Care For Your (Denim/ Wool/ Cotton)
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i might be no help to the "how long have you gone between washing" discussion other than to say my decision to wash has been when i see dirt/dust start collecting behind or around the thicker constructional seams. If I see dirt there it's bound to be somewhere else that will be causing more wear and tear as an abrasive. I've thought about taking a shop vac to them, and have once or twice, but seeing what the soaking liquid looks like before the wash has so far made me feel really good about washing.
Depending on the season, this seems to be about ~60 days.
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@Mizmazzle I did not count my initial hot soak to remove shrinkage, no.
@pechelman I usually wash my jeans around 60s wear or so as well. I should have stated in my OG post that I want to push just this one pair to see how long I can get. All of my other denim is washed and repeated when needed. I just wanted to finally go super long before washing just to see if I can stand it lol.
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is the end goal a number, a fun experiment, or is there another benefit to waiting another month? Would getting the dirt/oils out of faded areas allow them to fade faster that you want to prevent? Genuinely asking since I'm still new to this. Also, no judgement here. asking to learn!
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@pechelman I am roughly trying to follow this -- https://sosoclothing.se/the-break-in-breakdown-the-five-stages-youll-pass-through-when-breaking-in-raw-denim/
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@Oaktavia @pechelman 60 wears is a good marker for sure, depending on your activity. I know Oak's usually looking killer in less time than that. I've been on a mission to hit 100 with my latest rotation, but i think results vary so much based on the denim, activity, etc. Longest I've gone is 87 and counting on my 21ib. I'm getting nervous about ruining them with a wash lol i love em oily!
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@pechelman said in Random questions to which you seek an answer:
a fun experiment
yes I think so, I just admire heavily faded and unwashed heavy denim and how it contrasts with fades. There is something different with the deepness of the indigo but I know at some point they will see the machine.
Would getting the dirt/oils out of faded areas allow them to fade faster that you want to prevent?
I would love to know the answer to this question but I think you may actually be correct.
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@WhiskeySandwich the 21ib looks extra shiny and oily too unwashed! The results do vary so much depending on the denim though, for example the XHSmb looked nearly the same as it did before the first wash at 79 wears and compared to fast fading denim, 79 wears could look so much different.
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@Oaktavia I am aiming for 100 wears between washes of my 888-XHS at the moment. I’m not doing anything particularly sweaty in them though and if they get muddy or something in them in the meantime they will be going in the tub. Wash #2 will be due in 27 wears unless something happens before then.
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@indigostiff said in Random questions to which you seek an answer:
@pechelman I am roughly trying to follow this -- https://sosoclothing.se/the-break-in-breakdown-the-five-stages-youll-pass-through-when-breaking-in-raw-denim/
thanks for sharing this, I needed something to read today!
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Moved to this topic which should give you a bit to read…
@Oaktavia @EdH @WhiskeySandwich @indigostiff @pechelman @Mizmazzle
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Unfortunately we don’t have Filthy to give his thoughts and numbers on the subject. I think Twin lets his denim go for quite some time,if ever, before he washes,and we can all attest to how great his fades are.I can’t speculate on wether or not he keeps track of those things. You might reach out to Adam on IG and get his take on it.
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@Oaktavia oh i bet with the MBs. the 18oz vintage on the other hand lightened up considerably. at 120 or so i've washed them 3 times and they're poppin, but i still keep em greazy lol
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@EdH hell yeah. i think 100 is about the max i can aim for before inevitably spilling garbage juice or something on them that would absolutely require some proper cleaning. I do somehow end up mildly sweat steaming mine regularly with the walk and many many stairs to work. They air out hanging every night though so they never smell.
My concept is to avoid soiling them but also don't baby them. Do what you do and washes are only needed depending on how accident prone you are. I brush debris off and spot clean as needed. That being said, Throwing washes in the mix definitely add to it. I do think that most denim looks better with some, but rare, washing. Unless you really love only dark jeans, they tend to deteriorate before peaking. Not everyone can get a pair to fully lighten without putting major wear on them. Simply put - the instructions do say "wear as long as possible without washing" then wash carefully. So i figure there's like two stages i go through: 1 is the initial wear, which lets say is a good 100 wears or so, to get your fades set. then i pick up the pace on washing.anyway, i went full nerd blah blah blah
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@WhiskeySandwich full on nerds are full on welcome, bring it, it's what we're here for, fo' sho. It's why we are here.
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@Oaktavia
I just think you don't go this far down the rabbit hole without investing some serious thought into a denim regime lol There's science and art to it and you can't help but be experimental, even obsessive with it. I know all you folks get it, we're fucking with more than just cheap coverings to protect our skin. It's not about price, or status like some would think of such expensive clothes. Some might think hand-washing a pair of jeans goes against the purpose of tough work wear. I don't see it as fashion, or even indulgence necessarily, so much as a hobby. I find it similar to my music hobby - I've spent a lot of money, and time messing with it, and most people just don't get it, beyond "oh, that's cool..." with a slight eye roll and a change of subject. If you try to show it off, it's usually nobody's flavor. Same goes for motorcycles in many cases. Some people may compliment on fabric or fit or whatever, but to them it's a shirt or pants that is nice for whatever they think you paid for it, which is likely what they pay for such things. They'd surely scoff at these prices if they knew them...in their mind comparing it to Carhartt or something. Shit I did too at first. That's just the wrong impression at a surface level. This community gets it though, and it's like an indigo oasis. lol"wash your nasty fucking jeans"
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@WhiskeySandwich said in Care For Your (Denim/ Wool/ Cotton):
@Oaktavia
"wash your nasty fucking jeans"haha I read the rest of your response too but not yet !!!
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@Oaktavia dude we went thru Tyson's Galleria the other day to kill time for a dinner res, I saw a Versace T-Shirt for $600t. I was like "let me see this fucking thing". So I inspected its fabric and stitching, etc, and was BLOWN AWAY....by it's mediocrity. lol It blows my mind how 'premium mediocre' or 'luxury' brands can be so low quality. Comparing IH to stuff like that makes me realize that I'm putting my money in the right place. I probably should have put this in Rants.... lol
Anyway, sometimes it takes something bad to realize what good really is.
