Derived from the French name "serge de Nimes," denim is a twill weave cotton fabric with different colored yarns in the warp and weft. The "wash" of a denim can refer to a range of things, from its production (prewashed to preshrink or garment-washed to affect the final "hand" or feel of the fabric) to its final look (stone wash, acid wash, and enzyme wash). Stone wash: the fabric is put through an industrial wash with stone (typically pumice) to give it a softer look and feel. Acid/enzyme wash: chemicals strip color off the surface of the fabric, giving it either a marbled (acid) or vintage (enzyme) look. Sometimes "wash" is a part of the color name to illustrate the colors' intensity.

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