Hemming 21-ounce denim? No problem!
By Maurice Malone Published March 6, 2021
For some factories, sewing a chain-stitched hem on 21-ounce denim jeans can be a tuff job. It comes as no surprise some choose to fake it.
![Fake chain stitch hemming on 21 oz heavyweight denim jeans](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-8a33z/product_images/uploaded_images/fake-chainstitched-hem-1000x803.jpg)
It's not so easy, even the toughest machines to punch through several layers of stiff, heavyweight raw denim with large needles. Skipped stitching happens. This causes sewing to be re-done for those on top of quality issues. Needless to say, slowdowns caused by re-sewing are a production nightmare. For a factory that is restrained by lower margins, sometimes the best thing to do is fake it.
![Heavyweight 21 oz selvedge raw denim jeans with real chain stitch hemming service applied.](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-8a33z/product_images/uploaded_images/the-unbranded-21-oz-jeans-w1300.jpg)
For those with the question, "can you hem or taper 20 to 25-ounce denim?" Our answer is yes. Heavyweight jeans may arrive for service with a faux chain-stitched hem, but we return them with the real thing.
![Before & after hemming alterations on heavyweight selvedge raw denim 21 oz jeans.](https://cdn11.bigcommerce.com/s-8a33z/product_images/uploaded_images/chainstitch-hemming-heavyweight-jeans.jpg)