The Difference Between Chambray & Denim

What is the difference between chambray fabric and denim fabric?

Hard to tell the difference from the front of the fabric.  Easy to notice when looking at the back side of the fabric. Typically, you will notice a lighter color to the underside of a denim fabric, whereas the underside of chambray will appear much more similar to its face side.  Both denim & chambray can be produced in heavy or light weight versions.

Chambray is a plain weave.

• Plain weave (also called tabby weave, linen weave or taffeta weave) is the most basic of three fundamental types of textile weaves (along with satin weave and twill).

Chambray was originally a linen-finished gingham cloth with a white weft and a colored warp, producing a mottled appearance.  It is now also produced with cotton.

Chambray, though the same type of fabric as cambric, chambray typically has a colored warp and a white weft, though it could be made from any color as you may wish, in the warp, and also in the filling; only have them differ from each other.

• Warp are the lengthwise threads attached to a loom before weaving begins.
• Weft is the term for the yarn which is shuttled back and forth across the warp to create a woven fabric. It can also be referred to as woof or fill.

If you don't fully understand the meaning of warp and weft, you can try the warp and weft definition pages.

Denim is made with a colored yarn in the warp and white in the weft, but is woven in a twill weave construction.

The chambray's warp and weft threads will alternate one over the other, while denim's warp thread will go over two threads in the weft before going under one.

• Twill is a type of textile weave with a pattern of diagonal parallel ribs (in contrast with a satin and plain weave).

You can learn more by reading our denim shirts and chambray shirts pages.

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