These Colors Don't Run: raw denims that just refuse to break.

I've been wearing these Japan-made RRLs probably 6 days a week for 4 months, biked in them, run in them, gone camping in them, (accidentally) slept in them numerous times and, on at least one occasion, worn them for 43 consecutive hours. Yet the F***ers just... won't.... fade. They've got creases and combs and all, but no color loss at all. I'm starting to think of them like SJDB, which I wore daily for a full 6 months before retiring them to a once-a-week timeslot with nothing to show for my efforts.

In your experience, which jeans have been hardest to break?

Have you washed said jeans yet.

KMW seem to be pretty difficult to break, although I have seen a few well faded pairs.

Most natural indigo hyper expensive Oni/45 RPM crazy denim seem to hold onto their indigo for long periods of time.

Someone mentioned their somets haven't faded quickly at all.

i've found dior to be tough to fade. 6 months, no wash, and practically nothing on my last raw pair.

I always thought the best "faded" look comes after the wash?
The trick being agitating the denim to a point that water will wash away color in certain areas? I may be talking out of ******, but sufu people seem to await the fabled wash that shows the fruits of their pre-wash labour..

Originally Posted by mimesis

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I always thought the best "faded" look comes after the wash?
The trick being agitating the denim to a point that water will wash away color in certain areas? I may be talking out of ******, but sufu people seem to await the fabled wash that shows the fruits of their pre-wash labour..

I've seen it work both ways. Some "no wash for 14 months pairs" that have faded beautifully just due to wear. Whereas others get the best fade from washing at certain points during the process. It's a dilemma though, because you want a high quality indigo that doesn't wash out too quickly, but you also want progress to show for your months and months of effort.

Originally Posted by Deluks917

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Have you washed said jeans yet.

I washed the SJDB once I gave up wearing them daily. I was expecting to give the RRLs their first wash about now, but it doesn't seem ready.

Joel, did you get the raw ones or the one wash ones? The new US made of Japanese denims fade similarly to APCs I think.

Originally Posted by xchen

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Joel, did you get the raw ones or the one wash ones? The new US made of Japanese denims fade similarly to APCs I think.

Raw. These RRLs are years old, I only recently started really wearing them seriously.

I was just wondering. The years old RRLs I tied on (from when they were still $395) were a one wash. Felt similar in softness to my old Nudie Slim Jims.

Four months is early. Come back in 8 more months and then we'll see.

I have not worked for Polo for several years, but I imagine little, if anything has changed. Double RL's typically were made as "western" wear. (Sheesh, designer western wear) To get back to the point, the several pair of RRL's I've owned were made of ring spun fabric. Ringspun fabric originated in the middle ages, as a means of taking the rougher feel of raw cotton and making it smoother to the touch. Essentially, the process for producing ringspun fabric involved using a spinning method, such as on a spinning wheel, to create a slightly finer thread.

This spun fiber had a couple of qualities that were not characteristic of cotton that had not gone through a spinning process. The spun cotton was softer to the touch, which was certainly more pleasing to the skin. Second, the spun fibers were actually more compacted and provided a greater measure of strength. In a time when material made for garments often had to endure for an extended period of time, spun fabric was definitely an advantage.

As a modern choice, ringspun fabric is still desirable for its softer texture. The fact that ringspun fabric is also durable also makes it a great choice for the production of casual clothing that is easily dressed up, such as khaki slacks and linen feel washable jackets for men.

To conclude, your RRL's will outlast your other trousers by quite a bit. I have a pair that I've owned since I was 18, 9 years ago. They are still in pristine shape (no holes) and have faded less than most of my other jeans. If anyone else knows of another clothing manufacturer who makes jeans with ring spun fabric let me know. (I need to update my wardrobe).

Advice from the neighborhood butler

P.S. Sorry about the lecture, management at Polo made me learn this stuff.

Originally Posted by xchen

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I was just wondering. The years old RRLs I tied on (from when they were still $395) were a one wash. Felt similar in softness to my old Nudie Slim Jims.

I suppose it is a possibility that they're an incredibly rigid one-wash.

I think you got a raw pair. From the pics whodini posted they seem fairly resistant to extreme fading. I am considering getting a pair but my APCs are starting to fade more and more every day so I think I am going to try and keep the fades going for another several months.

I have some RRL's that are ridiculously hard to fade, but there is some lightening to the denim, but nothing really that noticable. I still love them though.