The Absolute Best Selvedge Jeans

There’s really no such thing as “raw denim season” to us denimheads—it’s pretty much an all-year thing. Still, there are seasons of the year where raw denim makes more sense logically speaking.

If you’re not in the home stretch of the Indigo Invitational Y4 right now, this is no doubt the best time of the year to start a new fading project. You’ve got the rest of the autumn and all winter to get some wear into your jeans. Come spring and you’ll already have a good fade going.

The thing is, you need a pair of jeans to fade. If what you have in your closet already doesn’t appeal to you, maybe it’s time to take the plunge and invest in that pair you’ve always wanted?!

Back in 2022, we put out our ultimate selvedge denim ‘masterlist’ with all of our own grail jeans. Since then, it’s been our most visited buying guide and, this week, we’ve updated it for autumn 2024.

MY TOP 3 FROM THE LIST

Iron Heart 634S (21 oz.)

Classics never die, and Iron Heart’s 21 oz. selvedge was born a classic. When the brand introduced the 634S as their flagship denim/cut in 2003, they turned the selvedge scene on its head, creating an arms race among makers to produce the best heavy yet wearable jeans.

The cut, based on the 1966 501, is an excellent introduction either to the brand or to the world of conspicuously well-made selvedge. We’re also big fans of the 555 (super slim), 666 (straight), 777 (slim tapered), and 888 (high-rise tapered).

Iron Heart’s jeans are insanely popular and production often can’t keep up with demand. If your size is currently not available on Iron Heart’s own site, have a look here: Franklin & Poe (US), Division Road (US), Corlection (AU), Brooklyn Clothing (CA).

Benzak BDD-006 Heavy Slub (16 oz.)

The pride of Amsterdam, Benzak have made a name for themselves by elegantly fusing European tailoring and Japanese denims.

Felled inseams, tucked belt loops, and Benzak’s unique sixth pocket (hidden below the waistband on the left side) all mark this pair as a cut above the rest. Nudge this denim along with a few months of steady wear and you’ll see why fans of slubby denim can’t get enough of the stuff.

Samurai S710XX (19 oz.)

Samurai’s most popular pair has been a stalwart in the fade scene since its introduction in 2003. Fading is built into the brand’s ethos, with a strong focus on the “zen and beauty” of faded indigo.

Their 19 oz. silver-line Kiwami Selvedge enjoys a stellar reputation among denimheads for its ability to produce eye-popping contrast fades. For those looking for fast and sharp fades, these cut like a katana.

Franklin & Poe are currently low on stock of the S710XX, but you can also get Samurai from all of these retailers: Redcast Heritage (ES), Blue in Green (US), Brooklyn Clothing (CA), and Corlection (AU).