The Cloth - Thomas Mason x WM Brown x Budd
About Thomas Mason’s x WMB x Budd Washed Denim
Never Mind the Rub
Matt Hranek had a clear idea of what he wanted our washed denim to look like. In actual fact, he thought what he was after was a chambray, and to many visual effects, the final washed denim looks just like one. What gives it away though and places it firmly in the denim department, is its fine twill weave. Matt wanted a cloth that would soften and fade with wash and wear, a cloth that becomes a part of us – maturing with its own patina or “rub”.
Denim settled upon, our next goal was to find the right shade of blue, one that would be exclusive to Budd and WM Brown. The chosen shade is warm and familiar, effortlessly working its way into a wardrobe without trying too hard.
The Details
Our WM Brown x Budd washed denim has been exclusively milled and dyed for us in Italy by Thomas Mason and offers the perfect blend of comfort, durability and versatility. This is a more refined denim, thanks to its two-fold structure which lends a more sophisticated and tailored finish. This fine twill denim has the ease and lightness of a chambray, but differentiates itself by means of its weaving technique and appearance. Denim is woven in a twill construction, whilst chambray is a plain weave fabric with coloured yarn in the warp and white yarn in the weft.
The Process
What truly sets this denim apart is the meticulous treatment it receives: a custom bleach process developed specifically for Budd, designed to achieve its exclusive tone and colour.
The indigo dyeing technique applied directly to the yarn, creates unique tonal variations and subtle shading effects that evolve with time, resulting in a rich, lived-in character that grows more distinct with wear. This is known to some as a patina, and to London’s shirt cutters as the “rub.”
Our Washed denim is dyed in unique, 2 metre batches. Any larger and too much disparity occurs. This means that no two shirts are the same and that the attention paid to each shirt length is second to none.
Worth Noting
For wearers of the pleated denim dress shirt in a size 17 and over, two separate lengths of 2m cloths are used. This may result in a very subtle variation between the shirt front and back.