading books.  I put them on when I get up and take them off when I sleep.

Washing Method: Soaks, every week or two when I’m wearing them at work, three to four weeks when they are non-work pairs.

Favorite Competitor’s Pair: I’m not good at picking favorites, it’s more about the journey than the end result.

Megatron1505′s take on Fanya: Fanya is wearing the Iron Heart Mega Beatle Busters, which Iron Heart made for the competition, and is fading them in a way that I didn’t think was possible for the 25oz denim. Honestly, I don’t even think that Iron Heart themselves would have thought it was possible to fade the 25oz like Fanya has. The really interesting thing about his jeans is that there is a general; overall fade to the denim along with the very clearly defined high contrast combs and whiskers. I know that Fanya works as a skydiving instructor so spending so much time active and crawling around in small planes has obviously contributed a lot to the overall wear, I also know that Fanya’s jeans see water quite often as he shower washes them, so this will also be quite a factor.

Cander49 – Samurai S710xx 19oz.

Competition Jean: Samurai 710xx 19oz

Raw Denim Owned: 4

First Pair: 2010

Home: Salt Lake City, Utah

Favorite Brand: Samurai (Based off of experience with the 710) I like how they’re fading, and with no repairs required yet, after 15 months of very hard wear, that seems like a win to me.

Number of Competitions: First

Method of Denim Destruction: I wear my jeans everyday and take am extremely active in them. This ski season, which started in mid-November, I’ve taken them skiing 58 times so far, and will probably get in another 5-10 before the season ends in a few weeks. I hike with them all the time and I’m not afraid to soak them, get them dirty.  (The other) night, for example, my girlfriend and I took my dog and a dog we’ve been watching for a steep several hour hike on muddy trails and I wore these. When the rain really picked up, we had to run a couple miles back down a mountain to get back to my car, so they were totally splattered in mud and soaked through when we finished, but that’s how I like to wear them.

Washing Method: I don’t have a typical washing protocol, but just give them a machine wash and dry whenever they get gross. If I’m not mistaken, the wash they got after the hike last night was their 11th.

Favorite Competitor’s Pair: Beatle and Max Power always produce nice pairs, and Louisbosco also has a great pair this time, as usual. If I had to pick a dark horse, I think Louis could really do well in the 2nd half of this competition.

Megatron1505′s take on Cander49: Cander is a denim destroying machine; his jeans have fades upon fades already. Cander’s jeans are characterised by having fades in places where other people still have full dark indigo and more general overall wear than just about anyone else in the competition. He’s wearing Samurai 710xx 19oz, which I know from personal experience shed their indigo quite quickly so this will have helped them reach their current stage of wear, as will the Samurai insistence on using 100% cotton thread rather than poly cotton. Again, from a personal point of view, I prefer a little more subtlety in terms of both fade and wear so it’s a good job for most of these guys that I’m not a judge ha ha.

Tong SF

Competition Jean: Iron Heart Mega Beatle Buster (25 Oz. competition model)

Raw Denim Owned: 2

First Pair: January 2012

Home: Thailand

Favorite Brand: Iron Heart (both my pairs) Samurai, Flat Head, etc.

Number of Competitions: First

Method of Denim Destruction: I wear it everyday (12 hours/day) and ride my bicycle in them an hour a day, 5 days a week

Washing Method: Soaked 6 times in the 1st year and intend to machine wash it when the competition finishes

Favorite Competitor’s Pair: Fanya for sure!!

Megatron1505′s take on Tong SF:  Now Tong SF has a lovely balance between vintage and contrast in my opinion. The wear to his jeans is far more evenly spread than Fanya or Max or many other competitors and yet he still manages to keep the defined combs and whiskers in place. Tong’s jeans are one of my personal favourite pairs so far. Interestingly Tong is also wearing the Iron Heart MBB’s and his jeans look a lot different to those worn by Fanya, just shows how your life affects your denim.

Slowitchu - P.I Hagbergs 19oz Kurabo

Competition Jean: I’m wearing probably one of the last pairs of the Swedish brand P.I Hagberg 19oz Kurabo denim. The founder Per-Ivan Hagberg passed away late 2013 and therefore the production stopped. I bought my pair directly from the factory here in Sweden. They don’t even have the hand hammered rivets because Ivan was the only one who knew where to get them.

