Nudie Jeans Overview – History, Philosophy, and Iconic Products

Often the handshake for many a denimhead, Nudie Jeans has left a lasting impression on the world of denim. With dry selvedge denim anchoring the brand, their range of products now includes the entire range of garments–outerwear, accessories, and even delving into home goods.

Nudie’s History and Philosophy

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Maria Erixon (left) and Palle Stenberg (right) (Photo: A Bigger Park)

Nudie began making jeans at the turn of the twenty-first century, back in 2001. Based in Gothenberg, Sweden, Maria Erixon started the brand with CEO Palle Stenberg after having previously held the Design Director position at Lee Europe. Tired of corporate culture and its short-sighted views on clothing, she decided to start Nudie with an ecologically friendly frame of mind.

The company made a vow to produce all of their jeans with 100% organic cotton and to manufacture those jeans in ethical production facilities. Aside from encouraging customers to wash their jeans less, the brand also offers free denim repair services, extending the life of a customer’s jeans even further. And, closing the gap in the consumption loop, they sell repaired secondhand garments, and recycle worn out products.

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Nudie takes many steps to maintain transparency with their consumer, setting themselves apart from most other brands. Reticent and purposefully secretive about their production and materials, most clothing companies try to protect their brand from copycats and consumer watchdogs. Pay a visit to the Nudie website, however, and you’ll find their in-depth Production Guide. And in it, you’ll find the provenance of their garments as well as the percentage of garments produced in each location.

But that’s just the first page of their Production Guide. Dig further and you’ll also see the factories that produce the fabrics and hardware, their subcontractors, as well as information on their materials and transport and their audit procedures.

Nudie Today

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The brand has swelled from its beginnings into a full-fledged clothing line offering everything from outerwear, to knits, underwear, and even furniture. Their signature jeans still remain, and anchor the brand, however, with their flagship styles including the Thin Finn and Grim Tim.

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A telltale way to spot a pair of Nudie’s is their bold arcuate. While it may be off-putting for some, it’s made their jeans immediately recognizable.

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All Nudie jeans are constructed with:

  • Organic cotton
  • Reverse yoke
  • Diagonal back pocket bartacks
  • Vegetable tanned leather patch

Nudie’s most common silhouettes include:

Grim Tim

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Cut slim with a straight leg, the Grim Tim has been with Nudie since the beginning. This one also uses the brand’s flagship denim, a 13.5oz. cotton selvedge denim from Kaihara Mills.

Available for $255USD at Nudie.

Thin Finn Dry Twill

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The Thin Finn is a staple in the Nudie canon of clothing. Differentiating itself from the Grim Tim, the Thin Finn is built with a zip fly instead of a button fly. It features a slim fit with a tapered leg. Mostly, the Thin Finn uses denim that’s a cotton/elastane blend.

Available for $165USD at Nudie.

Billy Denim Jacket

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Their version of a classic denim trucker jacket takes the form of a Type III with two flap chest pockets, a  button placket, and a pleated front. With asymmetrical angled pockets, the Billy gives the trucker jacket a modern update.

Available for $199USD at Nudie.