Selvage denim refers to denim fabrics that are woven on old-style mechanical shuttle looms rather than wide modern projectile looms.

The word selvage comes from “self-edge” and refers to the edges of the fabric roll. When woven on a shuttle loom, these edges will not fray, since the shuttle brings the weft yarn back and forth, closing the weave at the edges. This selvage detail can be seen on the inside of the outseam on jeans made with selvage denim.

Selvage denim has a much slower production than conventionally produced denim. The old narrow shuttlelooms produce only around three meters of around 75 centimeter wide selvage denim per hour, while being frequently oiled and closely supervised by experienced craftsmen. With such a slow and expensive production, selvage denim is usually made with only the highest quality of raw cotton materials and dyeing methods. The mechanical nature of the shuttle loom, and the strong shaking it causes, also creates a certain subtle texture compared to more modern, efficient and precise weaves.

Raw, or dry, denim refers to unwashed and untreated denim straight off the fabric loom.

Raw denim jeans will feel much stiffer than washed jeans when new, but they will soften up greatly and mold to your body with use.

Due to the blank canvas that is unwashed raw denim, raw jeans also have the potential to evolve beautifully and quite dramatically over time, resulting in a highly personal look.

All of our jeans are made with sanforized denim. Sanforization is a process which pre-shrinks the denim fabric without washing, leaving only a little amount of shrinkage left in the jeans’ first wash.

Raw/Dry denim will still shrink 2.5 - 5% depending on washing temperature, which is noticeable mostly in the length of the jean. In other words: Size your dry denim about 2.5-3.5 cm longer than you want them to end up after their first wash. 

Jeans that have only seen a quick rinse, like our Rinse Selvage qualities and our black 100% cotton jeans, should be expected to shrink between 2-2.5 cm in length.

For pre-washed garments, you should expect little to no shrinkage.

We recommend you wash your jeans at 30 C for minimal amount of shrinkage unless stated otherwise in the washing tab inside the product.

It's a common myth that you should never wash your jeans. An accumulation of dust and grime from prolonged wear will actually wear on the cotton fibres, causing rips and holes to appear quicker.

But it is true that the average person washes their jeans way to often. How often you should wash your jeans depends greatly on how and where you wear them. Wash your jeans when needed, but if they seem fine, it can probably wait a while longer.

For raw denim specifically, how often and how early you wash them will effect how they fade and age over time. Read our recommendations for washing raw denim below.

Some people prefer raw dry denim for its even, dark colour. Others choose raw denim as a blank canvas to develop a unique and personal wear pattern over time.

Depending on how you want your jeans to evolve, we recommend slightly different ways to treat and wash them.

Maintain the even dark colour:

The longer you wear your raw denim before the first wash, the more contrast you'll see in areas experiencing friction after the initial wash. If you want to keep the jeans as even in colour as possible, we recommend washing them early. Wear them until they've stretched slightly in the waist, 1 to 2 weeks, and then give them a machine wash (see advice below). This will remove excess dye from the entire jeans evenly, and over time, you'll achieve a more even look in the jeans. Wash as needed after this initial wash.

Build fades:

Since raw denim starts out as a blank canvas, your jeans can develop a personal expression over time reflecting usage, personality, and lifestyle. If you want pronounced wear marks, with high contrast between light and dark areas, you need to wear the jeans for an extended period of time before the first wash. The longer you wear the jeans before washing, the more dramatic and high contrast you're fade patterns will become.

But the cost of wearing unwashed raw denim for a long time is that it will wear out faster than if the jeans are washed early, especially at the crotch. If you want to both build fades and preserve the lifespan of the jeans, we recommend giving your jeans a soak to soften the fabric after about one week of daily wear.

- Turn the jeans inside-out and soak them fully submerged in lukewarm water for an hour. Use a tub or a large bucket.

- Straighten them out and hang the jeans to dry (in the shower or another place that can handle blue drips).

Note: Our jeans in rinse qualities have already received this treatment, so you don't have to.

When your jeans need a proper machine wash, it is important to remember the following:

- Always turn your jeans inside out before washing. This prevents vertical streaks from appearing on your jeans.

- Never use fabric softener.

- Don’t let them lie in a wet bundle in the washing machine for a prolonged time after the program has ended. This will prevent squigly lines from appearing on your jeans.

- We recommend washing jeans cold, 30 C. Hang your jeans up to dry.

Soaking your raw denim jeans can do wonders to both fit and the longevity of your new project. But it is only relevant if the jeans have a dry or raw denim finish and has not yet been rinsed or washed. 

We recommend giving your pair a soak after about one week of continuous wear. This will prevent early crotch blowouts and increase the density and strength of the fabric. The soak will also do wonders to how the jeans fit, as stretched seams during the production process will shrink back to their original shape.

A soak is a very simple procedure:

- Turn the jeans inside-out and soak them fully submerged in cold or lukewarm water for an hour. Use a tub or a large bucket.
- Straighten them out and hang them to dry (in a shower or another place that can handle blue drips).

Even jeans made in the heaviest and most durable denim fabrics will eventually wear out at areas that see a lot of friction. 

