After about a decade of slim and slim-tapered jeans ruling the selvedge roost, straight and wide-leg raw selvedge denim jeans are becoming more and more popular again, and hem openings seem to be getting wider across the board.
Seeing as we’re coming out of a leg-width recession of sorts, not every raw denim brand makes a true wide-straight leg jean. Sure, some brands label their widest cut as ‘wide’, but in reality, it’s just a straight-leg jean that’s wider than their other offerings. With this in mind, we thought we’d put together a list of the truly wide-straight raw selvedge denim jeans out there, so you can get the width you’re looking for.
Whether you’re used to wearing wider jeans and want a list of top-notch wide-leg options out there, or you’re looking to switch up your style and get hip to some wide boys – this guide is for you. We’ve put together a list of most of the truly wide raw selvedge denim jeans on the market, each adhering to the Heddels philosophy of well-made goods that you will want to wear forever.
If there’s a pair of wide-leg raw selvedge denim jeans you think should be on this list, let us and the community know in the comments or over on our H+ members ‘ discord channel. We’ll keep this list updated with pairs we believe belong in the guide.
Full Count 0105 New Loose Straight
Possibly the most widely stocked wide-leg raw denim jean is the Full Count 0105. The Japanese label actually edited the 0105 fit in recent years to make it wider, higher in the rise, and all-round ‘looser’, hence the name. Somehow, though, Full Count has achieved a loose ‘n’ wide silhouette that’s still clean as hell. Some masterful styling by London’s Clutch Cafe can be seen above, but let’s be honest, the 0105 New Loose Straight would look good with anything.
I’ve had the pleasure of trying these on and can confirm they’re absolutely top-drawer, but the denim is raw and unsanforized, meaning it will shrink a size or two on the first soak/wash. Full Count’s denim is also known for stretching back out a fair bit after washing, too, so be sure to reach out to your denim vendor of choice for sizing advice on these. Get the size right and you’ll be living in ’em.
Available for $285 from Clutch Cafe
ONI 202
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While ONI calls its 200 fit ‘wide‘, I’m calling the 202 as the only true wide-leg jean in the ONI roster. This loose-fitting jean with medium rise is similar to the aforementioned Full Count 0105 New Loose Straight, Blue In Green has just styled them in a more laid-back, slouchy manner. Get them hemmed or turn them up a few times and these will be looking just as clean, plus they come in a one-wash denim with minimal shrinkage to consider.
Over the past few years, ONI has been really focussing on slimmer jean silhouettes with heavier tapers, so it’s great to see the brand putting out wider, more traditional fits.
Available for $290 from Blue In Green
Dawson Denim Wide-Leg
If a truly wide-leg fit with a traditional high rise is what you’re after, look no further than Dawson Denim‘s Wide Leg Jean. Seen here in Dawson’s exclusive Japanese hank-dyed selvedge denim, this is one of the widest jeans on the market, crafted by hand on the south coast of England. At the time of writing, this silhouette is also available in double-black selvedge denim, 13.5 oz. brown weft selvedge denim, and 14 oz. plant-dyed raw selvedge denim.
This full-legged fiasco comes complete with suspender buttons around the waistband (optional), a cinch back, rivet reinforcements on all pockets, and branded hardware throughout.
Available at Dawson Denim for $345
Belafonte 1890
Belafonte was founded in Japan in 2012 by Noboru Tanaka. As a Japanese label focused on recreating traditional menswear from the 1930s to 1950s, its only natural that they have a wide-leg jean in their lineup.
The 1890 is a rugged raw selvedge denim jean with a full-legged silhouette and some crazy details. First off — your eyes aren’t deceiving you — those look to be selvedge inseams. I’ll admit, I don’t have lots of information about these jeans and that’s a detail that needs answers – but Belafonte is a pretty niche label and these jeans currently aren’t available outside of Japan. There also seems to be some deliberately unfinished edges as well as the selvedge overload, and some classy heritage details like suspender buttons, crotch rivet, and a cinch back adjuster.
Currently unavailable but due for restock at Belafonte
Kerbside & Co. Lot 75E
We were put onto the Kerbside & Co. Lot 75E back in June, and to put it bluntly, they’re absolute bangers. This silhouette has the same amount of width and grandeur as the Dawson Denim Wide-Legs, but with a slightly lower rise and no cinch back. They’re a more bread-and-butter wide-leg jean, seen here in slubby 14 oz. Japanese raw selvedge denim with a blue selvedge ID.
Made in Southeast Asia, the Lot 75E is finished with Scovill rivets and buttons, and a buttery soft Nappa leather waist patch.
Available for $210 from Kerbside & Co.
Trophy Clothing TRP1505
Trophy Clothing is easily one of the most underrated brands coming out of Japan. A small label founded by Masaki Egawa, an enthusiast of vintage clothing and motorbikes, Trophy focuses on vintage-styling like many other Japanese labels but it really puts its own unique spin on things. Case in point, Trophy’s signature ‘Dirt Denim’, which they’ve applied to their widest cut, the TRP1505.
