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Washing Unsanforized Jeans
- Thread starter tropicalbob
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EmergencyIan
Practically Family
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I don't know about this with jeans, but I've found that sanforized shirts still shrink a bit.
- Ian
- Ian
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It really costs a lot to look poor these days...
nick123
I'll Lock Up
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Update on my Sugar Canes...very simple process. Machine wash cold and hang up to dry in the sun. Have washed twice. Not any great deal of shrinkage since the first wash, and even that wasn't too much. Lost a little leg length but other than that, pretty unfussy. Mind you, I don't try to go for the crazy fades. Maybe a tiny bit of denim bleed on hands after wash but so far so good.
Their stuff looks great but I wouldn't even be aware of them if it wasn't for the collaboration with http://musiccityleather.com/, making the custom hair on patches for the waistband. I've been working on getting my next custom cowboy boots from Wes Shugart (Music City Leather) and he posted these on his Instagram page.
When a custom leather worker, boot maker, makes your patch, it's way beyond what I'm going to spend for a pair of jeans. At least until I stop buying boots.
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OK, now i gotta have a game plan. Vintage reproduction custom leather jacket, or 3. Vintage reproduction custom jeans. Vintage reproduction custom boots. Ok, now what am I forgetting...........?
How about a vintage reproduction custom Vincent Black Shadow?
Monotor you got any leads?
How about a vintage reproduction custom Vincent Black Shadow?
Monotor you got any leads?
Yep, the latest version of LVC are all much lower rise, more tapered with smaller leg opening. They don't seem to be at all like the originals that they say that they are.
The RRLs that I got on ebay were probably both sanforized and pre-washed. Never seen a pair of jeans get bigger after a hot washer and dryer before. They seem to be pretty good quality, and I didn't spend too much on them, so maybe I'll get them hemmed. It's a learning experience.
Received the Sugar Cane 1947s today. Went up to a 34 from my usual (vanity sized as I've learned) department store Levi's. If it's of any help I washed them right away in the machine in delicate setting, without soap, with cold water and then let them hang on the line outside to dry. The length feels about 1 inch shorter post-wash which is precisely how I believe they were described. I notice little difference in the feel of the waist but they may have to settle in a little to lose some of their post-wash rigidity. I can safely say that it is very likely that stretching the waist manually will yield success. I notice a littke waist elasticity just by pulling on them, so I'm sure a mechanical device to stretch the waist will work.
Excuse the crappy photos; here they are (mostly) dry. Unfortunately, no turned up cuffstoo self conscious for that. Maybe the gf will instill some confidence booster to try that...thanks to Charles at HPA for saving the day w/size.
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better angle (ass more realistic lol)
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I guess this is how the cool cats do it..still not there.
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Those Sugar Cane 1947s look great on you. They seem like a really quality product in the style that I like. So if you went up to 34, does that mean that you are a 32 in your vanity size mall levis?. If so then I would go up to 38, since I am a 36 in vanity size mall levis. Self Edge says that they are once washed, unsanforized and will not shrink. But it then says that they will stretch up to 1.5 " after 30 wears. I guess I would use a belt rather than suffer through 30 wears of too tight pants. I think I just might give them a try.
Thanks for the info and pics.
"The 1947 cut from Sugar Cane tends to run a bit smaller than the rest of the jeans we sell, we recommend sizing up one or two sizes. Please use our size chart for exact measurements for every tagged size.
These jeans are made of one-washed unsanforized denim, when washed the denim will not shrink in the waist or length. Please keep this in mind when choosing your size. The denim will also stretch in the waist up to 1.5" after approximately 30 wears."
dudewuttheheck
I'll Lock Up
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True. My favorite denim brand goes even further. Their jeans shrink down slightly below the tag size and then stretch back to the tag size.
So I gotta have at least one pair of selvedge raw denim high end jeans that have a zipper. So I ordered some LVC 1954 501Z XX RIGID - INDIGO from some nice folks in Houston called Reserve Supply, on sale for $174, down from $260. I was told that they were unsanforized Shrink to Fit, so I was trying to figure out how much they shrink. Heddles said:
The 1954 501z (which later became the 502-0117) is probably the most influential STF pair since it’s been widely credited by denim enthusiasts for beginning the trend of sanforizing denim. Sanforization was already placed on the market with the 1950’s Levis Twill Chinos but had actually yet to make the leap to denim.
The 1954’s also had one very unique feature that was used to help sell to some of the more picky customers on the East Coast – the zipper fly. The zipper fly was a huge success with the East Coast market, but also left the pair slightly warped after washing since the jeans shrunk and the zipper fly remained unchanged.
So if unsanforized jeans result in a warped zipper after washing, I wonder if these are actually sanforized. I gave them a hot bath with vinegar and salt. Almost put in some onions, garlic, carrots and herbs de provence, et voilà, indigo soup, I digress.
Looks like the waist stayed about the same after pulling on it while it dried to stretch it, and the length went down 2 inches, which means not only do I have a zipper, but I won't have to roll them up or cuff them. How un-cool am I.
