Denim
NO FUGAZI manufactures custom denim for brands: jeans, denim jackets, shorts, shirts, overshirts and skirts, from 50 pieces per style. Send a tech pack, a sketch or a pair of jeans whose fit you want to match. We develop the pattern, source the denim, sample it with your wash and finishing, check it after washing, and start bulk production once you approve it.
At a glance
Custom denim manufacturing, in brief
- Products
- Jeans, jackets, shorts, shirts, overshirts, skirts
- Minimum
- From 50 pieces per style
- Tech pack
- Not required; a reference pair works
- Fabric
- Rigid, stretch and blended denim
- Washes
- Raw to rinse, enzyme, stone, acid, bleach, vintage, tint
- Finishing
- Whiskering, sanding, grinding, rips, laser effects
- Sampling
- Typically around 2–3 weeks, including the wash
- Bulk
- From 10 working days* after final approval
- Shipping
- Worldwide, including the UK and USA
*Estimated production time. Final lead time depends on the garment, wash and finishing complexity, fabric and hardware availability, order quantity and the current production queue.
What we make
Denim garments for brands
Jeans
Five-pocket jeans, carpenter and cargo styles, cut to your fit and finished with your wash and hardware.
Denim jackets
Trucker, oversized and cropped jackets, with your choice of buttons, pockets, topstitching and lining.
Denim shorts
From longline and baggy shorts to shorter cuts, with raw or finished hems.
Shirts and overshirts
Lighter denim shirts and heavier overshirts or shackets with snap or button fronts.
Denim skirts
Mini, midi and maxi lengths, in rigid or stretch denim.
Other denim pieces
Other custom denim garments where the construction and fabric suit the design. Ask us with your idea.
Fit
Custom fits, including from a pair you already own
We develop baggy, wide-leg, straight, relaxed, slim, skinny, carpenter, cargo, stacked and flare jeans, as well as fits built around your own measurements. The most reliable starting point is often a pair you already love: we measure it flat at the points that define a jean (waist, rise, hip, thigh, knee, leg opening and inseam) and build the pattern from those numbers, adjusted for the changes you want.
A reference pair guides the fit, but it is not the whole answer. The denim you choose, how much it stretches and how it behaves in the wash all change the finished measurements, which is why every fit is proven on a washed sample. Our guide to recreating the fit of your favourite jeans explains exactly what is measured and why.
Fabric
Rigid, stretch and blended denim
We can source rigid, stretch and blended denim fabrics according to the fit, structure and wash required for the garment.
| Rigid denim | Stretch denim | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical composition | 100% cotton | Cotton with a small share of elastane, or another blend |
| How it wears | Holds its shape and structure; softens and moulds with wear | Moves with the body; can relax and grow during wear |
| Suits | Baggy, wide-leg, straight and carpenter fits; jackets | Slim, skinny and fitted styles where comfort matters |
| What it means for the pattern | Ease has to be built in, because the fabric will not give | The pattern allows for stretch and recovery, so the fit stays put |
Weight
Choosing a denim weight
Denim weight is usually given in ounces per square yard. We source a broad range of commercial weights and choose one for the garment type, structure, season, fit, wash and the handfeel you want. The examples below show how common weights compare; they are illustrations, not the limits of what we can source.
| Example weight | Approx. GSM | Often used for |
|---|---|---|
| 8 oz | 271 | Shirts, lighter skirts and summer pieces |
| 10 oz | 339 | Lighter jeans, shorts and overshirts |
| 12 oz | 407 | Everyday jeans and many jackets |
| 14 oz | 475 | Structured jeans, baggy fits and heavier jackets |
1 oz per square yard is about 33.9 grams per square metre (GSM). Weight alone does not decide quality, durability, fit or how a wash will turn out.
Wash
Wash development and finishing
The wash decides how your denim looks and feels, and it also changes the garment's size. We offer raw or unwashed denim, rinse washes, enzyme washes, stone washes, acid washes, bleach washes, vintage and faded washes, and tints or overdyes, with other project-specific washes where they suit the fabric. Finishing can include whiskering, fading, hand sanding, grinding, rips, distressed edges, abrasion and laser effects.
Specialist wash and finishing processes are carried out through our production network. Each wash is developed on your sample and approved before bulk, so the bulk run is measured against a garment you have already seen, worn and washed.
Why we measure after the wash. Washing can change a garment's measurements, shrinkage, shade, handfeel and appearance. A pair that measures correctly before washing can finish shorter or tighter afterwards, so finished denim is checked after the relevant wash and finishing stage, not before.
