Distressed wash jeans....

[HBlack]

Any ideas what methods they use? Is it sandpaper/abrasive materials, chemicals, ?

[Scaught]

Dior's have really accurate pre-distressed denim as well... but they definitely get up there.

[midnight]

Dior's have really accurate pre-distressed denim as well... but they definitely get up there.

They're pretty nice but the honey combs can be really off and end up ruining the whole jean. Also the black distressed can look very odd when being worn due to just how contrasty they are.

[midnight]

Oh and about 45rpm...found this on their site

We would like to introduce our bespoke distress ordering service for our premium denim line “Hon Ai Denim.” Hon Ai Denim products are thread dyed by hand 24 times with natural Japanese Aizome plant indigo. The difference between Hon Ai Denim and our standard denim is that the antique shuttle looms we use have been slowed down significantly in order to achieve a handmade quality to the fabric. Three different washes will be available for custom distressing done by hand: a 2 year distressed wash will be $300, 5 year will be $500 and a 7 year for $700. You will have the option to specify points of distress, such as whiskers behind the knees or distressing at the hem and on edges of the pockets. Some changes may be made to the standard distressing for additional charges. We will also be offering sterling silver hardware for Hon Ai Denim: Large button fly button for $26 each, small button fly button for $22 each, and silver rivets for $12 per piece. It takes about a month to complete the bespoke service. Please come in person to discuss your bespoke order at our flagship store at 17 E. 71st St. as this service will not be available for telephone orders.

[Kev07]

i remember seeing some really well prewashed sling n stones on context or revolve

[Paul T]

Any ideas what methods they use? Is it sandpaper/abrasive materials, chemicals, ?

If only ringring were here?

A lot of the washing and finishing techniques were pioneered by Adriano GOldschmied with the Martelli laundry. I can remember being astonished at the brilliant finishes you'd see on Replay jeans in EUrope, from around a decade ago, all produced at Mertelli. A surprising amount of finishing is done by hand, with sandpaper or brushes, using various templates - sometimes inflatable - to produce ridges at the points where wear is to be simulated. Various chemicals (enzymes) can be used to produce the same effects; it's also common to blast aluminum oxide (the 'sand' in sandpaper) at the jeans, in combination with sandpaper.

Finishing is labour-intensive, so a lot of it is being switched offshore - where labor is cheap and, crucially, there are fewer environmental restrictions. Denim laundries apparently cause a lot of environmental damage in, for instance, Mexico and China.

(I think everyone picked up the best finishes, including Warehouse, 45 rpm and LEvi's Japan. HJJ featured some nicely-finished Vintage-style Edwins on his blog, too).

Edit: SF Bay Guardian on denim finishing in Mexico: http://ww.sfbg.com/entry.php?entry_id=253&catid=85&volume_id=317&issue_id=381&volume_num=42&issue_num=36

[beatle]

Also - Eternal is doing a good job..I think Kuda is doing the finish..

[fndmybetterhalf]

i believe most companies these days are using enzyme washing? from wat i know..its like using protein(?) enzymes to break down indigo in certain parts or something.

[kstanl]

My favorites when it comes to pre-distressed are:

Acne - Just because the Mod cut fits me so well and most of the washes are subtle

Kohzo - Cool textures/colours. Expensive but they sometimes come up on yoox at a reasonable price

Superfine - I've never tried them on but whenever I see other people wearing them, they look great.

Ksubi is a too played out.. especially here in Aus. But I guess some of the faded indigo washes are okay.

[Tekrah70]

I love my PRPS jeans, although I only have about 10 pairs when they are on they just feel right, and frankly i don't give a rat's ass if they are in fashion out of fashion or any of the bloody nonsense as they work for me, and that's who I'm wearing them for!

[salaami]

pre-distressed denim is retarded( opinion), but what the hell does a 7-year wash look like? white jeans with a hint of blue on the seams?

[Tekrah70]

^^ Retarded ? Explain why exactly...please legitimately and intelligently provide reasoning for this statement.:confused:

[midnight]

pre-distressed denim is retarded( opinion), but what the hell does a 7-year wash look like? white jeans with a hint of blue on the seams?

They're more like sidneylo's 3001's. So basically 7 years of weekend wear only?

[ginz]

this is a new brand, but really cool. It is revolutionary because their denim are based on vintage denim created from true stories of unknown people. And you can propose your own! Check it out: www.onvis.it

[beatle]

They're raw ones look allright..nice price...

