A denim collection of its own

By Katie Syk
April 3, 2025

The indigo blues of denim usually trigger thoughts of jeans: wide leg, skinny, boyfriend, bootcut, the list goes on. Yes, jeans and denim go hand in hand. But there’s so much more potential in denim than the traditional jeans we all know and love. Denim can do what it does with style and comfort in a wide range of formats. Our Best of Denim Showroom’s Creative/Novelty Collection showcases the denims that do just that. Read on for a sample of the denim fabrics you can find there, and the potential each one has.

As you can imagine, it’s no easy feat putting together a diverse, high-quality assortment of fabrics to include in our Creative/Novelty Collection. Luckily, we’ve got our sourcing expert Frank to parse through the literally thousands of unique denim fabrics out there and find the very best ones. He’s happy to do it – and to share them with brands like you. Here are a few types of denim fabric he’s most excited to show off.

Denim finishes

Fabric finishing is the process of applying a layer of film onto a material, whether for functional purposes like stability and water repelling or for creative purposes to change the look and feel of the fabric. This final stage of production can make a big difference – and denim is no exception.

Within our Creative/Novelty Collection, Frank has picked out denims with an assortment of finishes. Throughout its production, denim (in particular) is prone to stretch due to the continuous tension of spinning, dyeing, and weaving. Once the denim relaxes and is made into a final product, it shrinks. To avoid this post-production shrinkage, many of our fabrics such as this Indigo Stripe twill by Crescent Bahuman or this royal blue dobby by Stella Blu have a preshrunk finish, meaning the item will stay true to size for the end consumer, even after repeated washing.

To take it a step further, with a Millwash finish, the denim is washed before it’s even delivered to the garment manufacturer, further ensuring there’s no shrinkage once the product is created. Frank has picked out a number of high-quality Millwash options like this indigo twill from Bhaskar Industries, among others, found in our Creative/Novelty Collection.

To achieve soft denim fabrics, an enzyme rinse known as desizing is the best finish – and can be found in denims such as this sweet indigo chambray by Stella Blu. Denim with a desized finish is ideal for casual looks and leisure wear, whether that’s a pair of jeans or a comfy shirt to throw on for an evening in.

Additional denim finishes found in this Creative/Novelty Collection include print finishes (found on this print twill denim), foam finishes (like the one on this indigo fabric), and wash & wear finishes (found on this black dobby option).

PFD denim materials

Fabrics which fall into the PFD – or prepared for dyeing – category are processed so they can absorb dye evenly and consistently. For denim materials, this means that the fabric hasn’t been dyed with indigo, but is pre-treated, or in a “loomstate”, to accept other finishes, dyes, or special washes. For fashion brands that want control over the exact color and shades of their denim, PFD fabrics are an ideal option, and can be found in this Combat Sing and this Petra Sing twill, both by Sharabati Denim in the Creative/Novelty Collection.

Denim fabric weaves

Frank has pored through denim weaving types ad nauseum (he’s a bit of a perfectionist, that bear) and has finally settled on a selection of options he’s happy with (for now).

The dobby weaving type is a geometric-patterned weave with small, uniform designs like checkers or raised dots. Dobby weaving is used to create intricate designs on denim, like this Cinder Blue by Prosperity Textile.

The popular twill weave – one of the most common of weaves – uses a process that creates strong, smooth fabric with diagonal lines running across it. This Stella Blu TENCEL indigo is a prime example of the twill weave and is perfect for dresses, tops, and lightweight bottoms.

The versatile Jacquard weave is made up of complex woven-in designs, often with tapestry-like effects. Named for the Jacquard loom it’s woven on, this textured denim opens the door to creativity, allowing for a range of designs from geometric to floral. This black/gray Jacquard denim by Crescent Bahuman demonstrates just what design options are possible and is perfect for creating dresses and more.

It’s no easy feat putting together a diverse, high-quality assortment of fabrics to include in our Creative/Novelty Collection. Luckily, we’ve got our sourcing expert Frank to parse through the literally thousands of unique denim fabrics out there and find the very best ones.

And lastly, the basket weave: simple, yet impressive with its interlaced design which forms a crisscross pattern. To see an example, check out this Dungaree Rein by Sharabati Denim.

Frank’s proud as punch of this collection of denims he’s tracked down – and will be continuously updating the selection available. He hopes denim brands of all types and sizes find something they love here:

Have a look, and if you don’t find what you’re after, you can always ask Frank for other suggestions here:

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