Raw Denim: first wash

[breezer]

So the time has come to wash my red selvedge Edwin ED80's - 12 months have flown by and I can't put it off any longer.
Did a bit of googling and there doesn't seem to be any consensus on this matter - so I am going to take the plunge and soak them in the bath in cold water, no detergent. Weather permitting I will try and dry them outside in the cool breeze.

Most discussions seem to be concerned with the way the denim fades - but my primary concern is the stiffness and colour of the raw denim. I want to preserve both. But then again I accept that the Raw unwashed feel cannot last for ever. See pics below - Edwins on the top - worn for 12 months, new Gustins below, and heavily worn APC's for reference.

Comments on fist time wash welcome, please. ( just noticed a bit of bleed on the rear pocket - probably caused by my keys/chain - definitely time to wash!)

[url=https://flic.kr/p/q1TDTH] photo by stllsman, on Flickr[/URL]

 

[gaseousclay]

i'm curious about washing selvedge myself and the shrinking effect. I picked up a pair of N&F selvedge chinos that I need to have hemmed but i'm not sure how much room I should leave to account for shrinkage. With selvedge, does shrinkage usually occur in the waist or will some of the inseam length shrink as well?

 

[breezer]

The key is whether the fabric is 'sanforised' or 'unsanforised' - my Edwins are sanforised so will NOT shrink. I rang the Edwin store in London to double check and they confirmed. Buying expensive denims and having to factor in shrinkage is too much for me!

 

[mendelboaz]

Unsanforised denim will shrink in all areas: waist, inseam, knee, crotch... One should always presoak before they start wearing their jeans or before having them hemmed. Here's a good guide on when to do your first wash: http://www.rawrdenim.com/2012/01/when-should-i-wash-my-jeans-a-rough-guide/
And here's a guide for how to wash your jeans: http://www.rawrdenim.com/2011/03/how-to-wash-and-clean-your-raw-denim-tips-instructions-video/
RawrDenim has some other very good tutorials, definitely check those out.

 

[breezer]

Thanks for that…..just ordered some Woolite Dark from ebay……will do the 1st wash when it arrives, and report back!

 

[mendelboaz]

Thanks for that…..just ordered some Woolite Dark from ebay……will do the 1st wash when it arrives, and report back!

All right, good luck! What weight are your jeans? They are unsanforised, I take it?

What I did for my presoak, was I just put the jeans on and sat in my bathtub filled with hot water (not much hotter than 35C) for half an hour. I then took 'em off, let them sit in the tub for another hour. I then let them hang to dry which took about 2 days. You can also just put them in the bathtub for two hours without putting them on. I don't think it's necessary to turn the jeans inside out, many sites claim you need to do so but others say you don't have to. You don't want to shake or move the jeans too much when they're in the water, as you'll lose more indigo (the blue dye) this way. Be very careful when putting the jeans in the water and be careful when removing them.

 

[breezer]

I think they are 14oz sanforised. I did not soak prior to wearing them - as I said, I love the stiffness of raw denim and did not want to lose it. But now it is time to give them a clean!

 

[handymike]

Woolite dark is good- I use for all my darks. I'd throw in 1/2 cup of vinegar into the tub first time around to help set/keep the color in.

 

[Cyber Lip]

2 hours?? why would you need to soak them for more than 5 minutes?

 

[mendelboaz]

I believe this has to do with the amount of shrinkage. All the raw denim websites recommend 1-2 hours of soaking, I'm not the expert.

 

[handymike]

I did about 1/2 hr total in the tub. Make sure to put blue or dark towels down when removing them to avoid stains

 

[breezer]

Thanks guys - enjoying this thread. Will report back next week.

 

[handymike]

Also, try to keep them fairly flat (avoid wrinkling) as that cuts down on weird straight line (wrinkle) fades. I got those from a machine.
***just found out that the lines are caused in the spin cycle***

 

[Cyber Lip]

I believe this has to do with the amount of shrinkage. All the raw denim websites recommend 1-2 hours of soaking, I'm not the expert.

That just seems weird. They're as wet as they're going to be after 5 minutes. Longer than that seems excessive. I'd think you'd risk losing too much color soaking them that long

 

[breezer]

Hmnnnn, just watched the video posted above and in part 2 they talk about speeding up the process of fading. That is what I am trying to avoid, damn it! I like my denims to stay dark, the fades and the contrast are not something I am into…..though I recognise it is unavoidable.

 

[breezer]

I'm chucking them in the freezer for 12 hours to see what that does.

 

[Grayland]

The key is whether the fabric is 'sanforised' or 'unsanforised' - my Edwins are sanforised so will NOT shrink. I rang the Edwin store in London to double check and they confirmed. Buying expensive denims and having to factor in shrinkage is too much for me!

My experience is that they don't shrink nearly as much as unsanfornized, but they do shrink a bit.

 

[handymike]

Your posts inspired me to ask the guys on Denimbro.
Geat info is coming in on the "Care" thread.

 

[Carlos840]

I have some unsanforized unwashed 21/23oz Iron Heart and some Sanforized pre washed 25oz Iron Heart. Both were soaked before the first wear.

The unsanforized shrank quite a bit just from soaking, and should shrink more when i actually wash them. The sanforized but pre washed ones still shrank a little, even though they were sanforized.

All that to say, expect some shrinkage, even if they are sanforized. It is hard to know how much because each denim will behave differently.
Just be aware that the cause of shrinkage is heat and agitation. the hotter the water, the more shrinkage. The more they are agitated, the more they shrink (the fabric tightens on itself and shrinks).
If you want to avoid shrinkage use lukewarm water and be gentle with the wash and you should be fine.

Same think applies to indigo loss, more heat and movement, more loss.

Considering your jeans are "only" 14oz and sanforized, i would not worry to much about it. Either stick them in the washing machine on the gentle/wool cycle, and don't spin them, or wash them in the bath without going at it like a mentalist.

 

[handymike]

From my understanding, denim like all cotton will shrink. Denim also stretches when you wear it. So after a year or so of wear, it's stretched. It will shrink back a bit, but will stretch again when you wear it (more to do with the weave of the style you have). I bought a pair of Rising Sun jeans that has a strip of cotton duck fabric around the inside of the waist to minimize the shrink/stretch cycle around my middle.