Detroit Denim - wash after 6-12 months?????

**Honky Tonk** · September-03-13, 08:32 AM

Originally Posted by Gistok

Intersting topic... and there are no real answers.... to each his own. Some folks just excrete fewer "smells" than others. I know some people who wear something once and in the wash it goes. That should be true for socks and underwear, but other items depend on the individual, how much they perspire... etc.

But there are MANY variations out there as to personal habits...

http://lifehacker.com/5991907/how-ma...e-washing-them

What's really sad is people now need an internet "expert" to tell them when they need to wash their clothes because they can't figure it out on their own.

**Zacha341** · September-03-13, 08:47 AM

^^^ Isn't that the truth. Very sad....

**motz** · September-03-13, 08:48 AM

Originally Posted by noise

Maybe, but it certainly has nothing to do with proper care of selvedge denim today.

This isn't specific to Detroit Denim, by the way. This is considered common practice by the hundreds of selvedge denim companies throughout the world. People who know expensive, good denim tend to take care of their jeans this way.

Bingo. If you air the jeans out, take care of them, don't be a huge slob all over them, etc, you don't need to wash your jeans every time you wear them. I mean, if your jeans stink that bad after wearing them once or twice, maybe you need to wipe better or possibly get some showering lessons from someone?

**jcole** · September-03-13, 09:01 AM

Aren't 'selvedge jeans' supposed to be a higher quality with seams that are woven so they won't ravel? If that's so, why would you need to wash them less often than cheaper jeans that have bound edges that ravel more readily and cheaper denim that shrinks more?

**jcole** · September-03-13, 09:05 AM

Originally Posted by motz

Bingo. If you air the jeans out, take care of them, don't be a huge slob all over them, etc, you don't need to wash your jeans every time you wear them. I mean, if your jeans stink that bad after wearing them once or twice, maybe you need to wipe better or possibly get some showering lessons from someone?

I don't think anyone is advocating washing them every time you wear them; it's that 6 month to a year thing. I wear jeans at least 5-6 times before I wash them, and, to me, that's long enough.

**Spartan** · September-03-13, 09:19 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

I don't think anyone is advocating washing them every time you wear them; it's that 6 month to a year thing. I wear jeans at least 5-6 times before I wash them, and, to me, that's long enough.

http://shine.yahoo.com/fashion/stude...s-2444364.html

**iheartthed** · September-03-13, 09:25 AM

Originally Posted by NoHeartAnthony

The freezer trick works.

Sure does. You can also hang them in the bathroom while you shower. Of course, if you're out working in the yard all day then you should probably throw them in the washer. Or if you wear cheap mom jeans that you bought at Kohl's then you probably don't care how fast they wear. But if you've got an expensive pair of dark colored jeans then you shouldn't ever put them in the wash. Even sending them to the dry cleaner will cause dark wash jeans to fade, albeit more slowly than putting them into a washer.

**JBMcB** · September-03-13, 09:39 AM

Some "designer" jeans aren't pre-shrunk. You're supposed to wear them to break them in, then they break in to fit your legs. Every time you wash them, they shrink down and hug closer to your body. Wash them too much and they will get too small.

This is how jeans were originally produced, and most "real" jeans are sold this way. You can tell them apart from regular, pre-shrunk and broken-in jeans because the fabric feels rough and starchy, like cardboard. They are usually more expensive [[as they use old school dye that takes longer to apply and better quality denim) Levi's makes a decent pair you can get for around $40 on sale at the outlet. It's actually a fantastic deal - if you take care of them they'll last for years. A cheap pair of Levis will last a year if you're lucky.

**noise** · September-03-13, 09:50 AM

Originally Posted by jcole

Aren't 'selvedge jeans' supposed to be a higher quality with seams that are woven so they won't ravel? If that's so, why would you need to wash them less often than cheaper jeans that have bound edges that ravel more readily and cheaper denim that shrinks more?

It's primarily fit & finish that are affected.

**poobert** · September-03-13, 11:23 AM

Originally Posted by KJ5

You know what I hear is a really good way to care for jeans is to spill PBR all over them and then run over them a few times with your fixed gear bicycle. Make sure you get the gluten-free jeans, though. You don't want glutens in your jeans.

The first thing I thought when I started reading this was, "what a bunch of hipster rubbish." The trust-fund hipsters, of course.

Hey, a fool and his money are soon parted, I guess. You want free-range grass-fed jeans that you don't wash? Sure, it's a free country, just stay the fuck away from me.

**JStone** · September-03-13, 12:09 PM

Diesel Jeans - The only jeans worth owning. Worth every penny.

**noise** · September-03-13, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

The first thing I thought when I started reading this was, "what a bunch of hipster rubbish." The trust-fund hipsters, of course.

Hey, a fool and his money are soon parted, I guess. You want free-range grass-fed jeans that you don't wash? Sure, it's a free country, just stay the fuck away from me.