I know this isn't the denim forum, and who buys high end levi's, especially with a zipper. But thought i would throw it out there.
Jeez, Levi's on sale for $170. Oy.
The 1954 501z (which later became the 502-0117) is probably the most influential STF pair since it’s been widely credited by denim enthusiasts for beginning the trend of sanforizing denim. Sanforization was already placed on the market with the 1950’s Levis Twill Chinos but had actually yet to make the leap to denim.
The 1954’s also had one very unique feature that was used to help sell to some of the more picky customers on the East Coast – the zipper fly. The zipper fly was a huge success with the East Coast market, but also left the pair slightly warped after washing since the jeans shrunk and the zipper fly remained unchanged.
So if unsanforized jeans result in a warped zipper after washing, I wonder if these are actually sanforized. I gave them a hot bath with vinegar and salt. Almost put in some onions, garlic, carrots and herbs de provence, et voilà, indigo soup, I digress.
Looks like the waist stayed about the same after pulling on it while it dried to stretch it, and the length went down 2 inches, which means not only do I have a zipper, but I won't have to roll them up or cuff them. How un-cool am I.
I know this isn't the denim forum, and who buys high end levi's, especially with a zipper. But thought i would throw it out there.
Jeez, Levi's on sale for $170. Oy.
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So @jonesy86 - what's the scoop on those RRL 40" waist? You keeping or selling? 40x35 would be perfect for me, but it depends on the style, etc etc.
Hey Butte
They were listed as NEW Ralph Lauren RRL DOUBLE RL Selvedge Straight Leg Rigid Raw Denim Jeans 36/34. Got them for $103.55, free shipping from the bay, a store called FOA Distribution. He still has a few pair for sale. Closest to you is 38/32 for $98.10
You know the sad tale. One hot soak, one hot machine wash and hot dry. I wore them once to work last week with a belt and cuffed them. Wasn't too bad. Called a "denim" tailor, he said he wanted $50 to take them in, and $20 to cuff them.
My next step was to try this:
I could sell them, or hang onto them in case I start putting on weight, and/or the more modern cut stuff I am trying have me singing soprano.
They are currently measuring about 20" across waist, 35" inseam, and 13" front rise. If you want I can post some pics.
I'm a total Newb at this stuff, have never sold anything online, this is even the first forum I have ever been on. You probably know what they are worth better than I do. If you want I can post some pics.
They were listed as NEW Ralph Lauren RRL DOUBLE RL Selvedge Straight Leg Rigid Raw Denim Jeans 36/34. Got them for $103.55, free shipping from the bay, a store called FOA Distribution. He still has a few pair for sale. Closest to you is 38/32 for $98.10
You know the sad tale. One hot soak, one hot machine wash and hot dry. I wore them once to work last week with a belt and cuffed them. Wasn't too bad. Called a "denim" tailor, he said he wanted $50 to take them in, and $20 to cuff them.
My next step was to try this:
I could sell them, or hang onto them in case I start putting on weight, and/or the more modern cut stuff I am trying have me singing soprano.
They are currently measuring about 20" across waist, 35" inseam, and 13" front rise. If you want I can post some pics.
I'm a total Newb at this stuff, have never sold anything online, this is even the first forum I have ever been on. You probably know what they are worth better than I do. If you want I can post some pics.
Unsanforized is a bit of a roulette wheel, tbh. I had the same experience with Levi's 1890s. Bought what I believed to be the right size - 32" to shrink to 30" - and followed the instructions to the word... and got barely any shrinkage. In the end, I shoved them in a hot wash, took some measurements and stuck them on Ebay. Took a bit of a hit, tbh, but it was a lesson learned.
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tropicalbob
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Fanch, have you tried out the stretcher gizmo yet? We just got our power back yesterday, so wearing (or even thinking about wearing) the heavy jeans was out of the question because of the unbelievable heat here. I'm giving them another couple of weeks of wearing around the house and then it's wash time.
The LVC 1964 501Z XX came out pretty good with first hot soak. I did just now notice some zipper warp, so they probably were unsanforized. I expect the material will stretch out and fix the warp.
The RRLs were the ones that really threw me. They had to be sanforized. I have never had a pair of jeans come out bigger after hot machine wash and hot dryer. Although, they seem pretty high quality. If I boil them, I might end up with the equivalent of white levis to go with my new Pendleton Board Shirt.
"The "uniform" back in those days of surfing music was white Levis, black low-cut Converse tennies, and, of course, a Pendleton shirt. In case someone might forget, a local hit had heavy rotation on the local radio stations, KFXM and KMEN -- "White Levis""
As you say, a lesson learned.
Yes, I have used the stretcher that works like a charm. The critical factor is wetting down the entire waist band to avoid possible damage. More importantly though I am glad you made it through Irma alive and hopefully not too much property damage. Irma was one vicious, hellacious storm that appears to have affected everyone in the state of Florida with the exception of the western panhandle that is really more S Alabama than NW Florida.
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