Denims - jeans, jackets, shirts, skirts… the list is eternal. Denims are the ultimate clothing that has taken over all age groups, classes and genders. Comfort, style and durability have made them the ultimate fashion apparel. Online jeans shopping has only rocketed the sales even more. While some of us know the recent history of denims being central to the American hippie movement of the 1960’s, what is lesser known is the Indian origins of the fabric.
Dungaree or overalls are the prototypes to jeans. Though now Dungaree refers both to the cloth itself and the apparel, originally, dungaree referred to the cloth alone. ‘Dungaree’ acquired its name from a small town in Mumbai - with the same name - from where the cloth was originally sourced. In India, cheap, thick and coarse, the fabric was used to make clothes for the impoverished sections of the society. During British colonial rule in India, the fabric was exported to England to make durable clothes for the working class there . The durable fabric was ideal for physical work as it would not tear easily. From 17th century till late twentieth century, it became associated to the identity of working class and slaves. In fact, popular cartoon character ‘Mario’ too was clothed in overalls according to its creators.
Though both jeans and dungaree are quite similar in being almost 100 per cent cotton, the difference lies in the manner of dyeing. Jeans are manufactured with uncoloured yarns, and are dyed after weaving, while dungaree is woven from dyed yarn. Dungarees too originally came in indigo colour alone, as this colour hides dirt easily. On the same note, till mid-twentieth century, even the indigo that was used to dye fabrics was sourced from various parts of India. So yes, it wouldn’t be inappropriate to call denims, a slight variant of the original Indian dungaree, thus making it India’s god-child!
