How To Care For Your Denim

Jeans are not just a sartorial staple; they are one of the most enduring fashion statements of the last century. Whether you like them skinny or straight-leg; raw or acid washed; dark or light, your favorite pair of jeans is always going to be close to your heart. To keep your denim looking as good as the day you bought it, be sure to follow our denim care tips religiously.

General Care for Denim

As a rule, you want to wash your jeans as scarcely as possible. Even if you have worn them for a few days, it’s preferable to let your stinky jeans air out than to put them through an unnecessary wash and dry cycle.

Denim was designed to be a durable material, but subtle wear and tear will affect the fit and the wash of your jeans in a noticeable way. Levi’s even recommends putting your jeans in the freezer to remove odors and odor-causing bacteria.

When you do launder your jeans, wash them in cold water with like colors to prevent bleeding, hang them to dry to prevent shrinkage, and iron inside and out to keep them looking crisp and fresh.

Raw/Untreated Denim Versus Washed

Raw denim has come into vogue in recent years for its durability, rich color, and big price tag. Proponents of raw denim advocate for a number of unusual rituals like soaking in coffee, washing in seawater, rolling in the sand, etc., to bring out just the right color and fade.

The one consistent rule seems to be to avoid washing for as long as possible after purchase to break in the raw denim and allow it to stretch to fit the contours of your body. To a certain extent, this goes for washed denim as well. When you do wash your raw denim, though, you can expect a fair amount of shrinkage. Remember: pre-washed jeans come pre-shrunk.