somet denim..

[c00kz]

Soak- the color of the water after your soak should be enough to convince you the right choice was made.

 

[Mistral]

Cookz, please explain...

Why would the starch residue left in the water after soak convince anyone of a right choice been made?

 

[c00kz]

Um, depending on how much water you use (I used a washing machine), the water turns into a disgusting, incredibly dense olive/brown. It stains the pocket bags and the "SOMET" tag inside the waistband. I don't really mind about the staining but I would not like to have been letting that rub up against my body, clothes, furniture, etc.

 

[Mistral]

I soaked for an hour in a bathtub. The water was somewhat yellow from the starch. Didn't got my tag and pockets ruined by the way. Why you decided to put them in the washing machine?

 

[mlyngard]

Washing machine is just dandy, actually. I've done my skulls, KMW and Momotaro that way. With unsanforized, I prefer a hot soak first though. I like watching the experience.

The agitation provided by the washer really gets all the gunk, indigo residue and starch out.

Initially, back in the day, I thought starch was all part of the process of raw. Now I realize it does nothing and probably causes more damage.

Excluding APC - (**** them and their 'extreme' sea wash bullshite), everyone from BiG and SE recommend initial washing and even machine drying.

Most of the MiJ raw jeans I've ever owned say "machine wash, tumble dry" on the tag. In fact, most MiJ jeans offered to the rest of the world are sold as one-wash. Raw seems to be a western thing. Ask Gordon.

 

[blam89]

Originally Posted by mlyngard

...everyone from BiG and SE recommend initial washing and even machine drying.

i thought machine drying was a nono for jeans? don't they shrink even more like that?

 

[mlyngard]

Originally Posted by blam89

i thought machine drying was a nono for jeans? don't they shrink even more like that?

No it's not a no-no. Read what I just wrote. Seriously, half of what you read about treating raw denim are myths or complete bullshit. Treat them like tough workwear jeans and they'll repay you. Kiya once gave an explanation of what 'one-wash' generally means with the MiJ companies he deals with. Your home machine won't come close.

Jeans will only shrink so much. Wouldn't you want to get all of that out of the way than have suprises later after you've spent months breaking them in?

Generally, machine drying isn't something you want to do very often unless you want to get the max shrink out of the pants. Otherwise, air-dry is more gentle.

 

[blam89]

Originally Posted by mlyngard

No it's not a no-no. Read what I just wrote. Seriously, half of what you read about treating raw denim are myths or complete bullshit. Treat them like tough workwear jeans and they'll repay you. Kiya once gave an explanation of what 'one-wash' generally means with the MiJ companies he deals with. Your home machine won't come close.

Jeans will only shrink so much. Wouldn't you want to get all of that out of the way than have suprises later after you've spent months breaking them in?

Generally, machine drying isn't something you want to do very often unless you want to get the max shrink out of the pants. Otherwise, air-dry is more gentle.

i agree with trying to get all the shrinkage out. i'm more concerned with how the fit will change. if the waist and length shrink, so will the width of the whole pair of jeans (i.e. the hem and knee measurements etc will also be reduced), meaning the jeans will fit differently.

 

[mlyngard]

Originally Posted by blam89

i agree with trying to get all the shrinkage out. i'm more concerned with how the fit will change. if the waist and length shrink, so will the width of the whole pair of jeans (i.e. the hem and knee measurements etc will also be reduced), meaning the jeans will fit differently.

It's true, all dimensions get smaller.

Best to discover a pair is too small for you from the start. It's unwise to wear a pair of jeans unwashed (dry) just to preserve a fit. If it's too small or fitted, you should find out right away.

This is where sizing unsanforized (stf) denim gets tricky. It's best left for later, when you've already determined your ideal fit dimensions.

That said, Somet won't change much from their initial fit, but you lose a bit of dimension all over.

 

[blam89]

Originally Posted by mlyngard

It's true, all dimensions get smaller.

Best to discover a pair is too small for you from the start. It's unwise to wear a pair of jeans unwashed (dry) just to preserve a fit. If it's too small or fitted, you should find out right away.

This is where sizing unsanforized (stf) denim gets tricky. It's best left for later, when you've already determined your ideal fit dimensions.

That said, Somet won't change much from their initial fit, but you lose a bit of dimension all over.

yeah I've always air-dryed my jeans simply because I want to preserve the fit as much as possible. the somet 003 in size 30 have the exact dimensions I'm looking for, so while I'm comfortable washing them, I just wasn't too sure about machine drying them. In my experience, machine drying tends to shrink jeans quite a bit (my APCs fit a lot slimmer post machine dryer), which makes sense (at least to me) since denim is basically cotton and cotton shrinks a lot when exposed to low and then high temps quickly.

 

[Mistral]

My 008's at almost two months:

First two pics are actual color. Last pic has to much light due to flash. But you can see the fades coming along really nice because of the strong light.

One soak, zero washes by the way.

 

[RedDC5R]

Mistral: how long did you soak for?

Did you somehow cover up the white leather patch so the dye didn't ruin it? Thanks.

 

[Mistral]

Originally Posted by RedDC5R

Mistral: how long did you soak for?

Did you somehow cover up the white leather patch so the dye didn't ruin it? Thanks.

I soaked it for about an hour... But only starch came out, lost zero indigo so the patch wasn't affected at all.

 

[Mistral]

My 003's have arrived, oh yeah!

Will take pictures of denim and fit, you'll see those later =)

 

[Mistral]

Bump...

Btw, where do all the fitpics stay? Some peeps copped a pair didn't they? Be it 008 or 003. I'm curious!