That faded blue jean jacket you've been wearing for years and years might be worth a small fortune, according to vintage clothing experts.

"There's a whole subculture of Japanese students and collectors who buy vintage jean jackets and save them as if they were works of art," says Len Scheer, a wholesale distributor of vintage and contemporary denim clothing. Prices can reach up to $800 for jackets in good condition dating from before 1964, he claims.

Americans' love affair with denim jean jackets — both old and just-made — has no end in sight. In fact, on average, every American owns one jean jacket and seven pairs of denim jeans, according to the Cotton Incorporated Lifestyle Monitor.

Levi's jean jacket remains the most sought after on both the vintage circuit and in today's department stores, followed by Wrangler and Lee brands, according to Scheer.

The first documented Levi's jacket dates from 1905, according to Lynn Downey, historian at Levi & Strauss Co. The jacket was created to be worn with Levi's "work pants" (known today as jeans) cherished for their durability and warmth by miners, cowboys, lumberjacks and other manual laborers.

"Denim will always be popular because it's the basic American uniform, whether it's a fashion or a functional statement," Scheer remarks. Molly Vanden Bosch, associate director of fashion marketing at Cotton Incorporated, agrees.

"The jean jacket is so versatile, it can dress down a formal look or actually dress up and pull together a more casual News USA look.

"Cotton denim is such an all-American fabric. It's so comfortable and incredibly durable. You can really count on your jean jacket to give you many years of good use," she adds.

Most people have strong sentimental attachments to their favorite jean jacket.

"My favorite is my father's original Levi's jacket that he wore on the farm in Iowa," recalls a Dallas woman. "I have four News USA jean jackets in my closet, because I never go anywhere without one wrapped around my waist —1 wear it with dresses, skirts and shorts."

"People love the soft feeling of a well-worn denim jacket. Cotton denim fades beautifully but maintains its durability at the same time," remarks Vanden Bosch.