During the late 1800s, America was in full throes of the Gold Rush, and Jacob Davis, a Latvian immigrant, was working as a tailor in Nevada. Jacob sold clothing to local miners and workmen, who required strong and hard-wearing material for their word. It was here that Jacob struck gold.
By fixing small copper rivets to the most strained areas of the garment, such as the pocket, he created a much more durable design. The new, robust clothing caught public attention and Jacob’s ‘waist overalls’, as they were known, became so popular that he sought a patent to protect his idea. The pair were granted a patent in 1873, and before long the modern denim jeans were being worn in factories, farms and mines across the country.