Raw Denim Owned: 9 pairs, mostly Swedish brands

First Pair: I think I was 13 years old (9-10 years ago), my mom was the one who got me in to it but the real addiction didn’t start until years later.

Home: Stockholm, Sweden

Favorite Brand: My biggest cravings right now is for a pair Momotaro.

Number of Competitions: First

Method of Denim Destruction: I wear them every day, but I’ve only been able to wear them at work too the last few months. Before that it was just after work and on weekends. I do everything in my denim, I work  a lot on my cars and stuff like that and wear them for things that doesn’t get them too dirty.

Washing Method: For this pair I waited for 365 days of wear in a row until I made a quick machine wash, I like to keep my denim dark for as long as possible. But I’m really happy how they turned out after the wash. So now I feel like I can wash them a little bit more frequently.

Favorite Competitor’s Pair: Cander49 has a great looking pair, Netleyhunter has a pair of impressive Naked & Famous 32oz also, two totally different denim.

Megatron1505′s Take on Slowitchu:  Slowitchu is a bit of a departure from the norm in so much as he is wearing jeans made by the Swedish brand PI Hagbergs rather than what most would consider to be one of the “major” brands. From memory the denim is Japanese and quite hairy. Again, much like Max, Slowitchu has attained quite striking high contrast fades. I think much of the wear comes from how well the jeans fit him and suit his body type not to mention how well they seem to have held up from a construction point of view.

Be sure to follow along on the competition website for the next year of HWDC2 to see the next year of denim evolution on these jeans and many more.

The post Fade Friday – Heavyweight Denim Competition 2 Halfway Highlights appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

This piece comes to us from Dylan Mayes, an Australian raw denim fan who’s traveled all over the world in pursuit of his favorite fabric in his Denim Pilgrimage. Dylan begins an internship at Iron Heart International in the UK this fall. 

Iron Heart celebrated their ten-year anniversary in 2013. Next year will mark another milestone, the tenth anniversary of the Hachioji x Gosport partnership. I recently had the pleasure of sitting down with both Haraki-san and Giles, as well as key members of the Iron Heart Japan crew to discuss the past, present, and future of the iconic denim brand.

Shinichi Haraki (left) and Giles Padmore (right) of Iron Heart.

Shinichi Haraki, commonly referred to as ‘Boss’, worked in the Japanese garment industry for near twenty-five years before founding Works, Inc. (The Works Japan). His career in denim started at age 23 with Edwin as a pattern maker, progressing to designer and then producer/director in just three years, designing in excess of five thousand jeans for the brand.

Haraki-san left Edwin to start a consulting company at 26, advising others on how to best establish production facilities/factories for the manufacture of denim. It wasn’t until 2003 that Iron Heart was launched; a brand originally aimed at the Japanese-American motorcycle community and inspired by heavyweight 21oz denim.

Giles Padmore, known as ‘UK Boss’ by his Iron Heart family, started working with Haraki-san in 2005. The Gosport native did not come from an industry background like that of his Japanese business partner; he spent three decades travelling the world as an ‘IT Guy’, working for large corporations and small start-ups in Europe and Asia.

Although Giles may not have had experience in the garment trade, his interest in denim went as far back as his early teens. Over the years, he accumulated a collection of Levi’s jeans that would ultimately lead him to Haraki-san and Iron Heart.

The two met in Los Angeles, California, after Giles contacted Haraki-san via e-mail with a proposal to distribute Iron Heart globally. Fortunately for Giles, an English-speaking member of the Iron Heart team was there to reply… Giles still jokes to this day when asked, why Iron Heart?

“Haraki was the only one who responded to my e-mails”.

This unlikely pairing of Hachioji and Gosport has proven to be a huge success for the brand, having increased their market size nearly fifteen-fold since the initial partnership. This did not come easy, however, Haraki-san and Giles both sacrifice a lot of their down time to ensure the brand continues to move forward.

“Basically Haraki doesn’t sleep (laughs).”

Haraki-san is the DNA, the aesthetic of Iron Heart. Giles is the outside perspective, the understanding of the international market. They both share a deep passion and genuine love for Iron Heart as well as a great deal of admiration for each other, making it easy to overcome difficulties that may arise when working together. Giles describes Haraki-san as being very ‘un-Japanese’ in regards to his willingness to listen to suggestions and ideas.

