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RAW DENIM
01/03/11(Mon)21:45 No.3073434+ Point of Raw Denim (aka dry, unwashed)?
Simple.
Buy an unwashed pair of denim and as you wear them more and more you
watch the denim progress. Usually with denim like 7 for All Mankind and
Rock and Republic, the denim goes through series of washing process to
give it a worn look. Raw denim is unwashed before being sold. With wear,
the denim loosens and fades which will form to your body. With every
wear, creases will form and eventually indigo rubs off. The color will
fade creating patterns. This is typical in higher stress areas such as
whiskers (upper thigh creases), honeycombs (behind the knee creases),
and down the thigh to the knee. You are creating what is seen on a
typical wash on many designer jeans (since many washes try to mimic a
natural fade).
+ One Wash? Rinsed?
One wash has
many characteristics of raw denim. Raw denim comes untreated and
unwashed while a one wash denim could used to be raw but have been
washed once and shrunk. One-wash denim is typically referring to raw
denim that has been washed one time before being sold in order to
eliminate the shrinkage and the need for a soak once purchased. Also, it
will still fade exactly like any other raws. Rinsed denim is something
quite different in which the indigo is locked in and they will not
produce fades. An example of one-wash would be some of the one-wash
models of skull, pbj and such that Blue in Green sells. One-wash jeans
are basically produced to simplify the process of buying and wearing raw
denim and to ensure a proper fit and consistent sizing since when
buying raw unsanforized pairs the post-soak measurements will vary based
on the method of soaking. An example of a rinsed denim would be like
88z or 8aa in diesel where the denim appears raw but is actually treated
and will stay dark forever.
Washed denim have been rinsed, with either additional washing, fake distressing, or forced fades.
+ Selvage
Selvage
(or Selvedge, Self-edge) is a type of denim made on a vintage narrow
loom which creates the unique edges that is typically used on the out
seams of jeans. Selvage denim is put together on an old style shuttle
loom. The result is a clean edge on where the denim fabric is stitched
together that can't by frayed like non-selvage, and give the jeans a
more natural look. Shuttle looms which make selvage denim are smaller
and produce fabric which is narrower (about 23”) than wide looms.
selvage looms also use one long weft thread and loop it back while
weaving, while the wider ones use multiple weft threads which aren't
connected 0 thus the need for the stitching on the end to keep it from
unraveling. Selvage is just an indicator of the weaving technique used
and less so the size of the loom. Selvage does not affect the quality of
the denim. So why do some jeans have selvage and some don’t? Well it is
easier and cheaper for companies to make non-selvage than selvage. The
selvage stitching is located inside the jeans, and can be seen when the
cuff is turned up (the outseam). The selvage can be any color thread –
from red, blue, green, etc.
+ Japanese Denim
Japanese
denim usually comes in heavier and better quality than western denim
makes. Japanese denim is very popular and generally favored upon.
+ Sanforizing
Sanforizing
the denim is the process of evening out the shrinkage and has no effect
on the color or quality. When the denim is sanforized, it is already
shrunk for you. Most denim now is sanforized so when you finally wash
the denim it shouldn’t shrink that much. Some Japanese denim are
unsanforized, they are shrink to fit. Unsanforized denim should be
soaked BEFORE you wear them, that way you shrink them down ahead of time
so you won't have uneven fades when you eventually wash them. Also, the
denim will stretch with wear (less than 10%). Every brand is different.
+ Starching
When
you want to make your jeans stiffer or add sharper creases to your
denim, you apply the starch while wearing them and spray the water until
your jeans are damp. Sometimes starching is frowned upon because of bad
odor that will remain in your jeans.
+ Loss of Indigo
Wearing
raws can bleed some indigo with first couple of wears. Different jeans
have different tendencies with the bleeding. Be careful wearing whites
and light colors as they will stain. To keep them coming off your shoes,
tape around the inside of the leg opening on the jeans to help
eliminate the dye. You can try soaking the waist and leg opening with
water to avoid the bleeding. If you already have indigo on your shoes or
clothing, a simply wash should take it right out.
+ Washing & Soaking
There
are several methods for washing. Most recommend if you wear your jeans
constantly wait at least 6 months to wash them in hot water with
detergent then hang dry them. Another method is to wear them into the
ocean (not dirty oceans!) and then rinse them out with fresh (non
salted) water and hang dry them. While you do not have to wait so long
to wash your jeans, you will get the highest contrast fades if you wait
since when you wash them the creases you created will be washed out and
you might not get the creases in the same place, thus slowing down the
fading. If your jeans aren’t that dirty, try soaking them instead. What
does soaking do? Soaking cleans the denim, shrinks, and removes starch.
Fill a bath tub full of water and lay the jeans inside out flat to
float. Place bottles or something heavy on each leg and side to sink the
jeans. The hotter the water, the more they will shrink. If your jeans
aren’t that dirty but just stink, fabreeze them.
+ Hemming
Raw
denim usually comes with very long inseams. If you have lots of
stacking or unwanted length, it is suggested that you soak them to
shrink and dry BEFORE HEMMING. Depending on the denim, you can lose 2
inches off the original inseam. While you wear the jeans for extended
periods of time without washing, the creasing will eat up the inseam as
well. So even if you soak or wash them before hemming, you should still
allow an extra inch at least. Hemming by a professional tailor should be
your last option. Stacking (taking all the extra length and pushing it
down to your ankles to make them break and settle) or cuffing the hems
are a nice alternative to hemming. It is not recommended to put jeans
into dryer unless you want them to shrink radically and create wrinkles.
Be advised the fit can possibly mess up in the dryer as well.
+ Fit
Fit
depends from brand, cut, etc. There is no real thumb for sizing! Most
raw denim retailers will have that information for you. Not everyone
wears their jeans the same, so sizing is hard to find for personal fit.
It is recommended to go to blueingreen.com or selfedge.com for sizing
info.
Bootcut - Slight flare to have room for boots
Tapered - Slim fit gets thinner all the way to the bottom
Straight leg - Evenly proportional. Jean is cut straight from the knees to the hem.
+ Prices
≈$100:
good society
crate
academi
uniqlo
gap
$100-$200:
apc
naked and famous
nudie (not generally recommended)
LVC (levi's vintage clothing)
3sixteen
$200-$300:
eternal
fullcount
oni
pure blue japan
skull
somet
sugar cane
warehouse
imperial
dry bones
slings and stones
5EP
acne
$300-$400+
mister freedom
dior homme
iron heart
studio d'artisan
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