If you don't know Scott Morrison's name, you know his work. Morrison is the founder of 3x1, one the first 100 percent custom denim shops in the game (he's also responsible for Paper Denim & Cloth and Earnest Sewn, by the way). Having made some of the world's most sought after pairs of jeans, Morrison knows pretty much everything there is to know about denim, So, we sought his expert-level advice to give you the info you need navigate the super-crowded world of denim.
How do you decide which fabrics are best when creating a new pair of jeans?In most cases we're working with mills to develop products from scratch: selecting yarns, indigo shades, weights, and selvedge ID. As you’d expect, each mill usually has a specific trait or specialty, and we try to develop fabrics according to their strength. Isko in Turkey, for example, is known for its stretch denim, while Kurabo in Japan is known for its original selvedge dye range and its beautiful green casts. Collect (also Japanese) is focused on redefining authenticity and revisiting yesteryear. What’s important is knowing who is the best to go to for what type of product, and that’s the great thing we pass on to our customers.
What's the best weight—how many ounces—for a pair of year-round jeans?Lightweights, 9–10 oz., are great for summer and vacation use. 11–12 oz. is my ideal year-round weight for almost everyone. The denim enthusiast probably considers 13 oz. to be the lightest he would consider, and that’s really the starting point of the mid-heavy-weight denim, which can range from 13 to 16 oz. Novelty weights are anything above 16 oz., in my book. For 95 percent of the guys who walk into 3x1, we’re putting them into 11–13-oz. denims.
With so many different cuts of denim in the market, how do you know which one is the best to buy?When looking for the best pair of denim to buy, it is important to focus on the fit and quality. With regard to fit, you want to find something that is comfortable but not too loose, and most importantly, something you feel confident in. I always suggest sticking with styles that flatter your body type, so try to avoid jeans that are super-trendy, unless you're able to make that work. For almost all guys, you should be buying a regular-rise pair of slim or straight-leg jeans with a slight taper. You can check this by folding the bottom of your pant leg up to the knee (approximately 13 inches down from the crotch).
What do you think is better fabric, traditional raw or selvedge styles or modern washed denim?I think there’s a place for both raw and washed denim. My only preference is that you use selvedge denim for both, as I think the best denim in the world comes from a shuttle loom.
