Jeans are an indispensable item in men’s fashion, regardless of genre. Especially, a pair of jeans with a nice faded color will always tickle a man’s fancy. In this article, we would like to introduce a method to achieve a crisp faded look for jeans.
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Choose a pair of jeans with a strong, mellifluous color that fades easily “Rigid denim is the king of the road”
The first important thing is the choice of denim. If you want to enjoy a crisp color fading that suits your body, we recommend that you choose rigid denim (non-washed denim/raw denim). As the adjective “rigid” suggests, rigid denim is denim that has been glued on and is crispy. Basically, most denim is not shrink-proofed, so it shrinks when washed. (*Differ according to brands and models. There are some models that are rigid denim but have a shrink-proof finish and do not shrink at all.) It is important to choose a waist size, silhouette, and length that takes into account the shrinkage caused by glue removal and washing.
When to remove glue from rigid denim “Opinions are divided on whether to focus on the fading position or on the merriment of the color.
Rigid denim is glued on. Whether they should be worn for a long period of time with the glue still attached or worn in with the glue removed is actually a point of disagreement among jeans enthusiasts. The one with glue on them is more likely to wrinkle, and to achieve a more vivid color fading, so it is the best way to pursue a more vivid color fading. On the other hand, however, there is an opinion that the position of the bite may slightly deviate from the ideal position because of the shrinkage that occurs when the glue is removed after wearing the garment. This may sound a bit geeky, but adjust the timing of glue removal according to whether “priority is given to the vividness of the color fading” or “priority is given to the position of color fading (atari).
How to remove glue from rigid denim: “There are countless methods created by enthusiasts.
“Soaking the jeans in 40°C water for 40 minutes,” “soaking the jeans in a bath while wearing them,” “adding vinegar to the water,” “soaking the jeans in water to make sure the glue is not completely removed,” and other unique methods are advocated by jeans fanatics. As mentioned above, wrinkles are more likely to appear when the glue is still on the jeans, so if you want to achieve a more vivid color fading, the trick is to “keep the temperature of the bath water low and set the soaking time short so that the glue is not completely removed. We interviewed several brands about how to take a bath with jeans on, and they said, “I don’t see much benefit!” As shown in the video above, the color will transfer to your underwear, so if you must do it, it is safe to do it with no pants on.
Wearing jeans: “Imagine your movements are etched into the denim.
It is important to repeat various postures and movements such as “walking,” “sitting on a chair,” “squatting,” “sitting cross-legged,” “sitting on the floor,” “pedaling a bicycle,” and so on. This is to make your jeans memorize the movements of your body. If you want to put a bite in your pocket, it is effective to put a box of cigarettes, a smart phone, a Zippo lighter, a wallet, etc. in your jeans while wearing them.
If you want to achieve a crisp faded look, wash less often. But if you don’t wash them…
As the phrase “gut-wear” often used by jeans enthusiasts suggests, if you want to achieve a crisp faded look, it is a standard practice to wash your jeans less frequently. However, it is important to understand that too much wear without washing will cause sweat and sebum to settle into the denim fabric, resulting in a yellowish or brownish finish, for better or worse. It is also important to understand that if the denim is not washed for a long period of time, the fibers will be fully stretched and deteriorate, shortening the life of the denim.
Avoid detergents that contain fluorescent bleach or bleaching agents if you want to achieve a crisp faded look.
Jay Washer, a detergent specially formulated for jeans
You should also be careful about the detergent used for your jeans. In particular, synthetic detergents that contain fluorescent brighteners and bleaches should be avoided. They react strongly with indigo dyes and can cause splotchy color fading. We contacted several denim brands about washing methods, and while there were differences in temperature, from recommending hand washing with soap to using a mild detergent for fashionable clothes washing and using a washing machine, they all agreed that fluorescent brighteners and bleach should be avoided.
Advantages of washing denim inside out and without turning it inside out
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The common practice when it comes to washing jeans is to turn them inside out. The advantage of this is that it reduces friction on the surface of the jeans and avoids unnecessary color fading, while at the same time making it easier for the color to fade more evenly throughout the jeans. On the other hand, washing without turning the jeans inside out also has the advantage of making it easier to get bites on the whiskers, ears, buttons, and hidden rivets. Washing multiple denim pieces together also makes it easier for bites to appear due to friction between denim pieces.
Hem your jeans before the color fades around the chainstitching area
Jeans will need to be hemmed unless they are supposed to be rolled up, but as mentioned above, rigid denim basically shrinks when washed. Even if it is the same brand, the degree of shrinkage differs depending on the fabric, so if you are particular about the length, it is basic to do so after washing and shrinking.
Incidentally, chain stitching is popular in finishing the hem of jeans, and one of its main characteristics is to produce a unique bite (color fading) on the hem of jeans. Therefore, it is important to hem jeans before the color fades completely.