“There is no rigid hierarchy. I find it very easy, on a personal level, to work with Haraki”

This more relaxed and open style of creative thinking has lead to some great collaborations with western brands such as Scotland’s Alexander Leathers and Canada’s Viberg Boot. In addition, Giles has introduced what are now iconic Iron Heart products; The Devil’s Fit 666 slim cut jean and the slim tapered Beatle Buster jean. These are jeans designed for a market that Haraki-san did not identify with before Giles’s suggestion.

“I come up with ideas, occasionally he says ‘no’, or he did in the early days because they were stupid (laughs).”

Although collaborations have played an integral roll in the growth of Iron Heart, it is still very much a Made in Japan brand, with all 21oz denim production coming from one mill. Unfortunately, due to the increasing popularity of Iron Heart, both the mill, which runs non-stop throughout the year, and factory are often filled to capacity and struggle to keep up with demand.

In order to help prevent these limitations in the future Haraki-san has purchased and donated machines to the factory, with the intention of buying the factory in the next few years. Haraki-san acknowledges that this is ‘an-old fashioned’ way of business, that fewer people take risks but he wants to take the risk to help grow his brand as he believes in his product:

“Made in Japan is key to selling all over the world… Protect the ‘Made in Japan’ environment.”

It is clear that Japan will always be the home of Iron Heart’s production but Gosport has become the driving force in sales. Creating a ‘borderless’ market with its online store, popular forum, and an ever-growing network of global stockists… Hachioji and Gosport seem like not such an unlikely pairing.

This interview could not have been possible with out the help of Sarina, Iron Hearts ‘Mini Boss’ and translator.

The post Iron Heart’s Two Bosses: Shinichi Haraki and Giles Padmore appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

The little details that go into a pair of jeans can often be overlooked by the less discerning consumer. Only the most passionate denimheads care about chainstitches, selvedge lines, and tucked waistbands. But there are two design details few can overlook: the back pocket arcuate–which we highlighted recently–and the design of a brand’s patch. These allow for a designer’s artistic spirit to make a statement, one that might convince or deter a consumer from purchasing their creation.

With this in mind, we’ve assembled a near complete raw denim patch collection of the brands we know and love. Over a hundred raw denim-producing brands have been included, spanning one man operations to enormous denim manufacturers. Some reproduce the old guard’s patches to a near infringing level, while others use a completely original design, while some forgo the patch altogether.

We are only displaying one patch per brand due to space constraints, but many brands have numerous patches and some–like Sugar Cane or Kamikaze Attack–have a different patch for each model. We’ve picked the patches that we feel are most representative of the brand. As always, sound off in the comments section below with any favorite brands we may have overlooked.

3sixteen

3sixteen+

3×1

(No Patch Typically Used-NPTU)

45RPM

Akai-Me Denim

Allevol

Ande Whall

A.P.C.

(NPTU)

Apolis

Atelier Ladurance

Baldwin Denim

Benny Gold

Benzak Denim Developers

Big John

Billiam

Brooklyn Denim Co.

Buck Mason

Burgus Plus

bybeatle

Carhartt

Patch on Pocket

Cheap Monday

Cheese Denim

Denham the Jeanmaker

Denim Demon

Denime

Detroit Denim Co.

Dickies 1922

Patch on Pocket

Dior

(NPTU)

Double Volante

Dry Bones

Dyer & Jenkins

Eat Dust

Edwin

Elhaus

Endrime

Epaulet

Eternal

Evisu

E-Workers

Factotum

The Flat Head

Flint and Tinder

Folta & Co.

Full Count

Fundamental Agreement Luxury

(NPTU)

G-Star Raw

Gap

Gustin

Hiut Denim

Howies

I Love Ugly

Imogene + Willie

(NPTU)

Imperial

Indigofera

Iron Heart

Jack Spade

Japan Blue

Jean Shop

Jelado

Kamikaze Attack

Kapital

Lee

Left Field NYC

Levi’s

Mister Freedom

Mod9

Momotaro

Naked & Famous

Natural Selection

Noble Denim

Norman Porter

Northern Denim Co.

Nudie

Oldblue Co.

OMNIGOD

Oni

Ooe Yofukten

Orgueil

Pace

Paleo

Paulrose Products

Paul Smith

Phable

PI Hagberg

Pike Brothers

Pointer Brand

(Cloth Patch on Pocket)

PRPS

Pure Blue Japan

rag & bone

(lower cased initials on pocket only, no patch)

Railcar Fine Goods

Raleigh Denim

Real Japan Blues

Real McCoys

Red Cloud

Rising Sun & Co.

