My first raws...ready for a wash?

[mauxhall]

Hello all...

Here are pics of my first pair of raw denim (APC Hipster). Been wearing them for about 6 months, roughly 5 days a week. Trying to decide if they are ready for a washing and if so, what method to use. I'm thinking a light hand wash in the tub with Dr. Bronner's soap. I want to bring out the whisker contrast but don't want to sacrifice tooooo much indigo, so considering all that, how long should they soak and how warm should the water be? Luke warm, 2 hours, inside-out?

Pic quality isn't that great, and I feel like they look a bit lighter and more vivid in the photos than in reality...

Thanks for your help!

[Thorns]

Wait. The crotch fade looks nice and you have some nice honeycombs going on. But you don't seem to have much fade down the thighs or around the knees. It all depends on what you like, but I think I would wait another few months.

[beatle]

Since I am curious how they'll turn out - I'm gonna vote for ready ! Will look way better once the creases and lines and fademarks really stand out...

[denimdestroyedmylife]

hey maux, long time, no see.

why are you thinking of washing? stink?

i'd consider just a soak if you are just trying to bring them back into shape.

if you feel you MUST wash, i'd go w/ the bronner's handwash.

[ang_kangkong]

If you haven't decided, then it isn't time.

[poly800rock]

yeah, the first was most of the time turns out mediocre anyways, its the wear and wash after that that makes it awesome, wash away!

[dphi]

My take on it is if they're noticeably dirt, wash. If not, don't.

[sbbbjm]

i would wait a few more months. i've seen unwashed apc's that had more contrast than that!

you can do it!

[wreck]

Just wash them.. I threw mine in the Washer (hot wash) and then the Dryer , after 6 months of wear.. they came out amazing. And all that shrinking is overhyped.. they now stretched back out to about how they used to be.

[mauxhall]

Wait. The crotch fade looks nice and you have some nice honeycombs going on. But you don't seem to have much fade down the thighs or around the knees. It all depends on what you like, but I think I would wait another few months.

I hear that... the crotch action came on fast but i've been a bit frustrated with the thighs etc. I've also been pretty lax about starching (spray-on). It's a battle between my sense of dedication to the craft of never-wash, and my urge to buy-new-shit, which i won't do till i'm ready to break in a new pair.

I'll probably wait it out. Chanukah is just around the corner...and then it's hello Dior!

[wreck]

yeah, the first was most of the time turns out mediocre anyways, its the wear and wash after that that makes it awesome, wash away!

i totally agree with this too.. They will look een better after the 2nd wash. it has held true in every selvage pair i have owned.

[HEWSINATOR]

I will say this again and again after my first raw wash experience. It all depends on the look you are trying to achieve. I washed my Nudie RRDG after about 9 months (7 months solid wear) and wish so much that I washed sooner. More washing (or at least soaks) do 3 things that I like:

1. Reduces "brittleness" of jeans. After my Nudie wash, there were frays everywhere, especially behind the knees, which I HATE.

2. Brings the jeans back into shape, so you have a more comfortable, better fitting pair of jeans. Some would argue, that this will help with defined fades, as the stretch effects crease placement, however, IDK about this.

3. It lets a more natural wear develop, without such defined contrast. More of a true "vintage" look. Refer to Ryu's SC 47s or Tony Higes 45 RPMs, and I imagine in a bit of time, CMF's SC 45s.

A1 for me though, is to reduce the "cracking" of the denim. I want worn jeans that look nice, not with these silly holes everywhere.

[mauxhall]

wow...thanks all...some serious bipartisanship on this issue.

They're not that dirty or stinky. I'm not that active, and i hit them with anti-microbial Febreeze every so often (inside out). I'm just a little bored is all. I'll stick it out.

Starching the thighs and knees will help bring out the contrast, right?

[yo ddml, long time for sure]

[mauxhall]

I will say this again and again after my first raw wash experience. It all depends on the look you are trying to achieve. I washed my Nudie RRDG after about 9 months (7 months solid wear) and wish so much that I washed sooner. More washing (or at least soaks) do 3 things that I like:

1. Reduces "brittleness" of jeans. After my Nudie wash, there were frays everywhere, especially behind the knees, which I HATE.

2. Brings the jeans back into shape, so you have a more comfortable, better fitting pair of jeans. Some would argue, that this will help with defined fades, as the stretch effects crease placement, however, IDK about this.

3. It lets a more natural wear develop, without such defined contrast. More of a true "vintage" look. Refer to Ryu's SC 47s or Tony Higes 45 RPMs, and I imagine in a bit of time, CMF's SC 45s.

A1 for me though, is to reduce the "cracking" of the denim. I want worn jeans that look nice, not with these silly holes everywhere.

HEWSINATOR, this is making sense to me...particularly the note about having a more "authentic" vintage wear vs. super high contrast. Now i'm thinking of just a soak.

2 questions:

How warm should the water be?

How long should the soak last?

[HEWSINATOR]

In my experience, this is not too big of deal. In a soak, you should not lose any indigo, really; only with agitation. I have heard (I think Paul T who had a pair of 47s that cracked to shit) that a longer soak with remove more starch, and thus, decrease brittleness. As for temp, I would simply decide this on the amount of initial shrinkage you would like. I go as hot of tap water as I can, soak in the tub.

[mauxhall]

Alright it's settled. A happy compromise: not a wash...just a soak. I would definitely love for them to gain back some fitting to the form, so i'll do a hot soak, as first suggested by ddml. Thanks again to everyone! If anything radical happens, i'll post new pics...but i imagine it will be a subtle result.

[__3xL]

oh and once you wash - no more starch ..

[RockTheVote]

I love the back pockets and the honeycomb.. I think it will look nice

[homi29]

oh and once you wash - no more starch ..

i thnik ive heard this before

anyone care to explain why though?

[M.O.A]

wait man, just wait. maybe another couple of months or so would make those look even more amazing. On the other hand, if you wash them now and dont give up on em, in about three months they will have turned out to be amazing and then you can wash em again and have a really really great pair of med contrast jeans. But yeah, like other people said, it all depends on what youa re looking for

[tweeds]

i thnik ive heard this before

anyone care to explain why though?

starch + water = dissolve?

[renski]

i gave my apcs a soak a few weeks ago because i saw the layer of dirt on them. they smelled really bad at 3 months and i just kept wearing them till i didnt smell it any more. around 5 months my girlfriend said my jeans stink. so i soaked them. once i took them out of the water i saw dirty water coming out of the jeans. how disgusting.

[ang_kangkong]

Yeah, but how did the jeans look afterwards?

[the orb]

yeah - curious about this no more starch dictate as well...

[HEWSINATOR]

I think it is just confusing the way it is written. I think what is meant is that if you wash, there will be no more starch in your jeans (making them less brittle). Not, aftrer you wash, do not starch anymore.

But, I would not starch, as, it increased the cracking effect, it seems.

[__3xL]

1.) even with unwashed raw jeans if you wear them like crazy the creases end up breaking at points - no added starch - but starch makes it lots easier

2.) Since his honeycombs are set now and the jeans have a memory - they will stay without starch added again after a soak or light hand wash with very little soap .

3.) Added starch imho keeps the indigo from shifting and the wear looks very unnatural

though yes I meant after you wash there will be no more starch .. His jeans if not washed in a machine machine still should be very stiff afterwards