Washing N-1 Deck Jackets

[totaka04]

I currently have a Houston Black N-1 and I am looking to give it a hot water wash/soak. The reasons are because it is a bit big and I want to give it a more vintage, faded look. I also plan on drying it in the sun. FYI, the lining is 50% alpaca and 50% wool. Does anyone have any experience washing n-1 deck jackets and what were the results? Any advice appreciated.

1. How did the outer shell change?
2. Which directions did it shrink?
3. How was the lining affected?

 

[BloodEagle]

I dont know if I'd deliberately try and shrink one, as different materials can shrink at different rates - the wool/alpaca lining may shrink more than the outer shell material, or vice versa. I go with a lukewarm water wash at most. I have a couple of deck jacket and I am indeed interested to know what the result of washing them might be.

 

[4444Design]

I owned about 20 repro N1 off different makers during the last 5 yrs (sold most of them).

I wear 44 or XL in BRONSON resp. BOB DONG, the N1 i owned was from "At the Front" in size L.

I generally wash repro N1 to give them a kind of "broken in" look rather than "new off the shop".

I usually choose the lowest temp. which is 30 CELSIUS on my washer without tumbling and hang them for drying.

Typical lenght on the back for these sizes is about 60 cm and in average you loose about 1 to 1.5 cm in backlength.

Bottom line: without exactly knowing the material it is pretty difficult to predict a shrinkage rate.

 

[totaka04]

I see. Regarding the N1s that you washed, what was the lining material and how did washing affect it? Also, how did the darker colored n1s respond to washing? Thanks.

 

[CatsCan]

I washed a Pike Brothers N-1 in HOT water and put it in the dryer on medium hot to achieve just that. Not only did it NOT shrink at all, it came out unchanged in general. I had previously washed it 40°C (104 F) to prepare it for my overdying experiment. The dying took place at the same temp, 40°C (104 F). To get rid of any excess dye I gave it one more 40°C cycle. In total this jacket had three 40°C and one 60°C (140 F) washes and one cycle in the dryer.
Outer shell: 100% cotton
Lining: 100% wool with polyester backing.

I washed a navy blue Bronson N-1 (outer 100% cotton, lining 80% wool 20% polyester) cold (!) and it shrunk in width about one size. The blue lost it's dark navy tone (I guess from sulfur bleeding out through the wash, could be resored by overdying with a small amount of black dye).

I have an alternative for you.
Since it is a) rapid changes in temperature and b) agitation that makes wool fabric shrink and since we can not speak of a wool fabric here concerning the lining but more of a wool plush on a backing (most likely man made) I would try the following procedure: Put the Jacket in the bath tub. Slowly fill in hot water without agitating the jacket. Fill until the jacket is totally submerged in hot water. Wait until the fibers are relaxed (this is doing the shrinking if at all). Hot water is not affecting wool at all. Wool can withstand boiling hot water if it is not agitated. It will lose some of it's natural fat, though.
After say 30 min drain the bath tub (again without agitating the jacket). Let the jacket cool down for an hour. Carefully lift it from the tub and lay it flat on the rack to let it drip dry for at least over night plus until next day about noon. Carry it out with the rack and put the rack into the sun. After it has dried see if it had shrunk.

This method is rather safe. It is the agitation in the washing machine and the temperature drop in the rinse cycle that can ruin the lining.
Disclaimer: Do this on your own risk. You can entirely ruin your garment. I am not responsible if you run into problems

 

[totaka04]

Haha I actually already washed it. Since I don’t have a bathtub, I showered in it at 40C. Then I squeezed some of the water out without twisting, and then hung it up on the veranda. It shrank slightly in length and the arms become skinner I think, and fading was not noticeable. Also, there was a decent amount of shedding from the liner (I could brush it off with my hands). But after I brushed out shedded liner and wore it a couple days it’s back to normal.

 

[CatsCan]

One of my blue Bronsons shed tons of hair after one wash, could comb out a bucket full. Now this shedding has also stopped. "Good" to hear that other brands have the same.

 

[breezer]

I used to have a blue Houston N1 - pretty sure I just ran it through the washing machine on a cold wash - I might have used that detergent thats good for washing denim, no issues.