Rogue Territory

Roy

RPMWEST

RRL

Ruell & Ray

Samurai

Shockoe Denim

Skull Jeans

Somet

Steel Feather

Stevenson Overall Co.

Stone Island

The Strike Gold

The Stronghold

Studio D’Artisan

Sugar Cane

Sunrise Japan

Tellason

Toys McCoy

Triple Works

Trophy

UES

Unbranded

Uniqlo

United Stock Dry Goods

The West Is Dead

Warehouse

Williamsburg Garment Co.

(Embossed Logo Instead of Patch)

WP Lavori

Wrangler

(Patch on Pocket)

The post The Complete Raw Denim Patch Collection appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

The motorcycle-friendly denim legends Iron Heart are back at it with their Loomstate Ultra Heavy Raw 21/23 Oz. selvedge in their classic 1955 cut. The denim is a loomstate, unsanforized 21 ounce selvedge that, after the initial soak, becomes 23 ounce (thus the name). While it is dubbed as heavyweight, the brand promises it to be super soft, lest you fear an intense break-in.

As with all of IH’s denim, the focus is on durability and solid construction: it features polycotton constructional stitching, lined rear pockets, waist-sewn belt loops, and hidden rivets. As with any unsanforized denim, the pair will shrink after the first soak, to the tag size in the waist and 2 inches in the inseam.

They are a limited run–or “endangered”–with the possibility of further production dependent upon popularity.

Details

• Name: Iron Heart IH-1955-UHR
• Weight: 21 Oz. which shrinks to 23 Oz.
• Fit: Straight
• Denim: Loomstate indigo selvedge
• Other Details:
  • Polycotton stitiching
  • Hidden rivets
  • Lined back pockets
• Available at: Iron Heart for $425 USD

Upon close inspection, you can see the tell-tale hairiness for which loomstate denim is famous.

The fit is their variation on the 1955 classic straight fit, with a fuller cut in the leg and seat, and a 36.5 inch inseam.

The post Iron Heart Loomstate Ultra Heavy Raw 21/23 Oz. Jeans appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

The heavy hitters at Iron Heart have just released a new jacket called the IHJ-24 this time taking inspiration from Lee. The fabric is a 17 oz. indigo selvedge denim. Although it’s heavier weight of denim, it’s no surprise that this is actually on the lighter end of the scale for the motorcycle minded brand.

It’s a faithful interpretation of Lee’s 101J “First Zip” jacket, yet distinctly Iron Heart and full of period details enthusiasts will love. They’ve used a navy blue corduroy for the collar as well as for lining the hand pockets. Subtler details include cateye buttons located on the waist adjuster tabs, navy herringbone twill pocket bags and red thread running through the chain stitching. It’s a release that will not be remade, so be sure to hop on it fast.

DETAILS

• Name: Iron Heart IHJ-24
• Weight: 17 oz.
• Fabric: 100% cotton rope-dyed indigo denim
• Other details:
  • Action bi-swing pleated shoulders
  • Navy blue corduroy collar
  • Double and triple needle stitch construction
  • Bobbin thread on chain-stitch is in red
  • Zippered breast pocket lining in red twill
  • Handwarmer pockets are navy blue corduroy lined with navy herringbone twill pocket bags
  • Heavyweight leather zip pulls
• Available at Iron Heart for $450

Lee’s zip up denim jacket

The post Iron Heart IHJ-24 Jacket: Recently Released appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

If you’re hosting an event and would like it featured on an upcoming post, please let us know at events@rawrdenim.com.

NORTH AMERICA

Agenda Long Beach

Long Beach Convention Center
July 10-11, Thu-Fri 9am-6pm 
300 E. Ocean Blvd.; Long Beach, CA

Trade show season continues with this year’s Agenda show kicking off in Long Beach. This industry-only show features primarily the stake, surf, and streetwear scenes.

Iron Heart Fish’n’Chips

Iron Heart Gosport
July 12, Sat 2pm
Unit 21 Cooperage Green; Gosport, UK

Haraki and Giles, the masterminds behind heavyweight denim brand Iron Heart, are back at it with this year’s fish and chips dinner. Catch up with the IH crew and get a sneak peak of their upcoming AW 14 collection. If you plan on attending, please RSVP here.

