How much do a pair of jeans weigh

The jeans weight refers to the basis weight of a pair of jeans and is usually given in ounces per square yard. The higher this basis weight, the heavier the jeans.

It should be noted here that the jeans weight is not to be equated with the fabric thickness. For example, chinos can be just as heavy as jeans, but are thinner than denim in terms of fabric thickness . This is due to the fact that air is worked into the jeans fabric in order to insulate particularly well. Because of this insulation, men’s jeans are particularly suitable for colder days, as they store body heat and warm from the inside. For the summer, light fabrics (in terms of fabric thickness, not jeans weight) such as special flat woven fabrics or gabardines are advantageous because they are air-permeable.

How much do a pair of jeans weigh?

An example to illustrate this: According to the calculation, a pair of jeans with 12 oz / square yard has a weight of 12 x 28.35 g / 0.8361 m² = 407 g / m². For jeans in size W33 / L34 with 12 oz, that’s around 700g, depending on whether the pants have other metallic applications such as buttons, etc. An average pair of jeans weighs around 700g, but can also weigh over a kilo.

Here are a few examples of how denim jeans are used:

jeans weight  in oz / yard²	g / m²	character	Areas of application
6th	203	Super light	Blouses, shirts
8th	271	Easy	Blouses, shirts, skinnies, jeggings
10	339	Easy	Pants, skirts, vests, jackets
12th	407	medium	Pants, skirts, jackets
13.75	466	Medium-hard	pants
14.5	492	Medium-hard	pants
15th	508	Heavy	pants

Influence on jeans quality:

Jeans with a higher  jeans weight  usually have a longer lifespan. This means that a higher weight is due to a certain robustness of the fabric. However, this is not necessarily the case, so that the general quality of the substance must also be taken into account. In the case of inferior trousers, the  fabric weight is  usually not specified. These jeans often have a very short lifespan, as the fabric quality is not sufficient due to the cheap materials. In branded jeans with a low  jeans weight  , elastane is often added to make the jeans more stretchy. This also increases the lifespan of the jeans.

The story of Jeans weight

The density determines the weight of the Jeans. Cotton quality, yarn count, material composition and weaving technique set the course for the production of perfect  denim .

Quality and Origin

It starts with the  cotton from which the yarn is made. The premium varieties are Sea Island  Cotton  from the USA, Mako cotton  (Giza 88) from Egypt and Pima cotton  from Peru. Japanese jeans manufacturers prefer  cotton  from Zimbabwe. The quality is primarily determined by the fiber length. cotton needs warm temperatures and a lot of water to develop optimally. It is traded on commodity exchanges around the world and is therefore subject to the interplay of supply and demand. In 2010 the price per 500 grams was 85.8 cents and the trend is increasing. In 2012 it reached a high of 99.26 cents. Then a downward trend began. Today (2015) it is just 58.26 cents. For countries like Egypt, Peru and Zimbabwe,  cotton  is extremely important as an export good. The USA supplies  cotton  from the  Cotton Belt, which also includes high-quality Orleans cotton belongs primarily to the North American market and serves traditional jeans manufacturers such as Levi’s. However, products with 50 percent cotton from the USA already carry the Cotton  USA seal of approval  .

Denim and jeans

The cool blue was once called “Serge de Nimes” and was produced in the French city of Nimes as a smooth cotton jeans. In its original form it was a fabric with an untreated surface, a stiff handle and an inconspicuous light gray color. In the fashion world, the color is called ecru. The fabric got its varied blue tones by coloring it with indigofera, the extract of a plant. Cotton fabrics are characterized by their high resilience and durability. The need for hard-wearing material grew and the weaving mills in Italy (Genoa), England (Manchester) and Germany (Silesia and Lusatia) covered it. History ascribes the origin of the term jeans to Genoese fabrics. In the USA, “Serge de Nimes” became  denim, while the material from Genoa became “Jean” (s).

14 oz are the measure 

The great hour of the universal trousers struck in San Francisco in 1850. At that time, the first LEvi ‘s (with a capital “E”!) Was woven with a material density of 14 oz per square yard and equipped with rivets. The metric system was not used in the United States and England. These jeans set new standards. Levi’s headquarters on Battery Street, San Francisco, is still the keeper of these original pants to this day. The 14 oz weight per square yard is the apex between light and heavy goods. From 14 oz a pair of jeans is one of the heavyweights, the “heavyweight denims”, mostly made of 100 percent  cotton . The jeansweight  of 14 oz per square yard is wearable all year round. cotton warms in winter and cools in the warm months. It absorbs sweat without any problems and is resistant even when wet.

Yarn size and weave

The quality of the  cotton also  determines the weight. Then there is the yarn thickness and the weave. Ring  denim  has an uneven surface. The warp and weft are of different colors and are woven diagonally. Reverse  denim  consists of material processed on the left side. Cotton  and yarn have always been commercial goods. Hence the need arose to weigh and measure them. The yarn thickness was recorded in various systems. “Number English” (Ne) measures the thread thickness of one gram of  cotton  with 1.6934 meters. Less common was “Number French” (Nf) with the measurement of 1,000 meters of yarn equivalent to 500 grams of  cotton (2 meters correspond to 1 gram). The deviation results from the fact that  cotton is  a natural product with very different fiber lengths and the mechanics of the looms in England and France were also of different orientations. In 1811 the eriometer made it possible to measure wool , fibers and yarns. It was replaced by the Lanameter. The latter is able to determine the mean fiber diameter.

Technology and tradition

The shuttle loom is the great master among the historical weaving machines. The archer corresponds to the shuttle on a hand loom and transports the horizontal fibers back and forth. Despite the technological perfection of the weaving process, using gaseous and liquid substances, shuttle looms are still used today. Particularly high-quality products with a rather natural character are made on them. The weaving result bears an individual signature. The shuttle loom is able to weave fabric densities of up to 33 oz per square yard. This extremely high jeans density can be found in jeans made from Japanese denim. Lovers of these jeans particularly appreciate the rough surface of the fabric and maintain old rituals such as “shrink to fit”. New jeans are put on when they are wet to dry on the body. The pants fit the body so seamlessly. Others don’t wash their new acquisition in the first few months of wearing it. During this time, the jeans take on the very individual signs of use and occasionally spend a disinfecting night in the freezer. Machine wash and tumble dryers are frowned upon.

Cotton  plus high-tech fiber

The magical wool can also be processed in the soft range of 10 to 12 oz by adding modern yarns. 98 percent  cotton  mixed  with 2 percent  elastane results in a smooth end product. The properties of both ingredients add up to a new quality. While purists use 100 percent  cotton swear, the rest of the fashionable world certainly appreciates jeans with high-tech fibers. There is less and less reference to the consistency of the jeans in the product information. Trying on is already popular when you buy it and you have the option of picking up the good piece of its own accord. Regardless of whether you opt for a lightweight 10 oz, a classic 14 oz or a heavy 20 oz: you are always right with the new jeans.

Also Visit: 5 Key Ways to Customize Your Denim Jeans