For decades, denim has been a mainstay in almost everyone’s wardrobe. The material may be popular year after year, but the credit goes to the ever-changing denim fashion trends. People are drawn to buy more products made of the same material due to the continuous evolution of trends with kooky fits and fun designs. Yet many still wonder what denim wash method to use.
Washed Dark indigo jeans are likely to make a comeback in 2022, following the fame of faded ’90s washes. Smooth dark washes are noticed on the ramps of Christian Dior and Saint Laurent, indicating that they are the most glamorous way of making denim feel instantly polished.
Pre-washing gives the wearer jeans that feel and look worn-in right off the store shelf. Pre-washed jeans are usually preferred because they are softer and more comfortable, but it’s also a personal preference and what’s in style.
Why Are Most Jeans Pre-Washed Nowadays?
As I discussed, washed jeans are trendy today. But do you want to know the reason? How did the denim pre-washing concept come from the USA to Europe, Asia, and other regions?
Like many other items that provided comfort and memories of home to US soldiers, Jeans became a symbol of rebellion and the American way of life. The American GIs unwittingly started a denim craze that would eventually change fashion.
However, new jeans were difficult to come by in Europe and Asia at the time. Outside of the United States, the first denim fans had to make do with whatever they could find secondhand. The jeans were scrubbed for sanitary reasons when secondhand pants became a popular business in the 1950s. As a result, Europeans and Asians first encountered and fell in love with denim in its worn as well as washed state.
The transition
When new, unwashed pants were first launched in the mid-1960s, local jeans makers & retailers found it extremely difficult to sell them. In 1964, a French denim pioneer Francois Girbaud assisted in opening the Western House boutique in the heart of Paris. The shop specialized in blue jeans and simple cowboy attire. He described it as “Little America in Paris.”
While Girbaud prefers unwashed denim, his customers have different opinions. They weren’t used to the raw, rough denim, so they started requesting jeans that looked or felt like the ones Girbaud wore.
Many people don’t believe that just slight wear and wash can completely transform a pair of jeans—a scenario that anyone who has tried to sell raw denim can probably relate to.
Girbaud got the idea to begin washing the denim jeans before selling them after receiving requests from customers. He washed the denim at a local laundromat at first. He quickly relocated the laundry to industrial laundry. And he discovered it was a profitable business; the washed jeans sold for twice as much as the unwashed jeans.
Girbaud experimented with rocks, sand, and other abrading substances to speed up the fading process until he came across pumice stone in an Italian beauty store. As a result, he was one of the first people to stonewash jeans.
The same incident goes in Japan in the mid-1960s when the first domestic brands began producing jeans. Consumers desired denim that had been worn and washed, similar to the American secondhand jeans they’d purchased on the Tokyo black market. Big John, an innovative Japanese jeans brand, was one of the first to wash their jeans.
How to clean pre-washed denim?
When it comes to maintaining denim quality, it’s essential to take care of your new pair of jeans. The best way to accomplish this is to hand-wash your jeans and do so alone. Turn your pant inside out and wash them in cold water in the bathtub or on the sink (Lukewarm or hot water is not required for pre-washed denim), flattening them. After you’ve cleaned your jeans, be sure you rinse them carefully with cold water to remove all the suds, and the water runs clear before hanging them to dry.
Tips to keep your denim in shape:
As pre-washed jeans are soft and less hard than raw jeans, they must have to keep in their shape. Therefore, I have shared a few effective tips below.
Only wash when necessary:
Your washing machine’s abrasive agitation can wear down the fabric over time, reducing the life of your denim. Use Antibacterial Fabric Spray to remove odours and freshen your denim jeans between washes. It’s a fast-acting solution that kills up to 99.9% of bacteria if used as directed.
Hang your jeans:
Hanging your jeans when you’re not wearing them is one way to extend the life of your jeans between washes. It will aid in recovering stressed and stretched fibers, particularly in the knees and seat.
Pre-washed denim Care Myths:
The More Flex, the Better Your body frame, and how snug you like your denim to be, will determine how much stretch you need. Look for denim with a low Spandex-to-cotton ratio (2 percent to 5% Spandex to 98 percent to 95 percent cotton), which will hug your curves without feeling like a sausage.
A lot of people have the misconception that wearing Jeans in the bathtub assures a perfect fit. It is a complete waste of time. There are, however, jeans that are designed to shrink to fit your body. Soak the jeans in the tub before putting them on when they’re still damp, so they dry quickly and keep their shape.
Some people think freezing jeans kill bacteria, which is false. Even though putting your denim in the freezer kills some bacteria, you cause the most germs. The germs will return once your body temperature heats up the fabric, just as before.
Wash your jeans only when necessary. Always rinse your denim inside out, using cold water, with a chemically treated detergent, and do so sparingly if you want to keep their shape.
Another misconception that many people have they believe never put your denim jeans in the dryer. But you can put your stretched-out jeans in the dryer for a fast tumble to assist them in restoring their shape. To avoid unwanted creasing, remove the jeans once they are slightly damp.
Conclusion:
So, this was all about what denim wash is in 2022. And we conclude that pre-washed denim jeans will be in the trend throughout the year. Moreover, I have mentioned how to clean and maintain your denim quality.