Know of any events we missed? Please let us know in the comments!

The post Rawr Denim Events Calendar: July 10 -18 appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Denim sales come and go, which is exactly why we’ve compiled all that we could find into one, big post — a compendium, if you will.

We plan to offer this near exhaustive list every first and third Friday of the month, so stay tuned for more big savings.

Jeans

Han Kjøbenhavn’s Tapered Jean; photo courtesy of Eastdane

Baldwin

• The Henley Blackout $185 $110
• The Henley Blackout $185 $160 + 20% off = $128
• The Henley Blackout $185 $130
• The Reed 14oz. Kurabo $220 $155
• The Reed 16oz. Kurabo $265 $165
• The Reed 13oz. White Oak $220 $155
• The Samuel 15oz. Kurabo $265 $165

Han Kjøbenhavn

• Tapered Jeans $180 $126

Imogene + Willie

• Hank Rigid $250 $125
• Hank Rigid $250 $189
• Hank Rigid $250 $175

Japan Blue

• Tapered Indigo Selvedge $179 $99

Left Field

• (seconds) Twill Indigo Military Pant $154
• (seconds) Black Maria Greaser $161
• Selvedge Duck Chino $190
• Selvedge Duck Chelsea $180

Maison Kitsune

• Slim Cut $369 $270 + 20% off = $216

Merz B. Schwanen

• Indigo Dyed Canvas Pants $449 $269

Naked & Famous

• Skinny Guy Wax Coated $165 $120
• Skinny Guy Wax Coated $165 $111
• Skinny Guy Wax Coated $165 $116
• Skinny Guy Silk $180 $109
• Skinny Guy Twill Check $135 $69
• Skinny Guy Indigo Duck $150 $124
• Skinny Guy Jade Selvedge $148 $115
• Skinny Guy Lightweight Selvedge $158 $98
• Skinny Guy Vintagecast $155 $98
• Slim Guy Indigo Corduroy $140 $69
• Slim Guy Snowpant $350 $149
• Super Skinny Guy $165 $116
• Weird Guy Vintagecast $155 $98
• Weird Guy Indigo Corduroy $140 $69
• Weird Guy Vintage Nudes $150 $98
• Weird Guy Rainbow Core $195 $140
• Weird Guy Pineapple Chambray $180 $126
• Weird Guy Jade Selvedge $148 $89
• Weird Guy Natural Indigo $155 $107
• Weird Guy Natural Indigo $160 $107
• Weird Guy Scratch-n-Sniff Mint $155 $99
• Weird Guy Scratch-n-Sniff Mint $158 $91
• Weird Guy Green Weft $158 $99
• Weird Guy Green Weft $158 $91
• Weird Guy Green $110 $79
• Weird Guy Lyocell $160 $98
• Weird Guy Indigo Duck $150 $124
• Weird Guy Indigo Duck $150 $67
• Weird Guy Midnight Selvedge $150 $109
• Weird Guy Deep Indigo Stretch $165 $83
• Weird Guy Waxed Coated $165 $111
• Weird Guy Lightweight Indigo $140 $85
• Weird Guy Big John Collaboration $265 $195

Natural Selection

• Slim Fit $220 $66
• Slim Fit $220 $66

Nudie

• High Kai Organic $179 $125
• Tight Long John Organic Rinsed Twill $179 $125
• Grim Tim Dry Dirt Organic $179 $140
• Thin Finn Dark Grey $180 $125
• Thin Finn Organic Dry Navy $180 $90
• Big Bengt Dry Dirt Organic $180 $89

Our Legacy

• First Cut $140 $70

Raleigh

• Work Fit $285 $142.50
• Graham Torrent (Basketweave) $315 $158
• Graham Thames Chino $245 $172
• Alexander Work Fit $330 $165
• Nash Straight Fit $285 $142
• Nash Tencel $288 $144

Tender Co.

• Type 129 Slim Fit $353 $211

Wings + Horns

• Straight Fit Selvedge $180 $90

Shirts and Jackets and Vests

Freewheeler’s “Riley” vest; photo courtesy of Hickorees

Dickies

• (one rinse) Dickies x Context 1950 Denim Trucker $220 $110

Freewheelers

• “Riley” Vest $366 $202

Levi’s Vintage Clothing

• 1936 Type I Jacket $385 $193

Naked & Famous

• Wax Coated Indigo Stretch $170 $69

Post Overalls

• Engineer’s Jacket Indigo Canvas $350 $210
• Royal Traveler Indigo Swirl Vest $330 $198

Tender Co.

