Finishing and Reading a Raw Hem

What a raw hem is

A raw hem is simply a cut edge of denim left unfinished, without being folded under and stitched. Where a standard hem turns the fabric under to enclose the cut edge, a raw hem leaves the cut exposed. Over time, that exposed edge frays a little, softening into a fringe of loose threads. It is a deliberate finish on some jeans and the natural result of shortening others.

Because a raw hem shows the cut face of the cloth directly, it reveals things a folded hem hides. Learning to look at one teaches you to read denim more generally.

Reading the weave from the edge

When you look closely at a raw denim edge, you can see the fabric's structure laid bare. The frayed threads show you the two sets of yarns that make up the cloth: the blue warp running one way, the pale weft running the other. This is the clearest possible view of how denim is woven.

A raw hem is a cross-section of the cloth. It shows you, in miniature, exactly how the denim was built.

• The blue threads are the indigo-dyed warp
• The pale threads are the undyed weft
• The way they fray shows how tightly the cloth was woven

A tightly woven denim frays slowly and neatly; a loosely woven one frays fast and unevenly. So the behaviour of a raw edge tells you something about the density and quality of the weave.

Why people leave hems raw

Raw hems are popular for a few honest reasons. Visually, the frayed edge has a relaxed, worn character that suits casual denim, and it pairs naturally with the faded, lived-in look many people like in jeans. It also shows off the cloth, letting the weave and the colour of the threads be seen.

There is a practical side too. When jeans are shortened, leaving the new hem raw avoids the slightly heavy, finished band that a folded hem creates, keeping the leg looking light and natural. A raw hem after shortening can look more in keeping with a relaxed pair than a crisp turned hem would.

Keeping a raw hem under control

The one drawback of a raw hem is that fraying, left entirely unchecked, can go further than you want, unravelling too far up the leg. The trick is to allow a little fraying while stopping it running away. A few simple habits keep it tidy:

• Trim off the longest loose threads now and then to keep the fringe neat
• Let the edge fray gently rather than picking at it
• If you want to halt fraying, a line of stitching just above the edge holds it

A single row of stitching a small distance above the raw edge lets the very bottom fray into a soft fringe while stopping it climbing higher. This is a common way to get the relaxed look of a raw hem without the edge slowly disappearing.

Shortening denim and leaving it raw

If you shorten a pair of jeans yourself and want a raw finish, the approach is straightforward. Decide the length you want, allowing for the fact that the edge will fray up a little, so cut slightly longer than the final length you have in mind. Cut cleanly straight across, following a line of the weave so the edge is even.

Then, if you wish, add a line of stitching above the cut to control the fraying, as above. Wash the jeans once and the cut edge will bloom into its soft fringe. The result is a shortened pair with a natural, relaxed hem that suits casual denim far better than a stiff folded one, and that shows off the cloth you have just learned to read.

When a finished hem is better

Raw hems are not right for everything, and it is worth knowing when to choose a proper finished hem instead. For smarter, cleaner jeans, especially a dark pair you want to dress up, a neat folded hem reads tidier and more considered than a frayed edge. The raw look belongs with relaxed, casual, worn denim, not with a crisp evening jean.

Weight matters too. A very heavy denim frays into a thick, coarse fringe that some find untidy, so a folded hem can suit it better. Lighter and mid-weight denim tends to fray more softly and takes a raw hem gracefully. Match the finish to the jean, and the hem looks intentional rather than accidental.

The raw hem, then, is both a style and a lesson. It gives casual denim a relaxed, worn edge, and at the same time it shows you the cloth in cross-section, the warp, the weft, the density of the weave. Learn to read it and to keep it tidy, and you gain a little more command over how your denim looks and a clearer eye for how it is made.