The TRP1505 is a wide jean elevated by the unique slubby hand of Trophy’s Dirt Denim. Whilst I haven’t tried these on, it’s evident that there is a gentle taper that slightly cuts things in towards the hem which will make these easier to pair with sneakers. This particular pair is one washed for minimal shrinkage and finished with a half-selvedge outseam, painted rear pocket arcuates, a branded top button, and a custom waist patch.
Available for $228 from Denimio
Big John Lot.XX001
Big John is an unsung hero of the Japanese denim scene that’s been around for over 35 years, so it comes as no surprise they have a solid wide-leg fit in their roster. The Lot.XX001 is a raw selvedge jean with a wide-straight fit that is on the slimmer wide of the wide-leg spectrum but still provides a powerful silhouette.
Seen here in 15.7 oz. raw selvedge denim woven from five different types of cotton for a soft hand, the Lot.XX001 is finished with classic five-pocket detailing and a custom waist patch.
Available for ~$223 from Hinoya
Tender Co. 132
Tender Co. is more known for its shirting and other apparel — dyed with all manner of plants and natural material — but they actually make one of the wider jean cuts on the market. Seen here in a rinsed edition of Tender’s selvedge ‘Unborn Denim’, the 132 fit is a standard wide leg fit with room throughout the leg, and a really unique detail in form of straight-cut pocket openings that will curve into a more traditional shape with wear and washing.
Available from Tender Co. for ~$300
Outstanding & Co. 90s Wide
Outstanding & Co. is a South-Korean brand that has been gaining more and more notoriety and western stockists, largely due to its accessible price points. They make a host of vintage-inspired apparel with some really great designs and silhouettes that would fit in with many Japanese heritage brands. Whilst I have concerns over where and how these selvedge denim jeans are made (under investigation) I can say that having tried these on and owning a pair of the washed edition, the fit really is fantastic if you’re looking for a wide-leg jean.
Coming in at just $100USD, I had to try these out. Whilst the construction and detailing — comparable to Uniqlo selvedge jeans or mall-grade Levi’s — leave a lot to be desired if you’re a denim head I can safely say I want to use these forever due to the silhouette and comfort of these jeans. They’ve got a mid-rise, a roomy wide leg with a very gentle taper towards the hem, and very comfortable seat that makes them a great daily driver.
Available from This Thing Of Ours for £85GBP (~$100USD)
Kojima Genes RNB-102 Super Wide
Kojima Genes is one of those brands that hasn’t quite taken off in the West. I’m not quite sure why – it’s an artisinal brand coming straight out of what most people consider the denim capital of the world – Kojima. Regardless, they put out a fantastic wide-leg jean in the RNB-102 Super Wide.
Cut from 15 oz. raw selvedge denim woven in Kojima, these are just a straight-up classic selvedge denim jean in a traditional wide-leg fit that’s complemented by its array of vintage-Levi’s-style details like hidden rivets, rear pocket form, and chainstitch construction. Pure Japanamericana from an underrated label.
Available for ¥12,100JYP (~$90) from Jeans Plaza (Rakuten)
Spellbound 43-713B 13.5oz Loose Cut Jean
Spellbound is another Japanese brand which hasn’t quite hit the heights it should have outside of Japan. It’s known by many denim heads, but I’ve never seen a pair being rocked in public or on social media, for example. London’s Son of a Stag has been stocking the brand for a long time, and they’ve got the brand’s widest cut in their ranks in the 43-713B 13.5oz Loose Cut Jean.
Now, whilst it’s evident these jeans have a fairly prominent taper, this doesn’t take away from the overall loose and wide silhouette of the jean and I wouldn’t say these are in the ‘wide taper’ category. The seat is roomy with a high rise, and the thighs are super wide – all of which will lead to some pretty high comfort levels. This pair is made in Japan from 13.5 oz. Japanese raw selvedge denim and features classic five-pocket detailing along with a 28.5″ inseam to offset the high rise.
Available from Son of a Stag for $246
Naked & Famous Strong Guy
You may know Naked & Famous for its novelty raw denim products like scratch ‘n’ sniff selvedge and glow-in-the-dark jeans, but it turns out they make a staple wide-leg cut that could be a complete essential in your wardrobe – the Strong Guy.
I’ve saved these until last because I’m honestly pretty astounded at how great these look, and they’ve reminded me that N&F are a denim brand that can compete with the best of ’em when it comes to bread-and-butter selvedge. Don’t get me wrong, I knew the Strong Guy existed, but I hadn’t quite tuned in properly until now.
Constructed in Canada from a range of Naked & Famous fabrics ranging from the tame-but-charming Left Hand Twill seen above to double-black denim and stretch selvedge, the Strong Guy is a tough silhouette that isn’t afraid to have those hems swingin’. It’s not as roomy in the seat as many of the others on this list, which leads to a wide-but-clean fit that can be dressed up or down. Any misconceptions you may have about pairing wide jeans with sneakers can be put to bed by Tate + Yoko’s styling pictured above.
Each pair is built with chain stitch construction and finished with flat-felled inseams, a full-grain leather waist patch, and silver metallic hardware.
Available for $158 from Tate + Yoko