• Woad Overdyed Driver Jacket $593 $297

Wallace & Barnes by J. Crew

• Denim Worker Suit Jacket $358 $250 + 40% off
• Indigo Deck Jacket 288 $240 + 40% off

Canadian Sales

Naked and Famous Weird Guy Scratch-n-Sniff Mint; photo courtesy of Nomad Shop

Bedwin

• Cassidy Denim Jacket $390 $199

Heller’s Cafe

• Double Knee Work Denim $300 $120

Naked and Famous

• Weird Guy Scratch-n-Sniff Mint $155 $93
• Weird Guy Teflon Waterproof $235 $141

Nonnative

• Dweller 5P Jeans $359 $215

Post Overalls

• Indigo Canvas Engineers Jacket $370 $185

European Sales

Nigel Cabourn’s Workwear Denim; photo courtesy of End Clothing

Acne

• Roc Raw £149 £99
• Max Raw £149 £99
• Ace Gothic £149 £99

Edwin

• Over Works Factory Loco Jacket EUR 390 EUR 273
• Sen W-Craft EUR 290 EUR 203
• ED-71 Slim £79 £39
• ED-55 Relaxed £109 £65
• ED-39 Regular £109 £55

Han Kjøbenhavn

• Tapered £115 £48

Iron Heart

• June 18th – June 22nd, 12.5% off at: http://www.ironheart.co.uk/

Levi’s Vintage Clothing

• 1878 Pantaloons EUR 250 EUR 175
• 1947 501 Jeans EUR 198 EUR 139
• 1954 501 Jeans EUR 198 EUR 139

Natural Selection

• Smith Narrow EUR 199 EUR 139
• Smith Skinny EUR 169 EUR 118

Nigel Cabourn

• Workwear Jean £245 £149

Orslow

• Standard Denim 105 EUR 193 EUR 97

Our Legacy

• First Cut £129 £79
• First Cut EUR 123 EUR 70
• First Cut EUR 139 EUR 97
• First Cut Black £135 £55
• Two Jean EUR 199 EUR 139

Women’s Sales

The L in Waxed Black; photo courtesy of Baldwin

 Baldwin

• The L in Waxed Black $220 $88

The post The Rawr Denim Sales Compendium: July 18 appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

With the raw denim market continually on the rise, quality jeans become increasingly available. That’s good news for everyone, including those of us who are on the larger end of the spectrum. Even so, it may still be a little cumbersome for bigger dudes who just want a pair of decent jeans. But don’t worry because we’ve got you covered with this list of denim brands that produce sizes 36 and up.

LEVI’S 501 STF

This is the original jean that brands like A.P.C. look to when designing their jeans. The Levi’s 501 Shrink-to-Fit jeans are one of the most affordable pairs of raw denim you’re likely to find and will never go out of style.

Being the biggest denim brand in the world, Levi’s produces a plethora of jeans in a wide range of sizes. So if you’re looking for a classic pair of raw denim jeans, you’re sure to find one that’ll fit your waist and length (all the way up to a 46×40).

Currently on sale at Levi’s for $47

UNBRANDED UB322 STRAIGHT FIT STRETCH

A step up from Levi’s Shrink-to-Fit’s are Unbranded’s UB322 Straight Fit 11 oz. Stretch Selvedge jeans. They are a solid pair of jeans made a with lightweight rope-dyed Japanese denim. No logos or fancy gimmicks here. Just a solid pair of jeans for an affordable price and they go up to a size 38 with a true waist size of about 40 inches.

Available at Unbranded for $108

UBI-IND MSL-1 MODERN SLIM LEG

For the everyday man, Ubiquitous Industries produces denim in an assortment of fits with a wide range of sizes. Their MSL-1 Modern Slim Leg is made in the USA of a 13.5 oz. White Oak Cone Mills denim and goes all the way to a 46 inch waist. The Medium Dip is great if you’re also looking for a pair of raw denim jeans that isn’t so dark. If you’re packing a little more than their MSL-1 can contain, Ubi-Ind makes jeans in more accommodating fits as well.

