16 July 2012
how to: care for denim
We deliver a somewhat unconventional, yet essential guide to ensuring your denim continues to keep you company for years to come.
Washing your jeans.
In a simple statement- the answer is don’t. Most denim giants, including Nudie and Levis will argue the fact that you should never wash your jeans. This isn’t rocket science when you think about the simple fact that denim ultimately fades with washing (raw denim especially), however, we imagine you, like us, will voluntarily admit that not washing your jeans for a whole six months is quite simply, gross. As soon as you start to wash your jeans you lose any perfected worn in character, or shape, so it must be approached with caution.
Airing your jeans.
Until such time that you either spill stuff on them, or have spent considerable time around animals, bars, children or dirt then you can keep them fresh for longer than you might think just by airing them out. There are three ways you can tackle this. Dry-cleaning, while convenient, should be done only to an extreme minimum, as continued dry-cleaning will rot the stitching and cotton. Secondly, the freezer, should you have the room (and are not jamming your denim next to leftover Sunday roast or excess fish, then this unusual method is extremely useful to kill any potential bacteria and smells. Finally, the easiest and most logical method is to always jump at the opportunity to hang your jeans, when not in use, out on a windy day to air them out the natural way.
Never wash them in the washing machine.
Jeans should never be put through the vigorous spin of a washing machine and instead, should be washed in the bath, or failing that, a sink or other size-appropriate vessel from which they can be fully submerged. Fill with lukewarm water and a small amount of mild detergent and place your jeans in inside out to prevent crinkle lines. Soak for at least an hour, stirring as you see fit to ensure you loosen any dirt that has worked its way into the fabric.
