Before the denim is woven, it’s rope dyed: a process that involves repeatedly dipping a rope of cotton yarn into a series of indigo dye baths. Between dips, the yarn is exposed to the air and the absorbed indigo slowly oxidizes, turning the yarn blue. Because the yarn is never left in the bath long enough for the dye to penetrate to the core of the yarn, the outer circumference is dyed while the core remains white. With wash and wear, the denim will gradually shed layers of dye and slowly reveal the white core underneath. Combined with the weaving process, which happens on a traditional shuttle loom, this makes for an extraordinary depth of color and a handmade feel that can’t be mass-produced. To learn more, check out our Intro to Raw Denim.