Available at Ubi-Ind for $255

IMOGENE + WILLIE BARTON RIGID

Most of Imogene + Willie’s jeans go up to a size 40 with the actual waist sizes topping out at around 42 inches. The Barton jean is their take on the modern slim leg with rise that’s slightly lower than their straight fit Willie jean.

Though it’s produced in the good ol’ US of A, these jeans are made of Japanese denim from Nihon Menpu in Okayama and weighs in at an all-season weight of 13.5oz.

Available at East Dane for $250.

IRON HEART IH-634S

For those of you looking for something beyond the ordinary, Iron Heart’s IH-634S jean may be for you. Made of Japanese unsanforized selvedge denim, these straight fit behemoths weigh in at 21 oz. Most people don’t have the tenacity to take on a denim that weight

And though Iron Heart’s biker mentality leads them to produce heavy and hardwearing goods, these jeans actually feel much softer than you would expect. If you’re up to the challenge, the IH-634S goes up to a size 40.

Available at Iron Heart for $350.

If none of the jeans on this list piqued your interest, don’t worry! This list is by no means exhaustive, so be sure to check out the Scout to see all of the brands that make jeans with 38 inch or greater waistlines.

The post Five Pairs of Raw Denim with 38-Plus inch Waists appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Kronoz and Iron Heart have teamed up to produce a limited run of denim. Iron Heart is a Japanese company that originated in 2003 with the intent to craft denim for bikers. Traditionally made from heavyweight fabrics, these jeans are designed for durability.

As founder Shinichi Haraki and partner Giles Padmore push the limits of over-engineering, the new collaboration with Malaysian company Kronoz offers nothing less than a moto-worthy denim. These jeans are made with a left hand twill and come in at 19 oz. fully furnished with custom cowhide patch.

The pair is available at Kronoz, but the limited run of 100 is going fast.

DETAILS

• Name: Kronoz x Iron Heart
• Weight: 19 oz.
• Fabric: 100% cotton Japanese selvedge denim
• Fit: Slim
• Unique features:
  • Super dark indigo
  • Left hand twill
  • Serial numbered 1-100
• MSRP: 1,399 Malaysian Ringg ($432 USD) at Kronoz

PHOTOS

Photos courtesy of Dylan Mayes of Iron Heart International

The post Kronoz X Iron Heart X Mydenim Collaboration Denim – Recently Released appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

By his own admission, Rawr Denim Forum user Zin spends most of his time either sitting on his bum in front of a computer (he’s a verification engineer) or on his knees playing with his two children, which explains the killer knee and pocket fades he’s been able to get on his pair of Iron Heart 666S. For the uninitiated, that’s 18oz. (slightly lighter than normal for Iron Heart) unsanforized Japanese indigo raw selvedge denim.

After putting in the time (i.e. 254 days of wear, 5 soaks, and 1 wash), Zin’s results are clearly worthy of Fade Friday fame. But what really pushed the jury in favor, was the fact that he spelled out “Iron Heart” using his own pair of Iron Heart’s. We were like, “Woah, that’s some next level stuff.”

If you’re the social media type, you can check out Zin’s documentation of the fading process on his Instagram or see the full evolution on the forum.

Details

• Name: Iron Heart 666S
• Fabric: 100% cotton Japanese raw selvedge denim
• Weight: 18oz
• Fit: Slim Fit (Devil’s Cut)
• Unique Features:
• • Lined rear pockets
  • Button fly
  • Reinforcing tape on inside of front pocket openings
  • Belt loops sewn into waist band
  • Over gauge constructional stitching
• Available for $360

Think your fades are worth of Fade Friday fame? Send your pics to fades@rawrdenim.com

The post Fade Friday – Iron Heart 666s (10 months, 5 soaks, 1 wash) appeared first on RawrDenim.com.

Denim sales come and go, which is why we’ve dug deep to compile a list of all the current raw denim special offers. Due to the overwhelmingly positive reaction our sales compendiums have gotten we’ve decided to ramp them up from bi-monthly to weekly. Ever think you might have missed a sale during the compendium’s bi-week? Worry no longer!

Store Sales

Hickoree’s

• 20% off with code “Blazingfast”
• Carries: Burgus Plus, King-O-Wear, Phigvel, Tender Co.

