Raw denim stretch and shrink

[Wupper]

Buying a pair of jeans is rocket science.

 

[ponch10]

it is, and I don't even know why I am doing it since chinos fit me so much better.

LOL

 

[Todd Shelton]

Hi All,

Surely the topic has been discussed one way or another...but can't find the answer to my question.
I found Edwin ED-45 is pretty much what I look for, relaxed, tapered, raw denim, good value.

The question is sizing though: I seem to be in between W31 and W32. My personal taste is for the right fit, so not skinny, and not baggy. Just enough room to move in it.
W31 fits pretty snug, not uncomfortable that I can't wear it, but not so comfortable that I can do gymnastics in it . The fit would definitely benefit from loosening up a bit.
W32 feels comfy, not huge, but it would benefit from a post wash shrink, as on the legs you can see that there is a bit too much fabric, and the waist could be easily smaller.

Edwin suggests that being their denim sanforized, a shrinkage of 2-5% is to be expected. This is really the difference between W31 and W32, or W32 and W33. However, I know that raw denim is stiff at first and it is meant to be broken in before it gets looser and molds on you.

My question to you is the following: after all the stretching and shrinking is done, after I wore it for 1 year and perhaps washed it twice, should I expected the denim to be a bit looser, or a bit tighter than what it is brand new? In other words, is the net effect of loosening and stretching a stretch or a shrink?

I am not so worried about the lenght here, but about the width.

Thanks guys!

Hey. Are you evaluating brand new, never worn jeans (W31 and W32) or do you own those jeans and have been wearing them for a while?

If you're evaluating new jeans, and which to buy, I'm confident you'd be happier with the 31W. I think the 31W will fit more similar to the 32W after a few days of wearing.

If you were to cold wash brand new sanforized raw denim, and hang dry, the shrinkage will be nearly unnoticeable. You will stretch out 1 to 2 sizes in the stress areas (waist, seat, thighs) over time - that's depending on how long between washes. Once you wash, the jean should revert back to the original specs.

I'm shooting from the hip here, and this depends on the type of denim and fiber content of the denim, but I would say you'll see a jean stretch about 1/2 size after a couple of days of wearing - 1 size after a couple of weeks (this is where it kind of stabilizes) - and up to 2 sizes if you put a bunch of stress on them over the course of a few months.

 

[ponch10]

I guess I owe the forum an update. I finally went for the 31W, and I am happy to report that after only a couple of days, these edwin are so much more comfortable than out of the box. I can't really guess how much they loosen up, but what used slightly tight, now is "casually loose", not much, just how it is supposed to be.

Thanks all for suggesting the right choice here!

 

[theox]

whether the jeans get larger or smaller is not what bothers me. it's that some people wash them 2x in a year of wear. it must be uncomfortable to be near those people.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

whether the jeans get larger or smaller is not what bothers me. it's that some people wash them 2x in a year of wear. it must be uncomfortable to be near those people.

I can't find the source where I actually first saw this article, so ABC (Always Broadcasting Crap) will have to do. I usually go 6 months in between washes (with 2 pair rotations) and I've conducted smell tests with friends (GREAT FRIENDS LOL) and they were not able to pick up a noticeable bad aroma. Denim is a different animal to any other pants material. Even Tommy Hilfiger and the CEO of Levi's both go many months in between washes. I do tub soaks with mild detergents and line dry afterwards. Don't get me wrong, there is noticeable dirt present in the tub, but that's to be expected. If I were working outside in these jeans, which I don't, I would obviously wash them regularly.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/canadian-student-josh-le-year-washing-jeans/story?id=12722442

 

[Elderidge]

I think the trick to not washing them as often is to not wear them in summer when you're sweating your arse off. It's the sweat and oils that stink them up real fast. but in saying that, regular washing of denim is good for the material and extends its life.

 

[Todd Shelton]

Jeans are half pant, half napkin.

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

I think the trick to not washing them as often is to not wear them in summer when you're sweating your arse off. It's the sweat and oils that stink them up real fast. but in saying that, regular washing of denim is good for the material and extends its life.

Can you define “regular washing”? I actually am lucky enough to work for a company that allows nice jeans. I work as a Energy Auditor in the Tri State. Summer months consists of painfully hot & humid days humping it out in hot New York Subways and city streets, only to spend 4 hours on my feet running up and down high rise hotels. All this in Denim. I wouldn’t say I’m soaked in sweat, but I certainly to break one out. I usually step up my tub soaking to 3 months at a time.

This denim kingpin is suggesting otherwise, as well as Tommy Hilfiger. I use to wash my denim weekly and I always felt like they never felt right afterwards; hence the tub soaking. This method takes awhile though (a full day)

https://levistrauss.com/unzipped-blog/2018/01/25/no-dont-wash-jeans-really/

 

[Elderidge]

Can you define “regular washing”? I actually am lucky enough to work for a company that allows nice jeans. I work as a Energy Auditor in the Tri State. Summer months consists of painfully hot & humid days humping it out in hot New York Subways and city streets, only to spend 4 hours on my feet running up and down high rise hotels. All this in Denim. I wouldn’t say I’m soaked in sweat, but I certainly to break one out. I usually step up my tub soaking to 3 months at a time.

This denim kingpin is suggesting otherwise, as well as Tommy Hilfiger. I use to wash my denim weekly and I always felt like they never felt right afterwards; hence the tub soaking. This method takes awhile though (a full day)

https://levistrauss.com/unzipped-blog/2018/01/25/no-dont-wash-jeans-really/

I guess it really depends on the individual and what they do. If i were breaking a sweat daily, I would probably want to wash them weekly/ fortnightly.

You dont have to. but washing does remove dirt embedded in the fabric which would otherwise cause friction to break down the fibres. IF you're getting lots of crotch blow outs, the pants are either too tight or you're not washing them enough. or maybe a combination of both.

If you're running an office job and dont get dirty, then weekly washing is probably not of much use.

PS, i only soak my jeans every 6-12 months.

 

[robroy82]

The reason to wash your jeans is because they’re dirty or stinky. The reason to NOT wash your jeans is for those “sick fades bro”.
Don’t over think it. If you’re wanting to look like a ranch hand, don’t wash your denim for as long as you can stand it. If that doesn’t matter to you, wash them when you would normally.

 

[Todd Shelton]

"ranch hand"

 

[OtterMeanGreen]

“sick fades bro”.

Up until this last weekend I’ve worn nothing but Lee Modern Fit Jeans for the past 6 years, so I think “sick fades” were never even on the table for me. I chose to wash them every 3-6 months because they feel more comfortable that way, and comfort is infinitely more important to me then style. I just bought my first pair of Raw Selvedge Denim from The GAP for $63, so I will see how I like them.

Copper Rivets. Paired with a new Tanner Goods Natural Belt (also with Copper Hardware)