The Brazilian Selvedge

If you already own our selvedge shirt, you’ve probably noticed it isn’t your usual heavy raw denim. It’s lighter, softer, and it carries a story worth sharing.

We met Antônio in 2018, a man from the countryside of Minas Gerais who talks about denim the way some people talk about music. Long conversations, long laughs, and a passion so genuine it sticks with you.

A year later we travelled to Minas to see his work. What we found was a mix of tradition, experimentation, and pure obsession. Antônio was weaving selvedge denim on a restored shuttle loom, probably the only one doing this in Brazil at the time. You need a touch of madness and a lot of conviction to attempt this in a place with no selvedge culture. And yet there he was, weaving denim in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by trees, animals, and determination. The process starts with 100% Brazilian cotton, hand-harvested by small family farmers in northern Minas. The fibre is spun in a small mill, twisted into a 2-ply yarn, and dyed by hand — 12, 18, or 24 dips. After each dip the yarn is squeezed, rested, washed, and dried slowly in the shade. Slow, stubborn, and entirely artisanal.

The fabric is then woven into a 3x1 right-hand twill on the shuttle loom, creating a lighter, breathable selvedge with a character shaped by climate and craft.

At the time, we were extremely happy to have found a selvedge denim in Brasil, specially because it’s ideal for warm weather: comfortable, durable, responsibly made, and fully traceable. Every step involves real people working on a small scale, with intention and care. And the fades? A rich royal blue we’re obsessed with.

This fabric isn’t about nostalgia or chasing vintage perfection, it’s a fresh, honest take on artisan selvedge.

And one last thing: we don’t have many metres left, so if you’ve been thinking about it, now’s the moment. @fertex_selvedgedenim