Before we dive into the AW25 season, we’re dropping one more very special fabric: 11.5 oz. indigo wabash selvedge twill. Furthermore, we’ll be utilizing this fabric for a new but familiar style, the BWS-07 SERVICEMAN SHIRT.

A HISTORIC FABRIC

Wabash fabrics are recognised for their distinct dotted stripe pattern, typically on an indigo-blue base. The pattern is created through a subtractive rather than an additive process, meaning it isn’t printed on top of the fabric but produced using a discharge-printing method. Once the fabric has been dyed, a chemical solution is applied using embossed rollers bearing the specific pattern.

The origins of the name ‘wabash’ have a bit of mystique around them, and you’ll find several theories online. The most prevailing is that the name comes from an 18th-century collective group of Native American tribes: the Wabash Confederacy, who lived along the Wabash River.

The alternative spelling for this river is ‘Ouabache’, derived from the French transliteration of the Miami-Illinois word for the river. This, in turn, translates to ‘it shines white’ or ‘water over white stones’. Here we can draw a comparison with the fabric itself: the deep indigo blues symbolise the river’s water, while the dotted pattern resembles the white stones.

Lastly, the ‘Wabash Railroad’ began operations in the early 1800s. The striped fabric used by railroad workers for their uniforms may also be the source of the fabric’s name.

What we know for certain is that the most famous originator of this fabric was the American textile and jeans brand that operated during this period: J.L. Stifel & Sons. Garments made from their fabrics are still highly sought after by collectors, as the fabrics were known for their incredible durability. 

Our 11.5 oz. indigo wabash selvedge twill is a beautiful recreation of this historic fabric, sourced by Collect Mills in Japan.