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I have a jean...(The Ultimate Jean Thread For Beginners) - ask questions here.

whodini

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Originally Posted by Checkerboard 13
Nothing on the jeans says they're rigid jeans... but nothing says they're pre-shrunk, either.

Because they assume that when people look at those jeans they'll known they've been treated.

They're washed. /debate
 

splattered

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Originally Posted by Uncontrol
Why do I see so much raw denim with huge holes or tears? What is it about raw denim that gives it a tendency to be so damaged?

I've kind of wondered that myself to an extent... Levis usually last me 2-3 years before the crotch/ass start falling apart, and thats with constant wash/wear. I always thought it was more the constant washing that was destroying them because i'm not otherwise that hard on my clothes.

If people arent washing their jeans as often as i used to due to the fact that they're dry denim its hard for me to imagine how some of those crotch-splosions are taking place :/
 

IIIrd Icon

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Originally Posted by whodini
Unless I'm totally off base, I can't think of any company that distresses no-wash/STF jeans without washing them first. Sounds like the tags were left on mistakenly.

The easiest way to figure this all out is to measure the waist of the jeans. If they measure out to the tagged waist then they've been washed.

Originally Posted by aqhong
Those don't look raw to me. By stiff, I mean pressed like cardboard, complete with creases where they were folded. Like this: http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3110/...6884bda2_o.jpg

And I'm pretty sure all LVCs come with that same booklet; it's not specific to your pair. Note that there are separate instructions for "Rigid Jeans" and "In General for All Levi's Jeans."

in photo is a pair of Aussie made Tsubi Stippy Dee Dee which i bought @American Rag Cie [Los Angeles] in '02. i was trying to find old photos where they were all board stiff [starched up], distressed, and seemingly raw. it shrunk 1.5-2" on the waist and 2+" inseam after hot soak x2. i mean, it had all the earmarks of RAW, 'cept for the factory distressing. dunno exactly how they did it, but my guess was, that they were treated with some kind of chemical [stripper/peeler?] to strategic areas and apply abrasion... while in raw condition.

tsuB4aft-1.jpg

post hot soak x2 > post wash+hotdry [inside-out]
tsubi3-1.jpg
 

whodini

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@IIIrd That's a one-in-a-million pair. I say that because the process of doing what they did seems really ass-backwards from denimhead and non-denimhead perspectives. A factory can get the look and feel of unwashed sanforized denim a variety of ways (starch, woolite dark, etc.) without having to pass the buck to the uniformed consumer. Weird. Did the tags originally say that there would be shrinkage? It doesn't make much sense to me that a mass-marketed denim company like t/ksubi would try to pull over a pair of STFs on people used to pre-treated or sanforized pairs. I bet there were quite a few pissed off customers after the first wash.
 

IIIrd Icon

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^ actually, they were limited production. this was back when Diesel and Replay were just starting to experiment on different types of washes/distressing, so they prolly trying to on-up by offering distressed in raw selvedge [???]. Stippy Dee Dee Selvedge were the only run they ever did with selvedge denim... and iirc they did came with an STF tag on them. actual raw measurements were +2 sizes from the tagged W32 [inseam were 35+]. so i went TTS and dint compensate. what i dint expect was the stretch after multiple washes. they stretched out like mofo, comparable to PRPS. i could have sized down to a W31.
 

wagthesam

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What is a good high rise ~11.5 indigo straight leg jean? I know imperials does one but its not dyed with indigo.
 

whodini

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Originally Posted by wagthesam
What is a good high rise ~11.5 indigo straight leg jean? I know imperials does one but its not dyed with indigo.
LVC? A lot of Japanese repros are high like that, too.
 

KitAkira

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Originally Posted by Checkerboard 13
Sounds like I might be in luck. The blue dye that's transferred to the washing instructions tag and the "two horse" tag on the back, plus the fact that both legs already have a twist to them, give me hope that they're safe to wash. I guess I can just wear 'em, and when they need a wash, take a chance... If nothing else, I'll least get a couple of wears out of them. Thanks for your help!
Why are you worried about washing if they're pre-distressed?
Originally Posted by Ge Fuzz
Oh yeah I wouldn't just soak the waist, you will lose dye in one area and they may look weird.
A lot of people do this. Unless the dye is complete **** or is massively overkill excessive, not much if any will come off without agitation
Originally Posted by splattered
I've kind of wondered that myself to an extent... Levis usually last me 2-3 years before the crotch/ass start falling apart, and thats with constant wash/wear. I always thought it was more the constant washing that was destroying them because i'm not otherwise that hard on my clothes. If people arent washing their jeans as often as i used to due to the fact that they're dry denim its hard for me to imagine how some of those crotch-splosions are taking place :/
Get better denim. Crotch blow-outs are generally caused by skating/biking when lots of tension is put on the seam due to pulling. And there's a difference between RAW and RIGID. RAW refers to completely untreated denim (although it can be RAW STF or RAW SANFORIZED): no water, no friction, no chemicals. RIGID just refers to a stiff pair of jeans. RAW jeans are by their nature RIGID but RIGID jeans can be or not be RAW. You can have an acid washed pair of RIGID jeans that won't be RAW, savvy?
 

Checkerboard 13

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Originally Posted by Ge Fuzz
yeah those look used to me. Maybe they starched them after washing/fading and thats why they are stiff, but you know even after a hot soak Levis retain some starch/stiffness. Go try on some known STF at Macys and compare the relative stiffness...Still not sure why they measure the way they do, maybe you measured wrong? All other signs point to washed (blue dye on the inside white parts, twisted leg, inseam mesurement, fading)

You can be 99.9% sure they have been at least washed once.

Oh yeah I wouldn't just soak the waist, you will lose dye in one area and they may look weird.


OK. Thanks!
Sounds like I'm pretty safe then.
Don't know about the measurements.. I did get them right.

Anybody know whether there's any reason to wear them in the bath, or anything like that? If they've already been washed, would any of those breaking-in tricks be of any use, or should I just wear 'em, and wait til they're dirty to wash 'em?
 

whodini

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Originally Posted by Checkerboard 13
OK. Thanks!
Sounds like I'm pretty safe then.
Don't know about the measurements.. I did get them right.

Anybody know whether there's any reason to wear them in the bath, or anything like that? If they've already been washed, would any of those breaking-in tricks be of any use, or should I just wear 'em, and wait til they're dirty to wash 'em?

You're trying our patience...
 

Sigmatic

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Originally Posted by KitAkira
And there's a difference between RAW and RIGID. RAW refers to completely untreated denim (although it can be RAW STF or RAW SANFORIZED): no water, no friction, no chemicals. RIGID just refers to a stiff pair of jeans. RAW jeans are by their nature RIGID but RIGID jeans can be or not be RAW. You can have an acid washed pair of RIGID jeans that won't be RAW, savvy?

In women's denim, RIGID also refers to a 100% cotton denim, as opposed to one with elastane/spandex.

I don't think this has crossed over to mens, but god help us (in this thread) if it does...
 

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