XX denim is the term for extra-heavy denim. Levi Strauss and Company started using the term to refer to the high-quality denim that they bought from the Amoskeag Manufacturing Company. In the 1910s, the Cone Mills Corporation began supplying XX denim to Levi’s and in 1922 it became the company’s exclusive supplier.
Because XX denim was the main denim used in Levi’s jeans from the 1910s to 1983, it is often synonymous with vintage Levi’s jeans. Identifying XX denim is easy because on the tag of vintage Levi’s, XX can be seen just after the jean model number (e.g. 501 XX). However, most vintage Levi’s collectors prefer Cone Mills’ XX denim which has a red line on the selvage. Levi’s continues to manufacture some models using XX denim to this day.
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