[TheIntelligentHoodwinker]

^^ Retarded ? Explain why exactly...please legitimately and intelligently provide reasoning for this statement.:confused:

I've always agreed that buying pre-distressed jeans is a little strange.

The thought of making a pair of jeans, then getting someone to sit there and make them look old because you can't possibly wear them yourself is an hilarious concept. The same goes for so many things – those faux-vintage t-shirts, those Nike reissus, even leather sofas.

You're buying a garment made of a fabric that is famous for its durability and the character it develops based on how its used. So buying a pair of jeans covered in rips, bleach marks, paint etc when you work, say, in an office is pretty stupid in my opinion.

Another problem is the fact that pre-distressed jeans has become synonymous with cheap high street fashion, and that (rightly or wrongly) causes me to have an aversion to it.

[Paul T]

Thought this thread needed reviving.

Of course distressed jeans are fake, all about artifice. SO is much of the hocus-pocus around denim.

Obviously distressed denim gets a neg rep because there's so much poor stuff around. But some of it is great; I hear great things about Denim Tech, who have a lot of ex-employees from Bart SIghts. Their finishes were, at their best, amazing. I particularly lusted after the LVC Nevada; this pair, now owned by eltopo, are great. Especially for an early style jean, or a natural indigo model that can take years to wear in, I think a laundry-finihsed jean is cool...

[jwsach]

never understood y people like the dior distressed stuff so much. these look like shit [imho]

[Paul T]

well, yes, there are lots of crappy washes around...

anyway...

I saw this preaged 66 and to me they look great (not that big fan of pretreated jeans anymore, but this pair rocks imo):

Wow!! Cool!! Thanks Paul

the new Spur Bites looks way better then the old one from LVC few years ago...and I guess this is the "Barnyard "

[Paul T]

Sorry just to post LVC, this is what I've been keeping an eye on recently...

Barnyeard and spur bites

[runormal]

1930s 101B washed Cowboy Jeans from Lee:

and a fit picture:

http://i125.photobucket.com/albums/p71/runormal88/a_lee.jpg

[runormal]

I have always like the Kill City brand and their wax coated and dyed jeans and recently the Kill City's Salton Wash jeans.

From the photos you can see they are already broken in and yet say" WE ADVISE TO WEAR FOR AS LONG AS POSSIBLE (6 MONTHS) BEFORE DRY CLEAN ONLY FOR OPTIMUM WASH EFFECTS." After emailing them for more info I was told that ideally i 9-12 month no wash would be ideal and also some info about how soft and nice the denim feels and would look broken in further.

I ended up getting them and have actually been really impressed so far by the denim. The inside seam on the legs have areas of heavy wear already and the denim breaks and/or folds in those spots on the lower leg area especially - and I am totally curious what things will look like after a few months. I know there is little if any interest in pre-wash and distressed jeans but I am actually really excited to give these a honest 6 months wear and see what the result is....

here are some photos which shows the wash's effect on the denim and how it falls/creases/etc..

day 2 or 3 denim is starting to stack and bend at wear points

and

and

super interested to see what these might end up looking like.....

There is a version of these with black spray which look pretty cool too

[Alex TheDopest]

I know you guys don't like pre-washed jeans but I've been lookin for these lvc ones, unfortuntely they're sold out everywhere,

got any other suggestions? thanks

[ac_slater]

Looks like shit

[gregornz]

Ha ha, that's what I expected in this thread!

Once you go raw it IS hard to go back, but for my 2 cents, I think diesel does a good job of selling overpriced pre-distressed jeans

[Paul T]

DOn't worry about the haters, they're people who only got into dry denim a year or two ago and hence feel compelled to act hoity-toity

There's a thread on distressed jeans here/

Here's a good upcoming LVC, the 44 Rumble:

The days of great washed jeans have perhaps gone, since the heights reached by people like Bart Sights and Martelli, who did terrific washes for people like RRL, Replay and LVC. But there's still good washes around, LVC aren't bad, and I've seen great stuff from Heller's Cafe by Warehouse.

These are some pants I"m saving for the summer - LVC Lot 66. This wasn't the best wash, but it's pretty good. The beauty of washed jeans is that they're the ones that tend to come on sale... great for pants you're going to wear just every now and then.

Edited February 7, 2012 by Paul T