However, certain factors play in to how quickly jeans wear out. Heavier denim gives you more cotton to wear through, making it more durable. Long fibered cotton, which we use in all our denim qualities, make a stronger yarn and a stronger fabric. 

Of course how often and how hard they’re worn is an important factor, but fit also plays i key role. A more relaxed fit will last longer than a tight fit in the same material. 

Lastly, how you care for your jeans will also effect how long they will last. It is true that most people wash their jeans way too often, but never washing your jeans will accelerate wear at stress points, especially on unwashed raw denim.

Read our care guide for how to take care of your jeans. And when the time comes, and you notice your denim is wearing thin, contact us to get them repaired. Read about our repair policy below.

To make sizing intuitive, we follow modern standard jeans sizes. Which means that most customers size Livid jeans the same as they would most western brand jeans in pure cotton denim or qualities with just a little stretch. 

In this sense Livid jeans run true to size for most customers. But modern jean sizes do not correspond to the exact inch measure as labeled. Meaning that a W32 jean does not have a true 32 inch waist measure.

Visit our fit guide where you’ll find the measurements needed to choose which style and size that will fit you best. Compare these measurements to the pair of jeans in your wardrobe that fit you best.

Unsure of what the different measurements mean? See our measuring guide for a step by step guide.

There are a lot of different personal preferences for how a pair of jeans should fit. Whether you prefer a wide, straight or a slim silhouette is just the first question to answer. Most importantly, a well fitting pair of jeans should fit well to your personal body shape.

Our core range of jeans styles is broad, where different styles target specific body shapes. Some are curved giving room in the hip/thigh while still slim at the waist, others have a straighter or more open fit. Likewise we offer fits with varying room at the thigh, accommodating different shapes and preferences.

We know it can seem a bit overwhelming, but take your time to understand the style, and you can find the jeans that are the perfect fit for you.

We recommend you take a look through our fit guide, where the introduction of each style can give you a good indication.

If you’re still uncertain, contact us on help@livid.no and we’ll gladly guide you into your first pair of Livids. Or better yet: Drop by one of our stores or stockists and try some on!

To register you return and receive a paperless return label, please visit our RETURN PORTAL.

All returns sent by post must be registered in the portal for pre-approval. Returns delivered personally to any of our Livid store locations do not need to be pre-registered.

If you are not fully satisfied with your purchased merchandise, we will gladly accept returns within 30 days of delivery.

When returning items purchased on our web shop you are entitled to a refund or item exchange. All returned merchandise shall be returned in its original condition and shall only be returned with original tags and packaging, unwashed and unused.

Please do not attach tape to any of the products, and be sure to include the receipt you received with your original delivery. Customers with products returned with tags missing will receive cash refunds with a deduction.

All products purchased through our online shop are sent from Norway. All orders shipped within the Norwegian borders will be shipped with Postnord or Porterbuddy, while orders in Europe and worldwide are shipped with DHL. When your order has been processed and sent, you will receive confirmation including tracking number for your package.

Yes, we do! Terms and conditions apply.

All displayed prices include Norwegian value added tax at 25%.

For international customer, we send under DDP terms (Deliver Duty Paid), meaning that there will be no additional costs for you locally after checkout. We will handle payment of all local taxes and duties.

We strive to dispatch all goods within 24 hours. In Norway you can expect to receive the goods within 1-3 working days.

Delivery has occurred once the purchaser or his/her representative has taken possession of the item.

If the delivery time is not stated in the ordering solution, the seller shall deliver the good to the purchaser within a reasonable time frame and no later than 30 days after the order is placed by the customer. The goods shall be delivered to the Purchaser unless other, special arrangements are made between the parties.

Yes, we do! When purchasing a pair of Livid you also get your first repair free of charge (terms and conditions apply). Shipping charges will be at your own expense. Contact us at help@livid.no for repair inquiries. Please do not send us garments for repair before contacting us.

Read more here

Our first free repair covers normal wear and tear on your jeans that will effect the life of the garment: Early stage holes at the crotch, inner thigh, knee and pocket lining.

To ensure that this free repair creates a pleasing result and maximises the life of your jeans, we require that you hand in your jeans for repair at an early stage. A good time for repair is when the fabric is starting to wear thin or has just worn through, but before the worn out spot has expanded to a large hole. That way we can both repair damage but also prevent further damage from spreading.

Our first free repair covers normal wear and tear on your jeans that will effect the life of the garment: Early stage holes at the crotch, inner thigh, knee and pocket lining.

READ MORE HERE

As many as you wish! As long as the material left is still strong enough to allow for repairs.

We will gladly repair your jeans again and again when needed after your first repair, as well as fix wear and tear outside the scope of what is covered by the first free repair.

Charges for time and materials will apply in these cases, and shipping charges if you can’t visit our locations.

Repairs can be delivered to any of our stores in Trondheim, Oslo, Bergen or Stavanger.

If you need to ship it to us, please contact us at help@livid.no, and we will assist you.

NOTE: Please do not send garments for repair by mail before contacting us.

Garments sent in for repair must be clean to insure the health and safety of our team. Garments that have not been washed prior to delivery, will be returned back to the owner unrepaired.