We wanted the Play Jean to have some body to it. A substantial cotton denim, a roomy leg, pockets you notice right away. The fabric we chose is 13.75-ounce denim made from U.S.-grown cotton and milled at Mt. Vernon Mills in Georgia, and the jeans are sewn here in San Francisco.
That gives us a fairly direct way to talk about where this pair comes from. It also gave us a fabric to design around. Heavyweight denim has its own character, and we wanted the shape of the jeans to make sense with it.
What 13.75 ounces tells you
Denim weight is usually expressed in ounces per square yard. It's a description of the cloth, and 13.75 ounces is the weight we chose for these jeans. You still need to know what happens to that cloth as it becomes a garment.
Take the Lemon Patch Pocket Play Jean. It has a soft-washed finish as well as that substantial denim. The finish and the fabric weight are separate decisions, and both are worth knowing if you're trying to picture how a pair will feel before you can hold it.
We like being specific about those details. “Heavyweight” gives you a broad idea; naming the weight, finish and mill gets you closer to the actual thing.
Cotton, a mill, and sewing in San Francisco
The main denim is 100% U.S.-grown cotton, milled at Mt. Vernon Mills in Georgia. The next part of this garment's story happens in San Francisco, where it's sewn. You can follow more of the thinking behind our own clothes on the production and supply-chain page.
The roomy part is deliberate
We gave the jeans a relaxed leg, a slightly cropped length and an elastic waist. There are several things happening there: room through the shape, a hem that sits a little higher, and a waist that opens easily. The denim doesn't have to do every bit of the work on its own.
When you're choosing a size, compare a pair your child likes and think about what you'd want to carry over. The waist? The room through the seat? You might be looking for a different leg shape altogether. Our measurement guide helps turn that into a useful comparison of waist, rise and inseam.
Then there are the pockets. The lemon print brings one kind of brightness, while the Vintage Fabric Pocket Play Jean uses found vintage fabrics. We like how those pieces of fabric can change the feeling of the same new denim garment. It's a small area to work with, but you notice it.
Once they're in the drawer
Wash the jeans gently in cool water, by hand or on a delicate machine cycle, with mild soap. Lay them flat to dry, skip bleach and use a low iron if needed. That's the care for the finished pair, including the waist and contrasting pockets.
As they're worn, keep an eye on seams, hems and knees along with fit. If a knee wears through while the rest is sound, a sewn patch might give the pair another stretch of useful wear. Keep the care information with them if they go to another child.
This denim is one choice we feel good about making. Your choice still has to suit the child and the wardrobe in front of you. The Washed Black Jogger offers a different feel and shape in knitted cotton French terry, and our cotton jeans buying guide brings the denim questions together. If you'd like to feel the difference in person, we'd be glad to have you come by the shop.
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