Levi Strauss arrived in San Francisco from Bavaria in 1850. Trained as a tailor, he planned to manufacture tents for those people arriving in California as a result of the Gold Rush. He discovered there was no demand for this product and instead used this canvas to make waist-high overalls. Later he switched from canvas to a tough cotton fabric from France called Serge de Nimes. This material eventually became known as denim. In 1860 Strauss strengthen the pockets of his trousers with copper rivets. In 1873 he patented these blue denim trousers that were now known as jeans. Levi Strauss's jeans were popular with cowboys and farmers and his company continued to grow after his death in 1902.