Blue jeans were invented by tailor Jacob W. Davis, who created riveted work pants and partnered with Levi Strauss to patent the design on May 20, 1873. The U.S. patent covered the use of metal rivets to reinforce stress points on men’s work trousers, marking the birth of the blue jean as a durable garment for laborers.
Key details
- Jacob W. Davis added copper rivets to reinforce pocket corners and other stress points on sturdy denim trousers after a customer asked for more durable pants, creating the defining feature of blue jeans.
- Lacking funds to file a patent alone, Davis partnered with Levi Strauss—his fabric supplier—and together they received U.S. Patent No. 139,121 for “An Improvement in Fastening Pocket Openings” on May 20, 1873, considered the blue jean’s birth date.
- Levi Strauss & Co. then mass-produced the riveted pants, popularizing them among workers; the term “jeans” became common much later, gaining widespread use decades after the original “waist overalls” name.
Who gets credit
- Inventor: Jacob W. Davis, for the riveted construction that defined jeans.
- Industrializer and brand founder: Levi Strauss, who co-held the patent and built the first company to manufacture blue jeans at scale.
Historical context
- The innovation emerged in the American West during the late 19th century, responding to heavy wear from manual labor; denim’s thick weave made it the preferred fabric for durability.
- May 20, 1873 is widely commemorated as the official “birthday” of blue jeans due to the joint patent by Davis and Strauss.