Yeah, nice things suck.

**noise** · September-03-13, 12:25 PM

Originally Posted by JStone

Diesel Jeans - The only jeans worth owning. Worth every penny.

My grandfather swore by Wranglers, but that didn't mean they were the best.

**poobert** · September-03-13, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by noise

Yeah, nice things suck.

I like nice things. I don't need a Bentley, though, I would settle for a Cadillac. I don't need a house on Lakeshore Drive, one in Sherwood Forest would be fine.

Chances are if you can afford $250 jeans, unlike those of us who need that money for, say, food, your career probably involves exploiting people who can't afford things like food or regular jeans to begin with, or you were just born into it.

**noise** · September-03-13, 01:06 PM

Originally Posted by poobert

I like nice things. I don't need a Bentley, though, I would settle for a Cadillac. I don't need a house on Lakeshore Drive, one in Sherwood Forest would be fine.

Chances are if you can afford $250 jeans, unlike those of us who need that money for, say, food, your career probably involves exploiting people who can't afford things like food or regular jeans to begin with, or you were just born into it.

Maybe. I like $250 jeans, but I wait for a deal. If I wasn't in academics, maybe I would be fine with paying retail?

**Zacha341** · September-03-13, 06:21 PM

Well stated. Good personal hygiene goes hand and hand with keeping your outer wear clean and odor free!

Originally Posted by motz

Bingo. If you air the jeans out, take care of them, don't be a huge slob all over them, etc, you don't need to wash your jeans every time you wear them. I mean, if your jeans stink that bad after wearing them once or twice, maybe you need to wipe better or possibly get some showering lessons from someone?

**KJ5** · September-03-13, 08:40 PM

Holy fuck! They're $250? What kind of d-bag spends $250 on a pair of jeans??

**canuck** · September-03-13, 08:53 PM

Originally Posted by KJ5

Holy fuck! They're $250? What kind of d-bag spends $250 on a pair of jeans??

'member, 5 minutes ago the trend was stonewashed jeans. three minutes into it, it changed to "holey" jeans, and now the craze is to "hold on the washing bit".

I cant wait for the droopy pants to be held up with suspenders and the waist is above the navel. That should get folks talking again.

**Zacha341** · September-03-13, 10:39 PM

Yeah. And Belle Isle has nice big rocks at the waters edge to beat the dirt off them if the river water and soap alone don't clean 'em....

....!

Originally Posted by Honky Tonk

And even if they don't, there's a river, and washing can be done the old fashion way.

**wolverine** · September-04-13, 01:13 AM

Since I live in a large building I've thrown my jeans in an industrial washer / extractor below. Im lead to believe not having to use a dryer and this machine having a quick wash cycle has helped them hold color so long.

http://i01.i.aliimg.com/photo/v0/105...ng_machine.jpg

**Honky Tonk** · September-04-13, 07:13 AM

Originally Posted by KJ5

Holy fuck! They're $250? What kind of d-bag spends $250 on a pair of jeans??

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They're what EVERYONE'S wearing and not washing.

**noise** · September-04-13, 11:56 AM

Originally Posted by KJ5

Holy fuck! They're $250? What kind of d-bag spends $250 on a pair of jeans??

I would guess the kind of d-bag that likes nice things. And there's no shortage of them as there are countless denim companies selling $250+ jeans. More every day, it seems.

These are a steal compared to the $400 Ironhearts.

For the rest of you, there's Kohl's.

**Pam** · September-04-13, 12:11 PM

What is so "nice" about them that they are worth that much? Gold plated rivets?

**noise** · September-04-13, 12:18 PM

Originally Posted by Pam

What is so "nice" about them that they are worth that much? Gold plated rivets?

This is a strange question, as though varying levels of quality don't exist when it comes to clothing.

That said, quality, fit, and often American made. I don't own any Detroit Denim, but most of the nice selvedge I've owned has lasted longer, worn well, and looked better than any of the standard Levi's, or whatever, I'd owned in the past. There's a difference between Levi's Vintage Clothing and the Levi's you buy at Kohl's.

Depends on what you're into. Some people are satisfied with Men's Wearhouse suits, too.

**Pam** · September-04-13, 12:39 PM

Originally Posted by noise

This is a strange question, as though varying levels of quality don't exist when it comes to clothing.

That said, quality, fit, and often American made. I don't own any Detroit Denim, but most of the nice selvedge I've owned has lasted longer, worn well, and looked better than any of the standard Levi's, or whatever, I'd owned in the past. There's a difference between Levi's Vintage Clothing and the Levi's you buy at Kohl's.

Depends on what you're into. Some people are satisfied with Men's Wearhouse suits, too.

No, it depends on income level. There is no level of "quality" that would induce me to spend 200 bucks on one pair of jeans.