We are finalizing the second drop of our SS24 collection with a special selvedge duck canvas fabric, available in BP-06 SCOUT PANTS, and BWS-04 SCOUT OVERSHIRT. The colour of this new 9 oz. fabric is called slate, and falls somewhere between grey and brown, depending on the light.

The 9 oz. slate selvedge duck canvas is new in our collection, but long-time BENZAK customers might recognize it, because we used to have a brown version of the same construction a few years ago. Duck canvas is characterised by its tight weave and durability. This specific canvas fabric has been woven with two yarns together in the warp and a single yarn in the weft, which creates a waffle-like pattern. The word ‘duck’ derives from the Dutch word ‘doek’ (meaning: cloth) and has a history older than blue jeans. Our 9 oz. selvedge duck canvas is light in weight, but strong, and therefore suitable for all-year wear.

What makes this fabric unique is that it’s a selvedge but woven on wider loom. Usually, selvedge fabrics are about 80cm wide, while this duck canvas has a width of 110cm. This means that the way the patterns are being placed on the fabric and cut out is a bit different. Take pants for example: with 80cm wide selvedge fabrics, it’s crucial to place the leg patterns to the sides, utilizing the selvedge (which then becomes visible on the inside of the legs) to use as much of the fabric as possible, avoiding waste. With 110cm fabrics however, there is more room in the middle, which means it’s more economical to not place all four leg panels (left and right, front and back) to the sides, but only the two front panels. The back leg panes are then placed somewhere in the middle of the fabric, which results in the need of an overlocked edge to prevent fraying.

When you turn up the legs of the pants, you will see that the selvedge is only used at the fronts, illustrating our explanation. A similar method is used for the overshirt, as only the inside placket on the right side is utilizing the selvedge.