Everyone knows them: the small pocket that is attached to the right front of jeans. But what is this mini bag actually for?

Pants for gold diggers and cowboys

If you want to know what the little pocket on the jeans is all about, you have to look far back into textile history: in 1873 the fabric dealer Levi Strauss designed the jeans as robust workwear for gold diggers in San Francisco. The practical trousers were soon also worn by cowboys, farmers, lumberjacks and soldiers. While the first ones were sewn from brown canvas, later new cotton fabrics from France were used – so-called “denim”. The new cotton fabric was dyed with indigo blue. Levi Strauss’ partner, the tailor Jacob Davis, reinforced the corners of the trousers with rivets. So they became even more stable and looked about the way you know them today.

Because the jeans were primarily intended to be practical at work, they had large pockets for tools. On top of one of these pockets, however, was a smaller one. The men could keep their pocket watches in it, which at that time were usually carried on a chain.

Strauss called the small bag “watch pocket”. Coins were later also stowed in it – which gave it the name “coin pocket”.

Today it fits in the small jeans pocket

Jeans today usually have five pockets. The fifth, which is placed on the front right, is a little smaller than it used to be. A pocket watch no longer fits in. But hardly anyone wears them anymore. So is the mini pocket on the jeans just a decoration these days? What else could you store in it – apart from coins? A shopping cart chip, a ticket, a lighter, a single key, a lipstick, paperclips, a handkerchief, a tampon, a condom, a candy, your USB stick… Just remember, everything before the next wash to fumble out again.

In short, the fifth jean pocket is similar to the information you just read here: Not too useful. But an entertaining side thing.

Speaking of which: Levi Strauss originally came from Buttenheim in the Upper Franconian district of Bamberg. Seen in this way, jeans are somehow also a Franconian invention, right?