The Nudie Jeans Guide To Wearing In Your Denim - Lyst
ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED ON LYST - june 2016
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With great denim comes great responsibility, and let’s be honest, there is a lot of information out there on how to care for jeans. So how to sort the truth from the myth? To get clear on the facts we’ve enlisted a true denim expert. Meet Chris Bloxham—Nudie Jeans Denim Specialist (that’s his actual title), here to impart useful wisdom.
Why wait to wash a new pair of jeans?
Breaking in dry denim is a great way of creating your own unique fade that no one else will ever have. It’s also very easy, just keep wearing them everyday without washing. The most uncomplicated piece of art you'll ever make!
What’s the difference between dry denim and pre-washed?
Dry denim is the purest form, it has never been touched by water, it’s how all jeans start out before they get to a washed and faded state. With dry denim you break it in, creating your own personal fade. So if you can’t wait six months for worn-in denim, you can just buy a pair that’s been done for you.
Denim lovers often talk about selvedge denim—what exactly does it mean and why is it better?
Selvage or selvedge means ‘self edge’. The word comes from the weaving together of denim by a shuttle loom that creates a white edge to prevent fraying—only specialist looms can do that. They are half the size of regular looms and take twice as long to create the fabric. Selvage is the best kind of denim you can get. It’s generally heavier and harder to wear in, which makes it even more rewarding when you finally do that first wash. You do get the real denim heads who will never wash their selvage, to make them look even more authentic.
Ideally, how long is best to wait before washing dry denim?
We recommend six months of daily wear before the first wash—I’d say the longer you wait the better. A character will start to build up, so when it comes to the first wash they will look unique.
Is washing bad for denim? Won’t they stink if you wait so long to clean them?
It’s better to not wash them often. After that first wash I would still leave the next wash for a few months. With the smell, it depends what you do in them! A damp cloth will do the trick on those kebab stains from the night before. Plus, there is the added benefit that not washing them often is good for the environment.
You might have heard that you can put jeans in the freezer to kill bacteria, but that’s a temporary solution. It kills the bacteria that causes the odor, but bacteria being bacteria, it comes back. I hang my jeans by an open window for an air-out. Again it’s a temporary solution, eventually you’ll need to wash them.
Should I repair my jeans, or just get a new pair?
Always repair. Just because you tore a hole in the crotch or ripped the knee doesn’t mean the death of your denim. No doubt they still have a ton of life in them—plus it gives them more character! If you’re feeling creative you can try and repair them yourself, but some jobs are too big to do on your own, which is why we have Nudie Jeans Repair Shops all over the world. We fix all Nudie Jeans for free so you don’t have to throw them away, and if you don’t want them anymore, you can trade them in to get 20% off a new pair and we recycle the old denim—it’s a win win!
What's the coolest pair of worn-in denim you've seen?
I’ve seen so many great worn-in jeans and have repaired some real beauties myself, from selvage to standard drys. My favourite is a pair we have hanging in the Soho Repair Shop, they’re a pair of Grim Tim dry selvage that a customer handed. He’d been traveling around Thailand and lived in those jeans for over a year. He even made himself a inside pocket to prevent getting pickpocketed.