Preventing fades in PBJs / deep indigo alternatives

[psykatog]

Here's what happened - I had a day off work and live in Seattle, and I ended up visiting Blue Owl Workshop. I wasn't super-stoked about what I saw and tried on, but at the end of the day I just love the color indigo and I love fabrics with uneven surfaces. So I was walking out of the store when I just looked around and saw nothing but cotton that had been carefully dipped into indigo dye, and I felt a little more at peace with the world. So I left thinking raw denim wouldn't be for me, but my curiosity had been piqued by a pair of PBJ xx009s (the Deep indigo or indigoxindigo), and I've been thinking more and more about buying a pair. But here's my dilemma - I love them for the deep indigo color, and don't necessarily want them to fade!

I realize I'm a bit odd, but I tend to like denim that is either very dark blue or very light (bleach-washed). There are definitely some beautiful fades, like these for example, but I'd prefer a consistent color. From what I've read, the best way to prevent fades is to buy pre-washed and to soak them with some white vinegar early-on, to iron regularly, and to wash with woolite dark when washing. So my question is two-fold - 1. Any other advice on how to prevent fades and 2. Am I making life harder than it needs to be by pinning my hopes on PBJs? Are there other brands I should be looking into who make an indigo/indigo (not indigo/black)? From what I'm reading, it seems as if PBJs are actually the most prone to fading/shrinking/stretching, so maybe they're not what I'm hoping they'd be. I tried on several pairs at Blue owl and was most taken with PBJ and Momotaro.

My favorite pair of jeans I currently own are Bonobos stretch selvedge in straight fit (which is more like a slim straight in most American brands.)

 

[nicelynice]

Do you wear jeans to work? If you're just wearing them on the weekends and washing them with Woolite black, they won't fade too quickly.

 

[LA Guy]

Here's what happened - I had a day off work and live in Seattle, and I ended up visiting Blue Owl Workshop. I wasn't super-stoked about what I saw and tried on, but at the end of the day I just love the color indigo and I love fabrics with uneven surfaces. So I was walking out of the store when I just looked around and saw nothing but cotton that had been carefully dipped into indigo dye, and I felt a little more at peace with the world. So I left thinking raw denim wouldn't be for me, but my curiosity had been piqued by a pair of PBJ xx009s (the Deep indigo or indigoxindigo), and I've been thinking more and more about buying a pair. But here's my dilemma - I love them for the deep indigo color, and don't necessarily want them to fade!

I realize I'm a bit odd, but I tend to like denim that is either very dark blue or very light (bleach-washed). There are definitely some beautiful fades, like these for example, but I'd prefer a consistent color. From what I've read, the best way to prevent fades is to buy pre-washed and to soak them with some white vinegar early-on, to iron regularly, and to wash with woolite dark when washing. So my question is two-fold - 1. Any other advice on how to prevent fades and 2. Am I making life harder than it needs to be by pinning my hopes on PBJs? Are there other brands I should be looking into who make an indigo/indigo (not indigo/black)? From what I'm reading, it seems as if PBJs are actually the most prone to fading/shrinking/stretching, so maybe they're not what I'm hoping they'd be. I tried on several pairs at Blue owl and was most taken with PBJ and Momotaro.

My favorite pair of jeans I currently own are Bonobos stretch selvedge in straight fit (which is more like a slim straight in most American brands.)

Go with the Momotaros - ime, they tend to fade much more slowly than PBJs, generally. They have a denser weave, and, at least for the pairs that I've had, they are much less slubby. All other things being equal, the greater the exposed surface area, the more abrasion there is going to be, and the more loss of dye. The denser weave + lower slubbiness = less fading.

That said, Momotaro jeans come in a variety of denims, so pick carefully.

 

[psykatog]

Hmm, you think the tightness of the weave would affect the dye's wearing off? I can see the logic of more thread being exposed meaning more opportunity for it to rub off, but I would think that the dye's bond to the thread would depend more on the batch it was processed in or the additives in the dye.

At any rate, have you guys ever known anyone who tried the vinegar soak thing?

 

[gaseousclay]

PBJ sells what's called a 'No Change' denim which doesn't fade. Blue In Green sells a few variants, although I don't know if they have the fit/style you're looking for.

 

[psykatog]

Yeah, but I can't find a pair in 31s anywhere online (in indigo, I did see some blacks). I wonder if it's possible to soak a pair in the same chemical they use for the nc-005s.