Denim Care

Raw Denim

For Best Fades

  1. Wear as long as possible before the first wash. For most, this is about six months of near daily wear. For extremists, this could be a year or longer. The longer you wear them, the better they will fade. Once the denim hits water, the dye will set and fading will occur at a much slower rate. 
  2. Turn the jeans inside out and submerge in cold water with a mild detergent. Agitate the denim so the water and soap have a chance to soak through the jeans. Rinse with cold water, lay jeans on top of dark coloured towel and roll, squeezing as much water out as possible. 
  3. Unroll jeans from towel and hang on clip-style clothes hanger. Jeans may drip as water runs down the fibers, so place a towel underneath the area where the denim will hang-dry. Smooth denim so that as many wrinkles as possible are removed; this will prevent excess dye from running into the wrinkles and causing a "marbled" look. 
  4. Leave jeans hanging until dry. Wear for another six months or so, wash, and repeat. 

To Keep Them Dark

  1. Wear jeans long enough to stretch them out fully. This is typically between two and four weeks of daily wear. 
  2. After this initial break-in period, you will want to set the dye by washing your jeans. Turn the jeans inside out and submerge in cold water with a mild detergent and 1 cup of white vinegar. Leave denim to soak for 30 minutes. Rinse denim with fresh cold water, lay on top of dark coloured towel and roll, squeezing as much water out as possible. 
  3. Unroll jeans from towel and hang on clip-style clothes hanger. Jeans may drip as water runs down the fibers, so place a towel underneath the area where the denim will hang-dry. Smooth denim so that as many wrinkles as possible are removed; this will prevent excess dye from running into the wrinkles and causing a "marbled" look. 
  4. Wear for another few weeks and follow above steps for washing instructions. Vinegar is not a necessary addition to subsequent washings. 

*Note: raw denim can also be washed in the washing machine (on gentle, in cold water), but care must be taken to remove jeans from machine as soon as the cycle is complete. Hang jeans, smooth wrinkles, and allow the jeans to air-dry. 

Shrink-to-Fit Denim

  1. Buy jeans at least one size larger than your actual waist size (measured size). Soak your jeans in warm water (in the bathtub) for 30-45 minutes, roll in a towel to expel moisture and hang to dry. Jeans will shrink about one size in the waist and 1-3 inches in the inseam (depending on which shrink-to-fit denim you buy or how hot the water you are using is). Wear your jeans for at least 6 months before washing/soaking again. Shrink-to-fit denim has the potential to shrink a bit during the first few washes, but should stop shrinking after that. This means, if your jeans don't shrink enough the first time you soak them, you can try again to get the right fit.
  2. Extremists may want to purchase their shrink-to-fits on the snug side and allow them to stretch out prior to shrinking their jeans. In this case, it may be beneficial to shrink the denim while wearing them (hop in the bathtub with them on and hang out for about 30 minutes). If they are on your body when you shrink them you will ensure they don't shrink past your size. 
  3. After shrinking your jeans, wear them for at least 6 months before washing again. If your jeans need to be shrunk again, wash them in warm water with a mild detergent and hang to dry. If they are the correct size for you but need a wash, use cold water and hang to dry.

Washed Denim

  1. Wear jeans as many times between washings as you personally feel comfortable with. To keep your jeans looking their best, wash as infrequently as possible. 
  2. Turn jeans inside out and either: a) wash in machine in cold water on gentle cycle with a mild detergent and remove promptly at end of cycle. Hang jeans, smooth out any wrinkling and allow to air-dry. b) submerge jeans in cold water with a mild detergent, agitate to loosen dirt, and rinse with cold water. Roll jeans in dark towel to remove excess moisture. Hang jeans, smooth out any wrinkles and allow the jeans to air-dry. 

*Note: If you are having issues with dark denim bleeding dye, add 1 cup of white vinegar to enough cold water to completely cover your jeans (in the bathtub, or a bucket). Allow to soak for 30 minutes, then follow step 2 for Washed Denim.