A selvage is an edging on fabric that prevents fraying and helps create even seams. It is created by securing horizontal weft threads along the side edges of the fabric. Selvage denim is a type of denim with a self-finished edge often used to make jeans. Knit fabric edges are created using a different stitch pattern to prevent unraveling.
A selvage, or selvedge, is a type of edging on a piece of fabric that prevents individual stitches from fraying or fraying. The term is derived from the phrase “self-edging” because the formation of a selvage is a natural result of how the fabric is made. Historically, selvedges were only found on woven fabric, but in modern times the term has also been applied to self-finishing edging on woven fabric. On both woven and woven fabrics, these finished edges help create seams that are evenly aligned.
Creating a selvage in woven fabric is usually accomplished by securing horizontal weft threads along the side edges of the fabric. This can be done by reversing the direction of the weft threads at the end of each row of weaving, and then wrapping the threads under and over the vertical warp threads that run the length of the fabric. The type of thread and fabric used to make selvedges can be the same or different from those used to make the rest of the fabric. With woven fabrics that use a different fabric or thread to create finished edges, the edge is often discarded before the individual pieces of the garment are attached.
One type of woven fabric that incorporates these finished edges is called selvage denim, which is a type of denim with a distinctive self-finished edge often used to make jeans. Weaving denim is woven by hand using a shuttle loom, which is a type of loom that stores the weft thread in an oblong tool called a shuttle. Fabric woven on this type of loom is narrower than fabric woven on looms that do not use a shuttle, so jean makers must compensate for the lack of width by using extra length. The most economical way to make a pair of jeans from this type of denim is to use as much woven fabric as possible, including self-finished edges, which typically fall into the outer leg seams of a finished pair of jeans.
In the fabric, the edges are created by using a different stitch pattern for the stitches closest to the edges of the knit fabric. This creates edges that are tight, clean, and won’t unravel. A knit border is often used for ease of sewing, although it can also be used to make a finished border on a piece that does not require sewing, such as a scarf. This type of finished edge is useful for securing the sides of woven pieces made of smooth, smooth yarns that can slip out of place due to wear or repeated washing, such as silk or bamboo yarns.
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