Every time you spend you hard earned money adding to that jean collection to keep it new, fresh and hip you should think of it as not just a mere purchase and since the average cost of jeans is now ranging from 200.00 to 600.00 dollars. its time to look at it as investment.So,keeping that in mind I am certain some of us have spent a small fortune on our premium denim but no matter what the brand Antik denim, Frankie B, True Religion, Seven’s, Citizen’s of Humanity or any of the other countless designer brands you should learn how to properly care for that luxury denim.
Lets discuss some rather important features that will determine the proper care procedure.
Are your jeans pre-faded do you want to sustain the current wash or color of your pants? This is usually”Dry” denim you want to avoid the fading as much possible.
Are they fitted or do you feel that they could shrink a little and fit even better? Most jeans are cotton blends so that old adage of trying to shrink them one size in the wash is old and out of date. Most people buy fitted jeans so they should already fit tight and with the new stretch fabrics woven in the denim the jeans give just enough to put them back on without having to inhale first.
Okay that said lets look at the different options.
Never wash your jeans, except for removing stains. Yes this is true and one company (Nudie) in particular has gone so far as recommending to avoid washing their jeans all together keep them dry in an unwashed state as much as possible. They claim the longer you wear them the more personalized they become, you create your own creases, folds in the pants and the jeans look and feel better with age.
Dry Clean: This avoids water fading the pants and wearing the fabric as dry cleaning is a dry chemical process and does not create friction. It will prolong the life of those distressed or destroyed pants pre-faded jeans , jewelry embellished fashion jeans or those deep blue denim jeans.
Professional laundering: This is usually also done by the dry cleaners.( Not sure why you would choose this option since you would have more control doing it yourself.)
Wash them yourself: This is where you have the most control of how your jeans wear and fade. Only wash when they are dirty as denim is a sturdy fabric and each wash will begin to break down the fabric.
1.)Always turn your pants inside out
2.)Wash in cold water and separate them from the rest of your colored clothes.The water temperature should be 60 degrees to avoid fading process as much as possible.
3.)Add a full cup of distilled white vinegar to a medium load to reduce fading. ( This is important especially during the first wash you can allow jeans to soak for a few hours or better yet over night.)
4.)Don’t dry your jeans fully in the dryer remove them after they are still damp and air dry them on a hanger making sure that they hanging full length from the bottom to reduce them from developing creases or wrinkles.
5.)Avoid ironing.
6.)Always pay attention to the care label on your clothing.
7.)Avoid using bleach or detergents with bleach in them.
By: Paco