Nîmes is the French city linked to the origin of the word “denim.” The term is commonly explained as deriving from “de Nîmes,” meaning “from Nîmes.”
Nîmes was a major textile centre, and the phrase became associated with a sturdy cotton fabric. The exact historical development of the cloth was more complicated than the simple phrase suggests: modern denim’s characteristic construction and indigo colouring evolved through several textile traditions.
Denim is a cotton warp-faced twill. In classic blue denim, the warp yarns are usually dyed indigo while the weft yarns remain lighter, producing the familiar blue outside and pale underside. This construction also helps denim develop distinctive fading with wear.
Nîmes is not the source of the word “jeans.” That word is associated with Genoa, Italy, whose French name was “Gênes.”