Denim embodies authenticity, rebellion, workwear, and the old west. Denim hunters tirelessly search ghost towns for vintage jeans. Families weave heritage cloth for generations. Craftsman on foreign shores preserve the old ways while designers back home redefine the iconic five-pocket look. And all of us trade stories of how we got that perfect fade.

Blue Blooded is the story of denim and denim culture: The secrets of selvedge. The true origins of the Osaka Five. The immigrants and inventors in the Wild West who created jeans. Exclusive profiles of the independent designers and makers invigorating the denim scene, like 3sixteen and Iron Heart, along with forces like Levi’s that shaped the industry. No other garment has the iconic status of jeans. Jeans are never out of fashion, and they will continue to outlive other sartorial trends for the foreseeable future.

A contemporary overview of our favorite article of clothing, Blue Blooded introduces traditional brands as well as designers who are stirring up the industry. The book covers the topic of jeans in its entirety—from their rivets to their various washes and from their cultural history to a recommended selection of stores where they can be bought. And, of course, the things every denimhead needs to know: How to wash—or not wash—your jeans. How denim is made. And how denim makes us who we are.