Blue jeans were invented in 1873 by Latvian-born tailor Jacob Davis in partnership with German-American businessman Levi Strauss, when they patented riveted denim work pants in the United States.

Quick Scoop

  • Jacob Davis came up with the idea of using metal rivets to reinforce stress points like pockets and the fly so work pants would not tear so easily.
  • Because he lacked money to file a patent, Davis asked Levi Strauss, his fabric supplier, to partner with him, leading to U.S. patent no. 139,121 on May 20, 1873 for “improvement in fastening pocket openings.”
  • These riveted denim trousers, originally called “waist overalls,” are widely regarded as the first true blue jeans and became the foundation of the Levi Strauss & Co. brand.

In short, Jacob Davis invented the riveted blue jeans, and Levi Strauss helped finance, produce, and popularize them as a mass-market product.

TL;DR: Blue jeans as we know them were created in 1873 when Jacob Davis invented riveted denim work pants and teamed up with Levi Strauss to patent and manufacture them.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.