For anyone who already owns a pair of raw denim, you might have noticed they can be quite hard to care for. If you are still swithering over making that first investment in a pair of proper raw denims, you can be unsure about what you are buying. After all, for such a high cost they take a lot more work to keep in shape.
How, then, do you go about managing raw denim? What do you need to do to retain that classic look?
- Once you pick the right fit for your needs, you need to start looking after them properly. Start off, for example, by looking at how you wash them. The best way is to wash them in the tub, in enough water to keep them under the water entirely. Then, let them dry indoors – gets some clothes pegs on that waistband, too, to keep them hanging naturally and to avoid them falling when you aren’t paying attention.
- We know that raw denim fades better when you don’t wash it. We suggest that you consider to wash it after 6 months of use. However, it is up to you! If it smells and dirty then just wash it!
- Also, a good little tip for managing the jeans is to stick them on when they are still a little damp. Denim will stretch to fit your look and style when wet much better than it will when dry. It might feel a bit spandex-tight at first, but it quickly changes and becomes far more comfortable.
- Also, don’t be afraid to wear the things properly. Many people buy raw denim and then treat it like a piece of art or a rare vinyl: they barely touch the bloody things!
- Get them on. Start wearing them around the place, and treat them as you would have a normal pair of jeans. The best form of care isn’t to keep them “good” – it’s to wear them!
How to Clean & Wash Raw Denim
Now, we mentioned above to tub these babies if you want them to wash right – and that is the case. However, we just want to point out a few things:
- First off, jeans will shrink when going into water for the first time. sanforized jeans lose about 5% on the first wash, unsanforized will lose about 10%.
- The higher the heat of the water, the more the denim is going to shrink – keep that in mind.
- Also, remember to wash them entirely alone – anything else in there will get ruined and covered in that blue dye.
- Lastly, make sure that the washing basin/tub is clear of all chemicals and extras. Only put the detergent that you wish to use in there – anything else is risking damaging the jeans.
- So, how do you go about making sure that the cleaning experience is going to be as comfortable as possible?
- Start off by running the bath/tub, and then throwing in the detergent/soap that you are going to be using.
- Wait until it’s all dissolved into the water, and then put the jeans in.
- Now, ensure the jeans are fully under the water – if they keep floating back to the top and coming back out the water, use a shampoo bottle or similar to hold it in place.
- Leave your jeans for about half an hour to 45 minutes.
- Drain the tub, then fill it again with cold water and leave the jeans in there for about 10 minutes. This gets rid of any soapy residue.
- Leave them to dry overnight and enjoy your classy, comfortable and clean jeans the next day!
- Remember to try them on if you get the chance when they are still damp to get that moulding going on.
So, now you know how to look after raw denim, will you?