Jeans

Iron Heart 666S; photos courtesy of Tuckshop Sundry Supply

3×1

• M3 Slim Fit $285 $200
• M5 Chrysti Slim Fit $365 $250

AG Adriano Goldschmied

• Dylan Skinny Stretch $198 $139

Cheap Monday

• High Slim $90 $63

Han Kjøbenhavn

• Raw Tapered Jeans $180 $126

Imogene + Willie

• Hank Rigid $250 $125
• Hank Rigid $250 $175
• Barton Slim Straight $250 $175

Iron Heart

• 666S $360 $215
• 634 UHR $425 $212

Jean Machine

• JM-1 Slim $170 $119

Kato

• Slouch-Fit Tapered $178 $140

Left Field

• (seconds) Black Maria Greaser $161
• Selvedge Duck Chino $190
• Selvedge Duck Chelsea $180

Naked & Famous

• Skinny Guy Charcoal Selvedge $155 $104
• Skinny Guy Wax Coated $165 $120
• Skinny Guy Black Wax Coated $165 $100
• Skinny Guy Silk $180 $109 + 40% off = $62
• Skinny Guy Indigo Duck $150 $124
• Skinny Guy Indigo Duck $145 $100
• Skinny Guy Lightweight Selvedge $140 $70
• Skinny Guy Vintagecast $155 $98
• Skinny Guy Vintagecast $155 $115
• Skinny Guy Grey/Silver $148 $89 + 40% off = $53
• Skinny Guy Royalcast $155 $100
• Weird Guy Frankenstein 3 $155 $109
• Weird Guy Double Weave $138 $97
• Weird Guy Indigo/Indigo Painter $158 $79 + 40% off = $47
• Weird Guy Vintagecast $155 $115
• Weird Guy Dark Indigo $175 $109 + 40% off = $62
• Weird Guy Rainbow Core $195 $140
• Weird Guy Scratch-n-Sniff Mint $155 $71
• Weird Guy Green Weft $158 $99 + 40% off = $59
• Weird Guy Green Weft $158 $123
• Weird Guy Big John Collaboration $265 $195

Nudie

• Hank Rey Straight in Organic Deep Dry Indigo $179 $90
• Tight Long John Organic Rinsed Twill $179 $125
• Thin Finn Dark Grey $180 $72

Raleigh

• Work Fit $285 $143
• Graham Torrent (Basketweave) $315 $95
• Nash Tencel $288 $144
• Martin Broken Twill $285 $199
• Jones Thin Rope Dye $248 $124

Red Cloud

• RTG-02 Slim Straight $122 $61
• 5300 Work Pants $199 $99
• R423XX $199 $99
• R424 $199 $99
• R436 $199 $99

Rising Sun

• Black Moleskin Jeans $275 $165

TCB

• 60s Selvedge $167 $117
• 50s Selvedge $175 $123

UES

• 400E Bush Pants $221 $132
• Work Pants $186 $140

Unbranded

• UB422 $108 $80
• UB222 $108 $80

United Dry Stock Goods

• Slight Fit 9Oz. Black/Black $170 $120
• Slight Fit 12.5Oz. Indigo $158 $119
• Slight Fit 12.5Oz. Rinsed Indigo $168 $119
• Narrow Fit 12.5Oz. Indigo $158 $119

Warehouse

• Digger Ivy Slim Jeans $231 $162

Shirts, Jackets and Vests

TCB Type III; photos courtesy of Tuckshop Sundry Supply

Engineered Garments

• 5Oz. Workshirt $180 $108

Post Overalls

• Royal Traveler Vest $300 $180

TCB

• 60s Type III $199 $139

Canadian Sales

BRU NA BOINNE

• Special Dye Denim CAD 449 CAD 225

Eternal

• 811Tapered CAD 275 CAD 193

Heller’s Cafe

• Double Knee Work Denim CAD 299 CAD 120

European Sales

Edwin

• ED-47 £109 £45
• ED-39 £125 £49

Marc by Marc Jacobs

• M2122027 Indigo £170 £50

Our Legacy

• First Cut Black £155 £95

Paul Smith

• JKFJ 100M 784 R £115 £60
• JKCJ 301M 104R R £100 £50
• JKCJ 301M 102 R £120 £60
• JKCJ 10 1M 100R R £145 £75

The post The Raw Denim Sales Compendium: November 21 appeared first on RawrDenim.com.