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    Iron Heart Fall/Winter 2025 Collection Preview - Now Live

    What do you consider "raw" denim to mean?

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    • spitfiredealerS
      spitfiredealer
      Raw and Unwashed
      Joined:

      For me raw is loomstate.

      I am on the flip side of Monday, I love the guesswork and kinda get a buzz from the unknown. My first pair of loomstate jeans were a pair of samurai’s that I ordered from 2nd. I had to use google translate as they didn’t speak English or very little at the time. Was the most fun I had ordering jeans and managed to get the sizing right too.

      Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
      • manufc10M
        manufc10
        Iron Heart Deity
        Joined:

        @madmonday:

        you hit it on the head about the marketing tool.  tbh that's what it comes down to with most things.

        random/ off topic'ish but i'll put it here anyway:

        loomstate is overrated and never shrinks enough for me until like the fourth or fifth wash. i rather sanforized because i'm a wuss and hate spending money to try to shrink my denim to fit. i like the guesswork taken out the entire more art than science concept of shrinking denim. in a perfect world i would be able to purchase UHRs pre-shrunk in any IronHeart cut I want (301s or 555s) well made, quality and interesting denim that fits.

        you use a lot of words neph, what you mean about 21oz denim?

        I actually disagree and will say that loomstate is underrated.  The reasons you just gave for not preferring loomstate denim seems to be a much more popular opinion than actually enjoying loomstate denim.  IIRC Giles even stated that the UHR did not sell as well as they would have like for those reasons.  Most people don't like the unpredictable nature of loomstate, therefore underrated IMO.

        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
        • manufc10M
          manufc10
          Iron Heart Deity
          Joined:

          @spitfiredealer:

          For me raw is loomstate.

          I am on the flip side of Monday, I love the guesswork and kinda get a buzz from the unknown. My first pair of loomstate jeans were a pair of samurai’s that I ordered from 2nd. I had to use google translate as they didn’t speak English or very little at the time. Was the most fun I had ordering jeans and managed to get the sizing right too.

          Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

          +1

          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
          • ROmanR
            ROman
            Haraki san Prodigy
            Joined:

            To me RAW = loomstate. That is probably why 85% of the jeans I have purchased off of this site are the UHR. And are my favorites.

            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
            • ChrisC
              Chris
              Raw and Unwashed
              Joined:

              Yep, as said above, raw=loomstate for me.  However, I think it's mostly BS marketing, as also said above.  I don't particularly care what processing has or hasn't been done.  Just give me accurate measurements and tell me what's been done.  I can figure it out from there all by myself.  I buy jeans based on whether I think the denim is interesting, and if I think they'll (eventually) fit.

              Sometimes I get the second part of that wrong, like I did with both pairs of Studio d'Artisan jeans I've owned…

              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
              • ChrisC
                Chris
                Raw and Unwashed
                Joined:

                @madmonday:

                the comments for the article are awesome

                This one just makes my head hurt:
                "The Sanforization process is designed to remove potential shrinkage from the fabric by moistening it with water or steam – that's a far cry from stone washing jeans. It's also functionally no different than unsanforized denim, as an educated buyer knows to soak an unsanforized pair prior to the first wear. So unsanforized and sanforized are essentially identical by the time the buyer puts on the jeans for the first time."

                Huh?

                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                • GilesG
                  Giles
                  IHUK Crew
                  Joined:

                  Raw is synonymous with loomstate.  Loomstate means exactly what comes off the loom, with zero post weave processing (inc washing or soaking).

                  And also contrary to what some people in the industry think, there are different "strengths" of sanforisation.  Not all sanforisation is the same…..

                  "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                  • neph93N
                    neph93
                    見習いボス
                    Joined:

                    @madmonday:

                    you use a lot of words neph, what you mean about 21oz denim?

                    It was a pre bedtime post, and I have a rule, “Why use one word when you can use 259?”

