BBC omitted selvedge, says HebTroCo
UK retailer HebTroCo has said it was a shame the BBC didn’t include selvedge denim in its recent documentary, Inside the Factory, in which it visited Candiani’s denim mill in Italy and Hiut’s factory in Wales to show how jeans are made.
The Hebden Bridge-based retailer sources its selvedge denim from Candiani, and believes the documentary missed an opportunity to show the shuttle looms that the mill operates alongside its high speed projectile looms.
“We were a bit sad because there was one thing that wasn’t in the programme, and we feel it’s the best part: selvedge denim,” said Vic on social media.
The shuttle fires the weft (horizontal thread) backwards and forwards as one piece, which means the edges self seal. In the projectile looms, the thread is cut after it’s passed, which creates frayed edges.
“The shuttle machines are very good at creating characterful, durable denim,” she adds. “When you wear a pair of our jeans, if you wear a turn up, you can see the selvedge stripe. It’s not just there to look good, it’s showing the story of its make, and that is something we love.”
For those in the UK, the documentary can be viewed on BBCiPlayer.
Image: HebTroCo’s 16oz dark indigo selvedge from Candiani. All its jeans are made in the UK.
