Vintage Levi's Jeans Guide - Selvedge

Selvedge is also known as 'redlines' or akaimimis which in japanese means 'red ears'.It is located on the inside of the outside seam of the jeans.  It indicates a pair of vintage or vintage reproduction Levi's.  Other details will have to be used in order to identify the jeans as vintage or reproductions.

 The first generation of Levis jeans made with the duck cloth do not contain redlines or bluelines.  They have whitelines or white
 ears.
 
A whiteline, there is no red or blue thread 'line' running through the white.


A Blueline stitch - found on Levi's 201 from the early 20th century.  Most commonly found currently on vintage reproduction
jeans such as the LVC 201.  There is a high demand for both the reproductions and the origionals from collectors.  eBay
bids on the repros can run into the hundreds of dollars while for origionals it can run into the thousands.


The infamous redline.  Used until the mid 1980s.  May be faded pink or completely gone due to heavy washings.  Expect
to pay or get $30+ for the newest ones on eBay, higher for older models. See Redline Double Stitch, and Redline Single Stitch.