                    It’s edited for clarity now but my point was that great denim doesn’t have to be raw to be excellent, unique etc and the 21oz is a good example of that. It was tonnes of character despite it’s smooth even face, heavy sanforisation and fade retardant treatment. Hell, the SB denim isn’t even selvedge and doesn’t fade and is still more interesting than some Cone Mills denim I’ve owned.

                    “Some of those that work forces
                    Are the same that burn crosses”

                    • Virginia Woolf
                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                    • neph93N
                      neph93
                      見習いボス
                      Joined:

                      @Chris:

                      This one just makes my head hurt:
                      "The Sanforization process is designed to remove potential shrinkage from the fabric by moistening it with water or steam – that's a far cry from stone washing jeans. It's also functionally no different than unsanforized denim, as an educated buyer knows to soak an unsanforized pair prior to the first wear. So unsanforized and sanforized are essentially identical by the time the buyer puts on the jeans for the first time."

                      Huh?

                      That was one of the comments that caused me to use "language unbefitting of a mod" when I said there was some horseshit in the comments. I fully understand that it offends your lawyerly sensibilities.

                      “Some of those that work forces
                      Are the same that burn crosses”

                      • Virginia Woolf
                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                      • UnTuckedU
                        UnTucked
                        Joined:

                        This is the part of our "hobby" that I stay away from, lol!

                        In search of:
                        IHV-04, med.
                        IHSH-185, large
                        IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                        • DionD
                          Dion
                          Joined:

                          I think soaking raw denim is part of the fun/experience and it's great to see how a pair evolves after it has touched water and accommodates your body. I never had any issues with loomstate denim at all and if a pair fits prior to washing it will do so after it's been shrunk.

                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                          • GilesG
                            Giles
                            IHUK Crew
                            Joined:

                            I'm talking to Haraki about making a new raw (that is not washed, not sanforised, not anti skewed, not singed, not fucked around with in any way) denim….Watch this space.....

                            "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                            • rocketR
                              rocket
                              Joined:

                              rawr…

                              rocketrocksrox 🤙🏼🤙🏾

                              It's all humbug, like everywhere
                              R.I.P. Geo

                              last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                              • DionD
                                Dion
                                Joined:

                                Super stoked and super excited!

                                last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                • UnTuckedU
                                  UnTucked
                                  Joined:

                                  What are you considering for pre/post soak weights?

                                  In search of:
                                  IHV-04, med.
                                  IHSH-185, large
                                  IHSH-186, large (khaki, and green)

                                  last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                  • GilesG
                                    Giles
                                    IHUK Crew
                                    Joined:

                                    I think I will try and go 16 or 18.  The easiest route is to use the vintage 16 and/or 18 and not sanforise or wash) it…..

                                    "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                    last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                    • BroarkB
                                      Broark
                                      Joined:

                                      New 16 oz. completely untreated and in the 888 cut.  😎

                                      last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                      • Matty123M
                                        Matty123
                                        Raw and Unwashed
                                        Joined:

                                        Personally, I think of raw as loomstate. But there are A LOT of denim companies out there marketing “Raw”  Selvedge jeans that have been sanforized or treated in many ways. That confuses me. Who is to
                                        Say they are wrong? But either way I get excited when I see the word raw and then bummed when I read the details.

                                        Maybe so. Maybe not

                                        last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                        • GilesG
                                          Giles
                                          IHUK Crew
                                          Joined:

                                          @Matty123:

                                          Who is to Say they are wrong?

                                          Me

                                          "OK face up to it - you're useless but generally pretty honest and straightforward . . . it's a rare combination of qualities that I have come to admire in you" - Geo 2011

                                          last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
                                          • Matty123M
                                            Matty123
                                            Raw and Unwashed
                                            Joined:

                                            @Giles:

                                            @Matty123:

                                            Who is to Say they are wrong?

                                            Me

                                            Is there an industry standard?

                                            Maybe so. Maybe not

                                            last edited by 1 Reply Last reply Reply Quote 0
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