Nowadays, you’ll have to go out of your way to find a pair of jeans that’s not made from stretch denim. It’s become the standard, with most denim houses — Levi’s, Wrangler, A.P.C. — tailoring their business around their customers’ want for comfort. Right from the beginning, stretch denim is softer and has more give than non-stretch denim. That makes it more comfortable at the outset than non-stretch denim, which starts off stiff and needs more breaking in.
Basic stretch denim is a combination of cotton and a percentage of either elastane, spandex, or Lycra (a.k.a. trademarked spandex). These synthetics are all synonymous, essentially the same material with different names. The difference in feel between stretch and non-stretch denim is obvious. Even one percent stretch will make a pair of jeans feel much more flexible than a pair made of 100 percent cotton.
Traditionally — going back to the “blueprint for the blue jean,” Levi’s famous 501s — jeans were always made of cotton and only cotton. Textbook denim features a twill weave, which is known for its durability. It feels rougher, tighter, and more rigid when you first put it on, but the reward is a pair of jeans that will last a long time, loosen up a little with wear, and become almost made for you as the denim conforms to your body.
Stretch denim won’t really give you that custom-feeling fit — but you don’t have to break it in the same way, either. The rule of thumb for stretch denim is that up to 2 percent stretch, with at least 98 percent cotton, will make a pair that’s just stretchy enough. “Assume anything with stretch in it will do just that, stretch out a bit,” says style coach Kim Hancher. Predictably, a higher percentage of stretch means more stretchiness and flexibility. But once you go over the 2 percent stretch mark, there’s the chance of overstretching, resulting in jeans that bag out at the knees, hang at the waist, and sag in the butt, according to Hancher.
More stretch also means less sturdiness. The fibers in elastane, spandex, and Lycra can break down faster than cotton — especially if you often put your jeans in the dryer, which can actually cause stretch denim to overstretch, explains Café Forgot co-founder Lucy Weisner. That’s why some stretch denim also contains a percentage of polyester. I know what you’re thinking: Polyester? Since polyester is cheap to produce, it’s often thought of as proof that a brand is sacrificing quality for the sake of profit. But when blended into stretch denim, it can offer some necessary stability, according to stylist Jessica Cadmus. It’s generally featured at a relatively low percentage — the usual ratio would be 94 percent cotton, 5 percent polyester, and one percent elastane. The numbers can vary by a percentage point or two, but that’s a good formula for a combination of comfort and structure, Cadmus explains.
As the Strategist’s denim correspondent, I have learned there’s a hard line between those who like stretch denim and those who go for non-stretch denim. “It’s funny, I feel like people who commit to only non-stretch would never even consider trying on jeans with stretch, and same with people who only wear stretch; they will never want to break in a pair of non-stretchy jeans,” says Clotilde Testa of Walk the West and Proprietors New York. Testa herself is a non-stretch die-hard. “I find nothing is more comfortable than a pair of 100 percent cotton jeans that have naturally contoured to your shape,” she says, going so far as to declare that “once you start adding other fibers in the mix, it simply ruins the denim.”
That said, our best-in-class pair of jeans for women, the Wedgies from Levi’s, include one percent elastane. Having worn them myself, I think they are one of the best pairs of jeans that money can buy — well-fitting, butt-hugging, and tight but not too tight. So stretch denim has its place, as long as you always make sure it has more cotton than any other fiber, because there’s nothing worse than an overstretched pair of jeans.
The Strategist’s favorite stretch denim
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