Hardware and branding
Buttons, rivets, patches and labels
- Shank buttons and rivets, including custom branded designs
- Zip fly or button fly
- Jacron or leather patches
- Woven labels, custom pocket bags and hang tags
- Custom packaging
Fully custom hardware, such as a branded button or rivet made from a new tool, can carry supplier or tooling minimums, so not every custom design can always be made within a 50-piece run. We will tell you before you commit if a choice changes the minimum.
Private label
Private-label denim under your brand
Everything we make carries your branding, not ours: your labels, patches, hardware and packaging, on a garment developed to your fit and wash. See private-label clothing manufacturing for how branding works across our range.
Starting point
No tech pack needed
A tech pack helps if you have one, and we can quote straight from it. If you do not, send a sketch, photos, a moodboard or the jeans you want to match. We turn that into a specification and a sample. Read more about working without a tech pack.
Process
From first sample to bulk
- Brief and quote. Product, quantity, fit, fabric direction, wash and branding, from a tech pack or a reference.
- Pattern and fit. The pattern is developed from your measurements or reference pair.
- Fabric and testing. The denim is sourced and tested, including shrinkage testing before production.
- Sample with wash. A sample is made and washed or finished as specified, typically in around 2–3 weeks depending on the garment, wash, finishing and trims.
- Post-wash check and approval. The washed sample is measured, the wash is approved, and one revision round is included if anything needs adjusting.
- Bulk production. Bulk denim production can start from 10 working days* following final approval of the sample, fit, fabric, wash and trims.
- Quality control and shipping. Checked at four stages, packed and shipped to your door.
*Estimated production time. Final lead time depends on the garment, wash and finishing complexity, fabric and hardware availability, order quantity and the current production queue.
Quality
What we check on denim
Every order passes four quality stages: fabric inspection before cutting, in-process checks, post-production inspection and a final pre-shipment review. On denim, those checks cover:
- Fabric shade and quality before cutting
- Measurements after washing, against the approved sample
- Wash and shade consistency across the order
- Seams, topstitching and bar-tacks
- Pocket placement and symmetry
- Buttons, rivets and zips fitted and working
- Distressing placement where specified
- Labels, tags and final packing
Minimum order
Custom denim from 50 pieces per style
Custom denim production starts from 50 pieces per style, with sizes split within that. A specialist fabric, custom dyeing, a specialist wash, custom hardware or a supplier's own minimum can occasionally affect the practical minimum for a particular project, and we confirm it with your quote. Our guide to minimum order quantities explains how a 50-piece run is planned.
Shipping
Denim for brands in the UK, the USA and worldwide
We ship worldwide. Brands in the United States can read how duty, freight and time zones work on our page about clothing manufacturing for US brands.
Questions
Custom denim questions
What is the minimum order for custom jeans?
Custom denim production starts from 50 pieces per style, and sizes can be split within that. A specialist fabric, custom dye, specialist wash, custom hardware or a supplier minimum can occasionally raise the practical minimum for a project, which we confirm with your quote.
Can you copy the fit of jeans I already own?
Yes. We measure the pair flat at the key fit points and build the pattern from those measurements, with any changes you want. Because fabric, stretch and washing affect the final fit, the result is always proven on a washed sample before bulk.
Do I need a tech pack to make jeans?
No. A tech pack helps if you have one, but a sketch, photos, a moodboard or a reference pair is enough to start. We develop the specification and the sample with you.
How long does denim production take?
Denim samples typically take around 2–3 weeks depending on the garment, wash, finishing and trims. Bulk denim production can start from 10 working days after final approval; the final lead time depends on the garment, wash and finishing complexity, fabric and hardware availability, quantity and the production queue. Shipping is added on top.
What denim washes can you do?
Raw or unwashed, rinse, enzyme, stone, acid, bleach, vintage and faded washes, and tints or overdyes, plus finishing such as whiskering, sanding, grinding, rips and laser effects. Each wash is developed on your sample and approved before bulk.
Can you make baggy and wide-leg jeans?
Yes. We develop baggy, wide-leg, straight, relaxed, slim, skinny, carpenter, cargo, stacked and flare fits, as well as custom fits. Rigid denim often suits looser fits because it holds their shape.
Can I have custom buttons, rivets and patches?
Yes, including branded shank buttons and rivets, jacron or leather patches, woven labels, custom pocket bags and hang tags. Fully custom hardware can carry tooling or supplier minimums, which we flag before you commit.
Do you make denim for US brands?
Yes. We ship worldwide, including to the United States. As with any import, duty and customs clearance are the importer's responsibility, and we provide the commercial paperwork your broker needs.
Start
Start your denim project
Send us the product, rough quantity, fit, wash and whatever you have to start from, whether that is a tech pack, a sketch or a pair of jeans. We will come back with questions, a quote and a plan for your sample.
