It ALL Began With Cotton Cloth
Jeans are a staple in most people's wardrobe, but at the beginning, that was not the case. The word jeans come from Genoa, which is a city in Italy. Genoa was known for manufacturing a cotton corduroy material that was called jean.
In 1851, Levis Strauss left Germany, traveled to New York where his brother had an established dry goods store. At the time of the Gold Rush, Strauss headed west to establish another branch of the family business.
Cotton cloth was one of the many items that Strauss stocked. One of his regular customers was a tailor named Jacob W. Davis who was from Reno, Nevada. Davis made many functional items from the cotton cloth that included wagon covers, horse blankets, and tents.
Davis was visited by a customer who had a request for an item that was a little unusual. The customer wanted a pair of heavy-duty work pants. Davis used the cotton cloth from Levi Strauss & Co to create the pants. To help reinforce the pants, he placed rivets in the areas where the pants were likely to rip.
He added pockets and fly. The customer was pleased, and Davis realized that he created something that others would want. When it came time to patent his idea, he wrote to Strauss to tell him about his idea. Strauss liked his idea, and they eventually became partners. This was the beginning of jeans. People today still wear jeans made by Levis Strauss & Co. To see mens clothing sale clearance come check our site.