Not Washing Denim

[NotoriousMarquis]

So I've stopped washing my jeans often, or almost at all. Ive also noticed tearing happing much more quickly. WHile this makes no sense, because one would think washing would cause more tearing and ripping, does wearing jeans without washing them result in quicker tearing?

Could anybody shed light on this? Or any related information?

 

[loreley]

easy answer... sweat is corrosive

 

[Mistral]

Denim that is not washed very often is more prone to ripping/tearing than jeans that see some water every not and then. Jeans that are washed regularly are stronger, because water makes the cottonfibers stronger, tightening the weave and yarns.

 

[commodorewheeler]

Originally Posted by NotoriousMarquis

So I've stopped washing my jeans often, or almost at all. Ive also noticed tearing happing much more quickly. WHile this makes no sense, because one would think washing would cause more tearing and ripping, does wearing jeans without washing them result in quicker tearing?

Could anybody shed light on this? Or any related information?

If the jeans you are referring to have never been washed before, the initial starch that is in the denim will cause it to tear more easily and quickly.

 

[alexanduh]

wash your denim mate.

 

[Kiwi Man]

I guess the real question comes to how often I should wash my jeans? When I was in the US, it would be once every three weeks. However, I am currently residing at South East Asia. The weather is a lot different and I tend to sweat a lot more. Even though I don't sweat that profusely in my leg areas, I still feel dirty if I don't wash my jeans after I wear them more five times.

If I go to place where I know it is dusty and not known to be the most sanitizing place, I would wash my jeans immediately after I called it a day.

Am I doing the right thing?

 

[NotoriousMarquis]

If i start washing them more, is it the beating and spinning of the machine that keeps them that way, or will soaking them in woolite be enough to let the later in and do its job to strengthen fibers.

 

[djc]

Basically, when you sweat you produce bacteria that ends up on the inside of your pants - if you don't wash them this bacteria will eat away at the cotton and weaken the fibres making them a lot more prone to rips and tears. You will see that most, if not all of the Japanese denim bosses will tell you to wash your jeans often.

The whole 6 month without wash thing came in with Nudie and it just goes against what wearing your jeans is all about. Remember, at the end of the day they're pants - wear them as long as you would wear any other pants and then throw them in the wash. Washed or not they will still fade and in my opinion they'd look a lot neater without those tears.

When washing them, there are a bunch of different ways to do it. Personally, I tend to give my jeans a good soak in detergent every few weeks depending on how much I've worn them and a wash after a month or two. Again, this is depending on how they are worn - if it is the middle of summer and you're sweating more than usual then soak/wash more frequently.

 

[tombrokaw]

I think you should wash them.

Even if this is the wrong thing to do, fashion wise.

Good hygiene will always trump fashion and a great many other things.

 

[whatever123]

Originally Posted by NotoriousMarquis

So I've stopped washing my jeans often, or almost at all. Ive also noticed tearing happing much more quickly. WHile this makes no sense, because one would think washing would cause more tearing and ripping, does wearing jeans without washing them result in quicker tearing? Could anybody shed light on this? Or any related information?
it makes perfect sense to me. you need to wash your jeans fairly regularly to maintain integrity and to prevent the "that dude smells like a homeless bum that has farted 5,000 times look." you people that dont wash are sicko.

 

[NotoriousMarquis]

So to keep my jeans alive, can I just do a bathtub soak with soap and hang dry?

 

[tomashi]

dirty clothes rip easier. look at people in areas where they don't do laundry and notice all those holes

 

[ter1413]

Originally Posted by alexanduh

wash your denim mate.

+fukkin 1

 

[engteach]

Just emailed context about the Momotaro-Context Grand Indigos to see if the guy pre-soaked. It says he hasn't washed or rinsed, but I wasn't sure if that included pre-soak or not. In any case, the reply was, "those jeans have never touched water."

Here's a link to pics for the unfamiliar:

http://www.contextclothing.com/item.php?id=2022

 

[whatever123]

Originally Posted by NotoriousMarquis

So to keep my jeans alive, can I just do a bathtub soak with soap and hang dry?

i would use a washer because it agitates/cleans the denim. i honestly do not understand this fear of using the washer. it makes no sense.