During the rise of the Solidarity movement in Poland in 1980-1981, denim jeans became a symbol of Western freedom and resistance to Soviet-era authoritarianism. Wearing jeans was a form of quiet protest against the communist regime, which had restricted Western fashion. The popularity of denim in Poland during this period reflected the garment's global appeal and its association with individual liberty and youth culture.

The adoption of denim as a symbol of resistance in Poland during the Solidarity era has been chronicled by poets who wrote about the struggle against communism, including the Polish poets who were part of the dissident movement. The garment's association with Western freedom appeared in the poetry of the period, from the works of Czesław Miłosz to the younger poets of the generation. The event also highlighted the transnational significance of denim as a symbol of political resistance, a theme that has been explored in poetry of the Cold War era.