Shrink to fit question...

[Slammin]

please excuse my ignorance on this topic..

I want to buy some shrink to fit 501's.. now to my knowledge I shoud't wash them for atleast 6-12 mths... however.."shrink to fit" ie. buy them 2 sizes bigger as they will shrink to your normal size.. does that mean I eed to wash them before I wear them and if so will that not affect the fade/hige etc. I am trying to achieve.. or do I wear them 2 sizes too big for me for 6mths? a little confused...

[ringring]

Here's a suggestion: Try a warm soak. Turn them inside out and soak in a bath of warm water for at least half an hour (I'd suggest leaving them to soak for a few hours if you can). Hang dry (no tumble, no iron). Expect 8-10% shrinkage. (It may take a few washes to reach full shrinkage).

Don't worry about getting them wet before you wear them. You can still achieve great whiskers etc, after a 'one-wash' soak.

[ringring]

PS, have a look at the links listed in the following thread:

http://superfuture.com/city/supertalk/index.cfm?page=topic&topicID=817&start=91

Look for the jeans that have been worn from 'one-wash' stage.

[Slammin]

thats brilliant! thanks

[showbiz00ditc]

so if i leave my shrink to fits in the bath for a while... without me in them... they wont shrink up to shorts?... and also please define whiskers...

[wild_whiskey]

showbiz00ditc,

whiskers are the distress lines that are created when the jeans fold and the denim from both sides of the folds rub against each other. They look like lighter-colored lines that match up to where your jeans naturally crease when you sit, walk or bikeride, etc (at least in genuinely worn-in ones, they will match up).

They will not shrink up to shorts. They will shrink up to 4" off the tagged size but your mileage may vary. Also, the seams will start to twist. Embrace that, because it's great.

[Slammin]

is there a raw denim 501 that isn't shrink to fit?

[wild_whiskey]

No. Levis has never (not to my knowledge, anyway) released a 501 with sanforized denim. Type 3 "trucker" jackets are the only classic Levis piece that has sanforizing - Levi's experts feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.

I believe that Lee was the first company to utilize sanforizing for their jeans.

[Guest]

ring ring, or anyone who knows... I just got a pair of 501xx shrink-to-fits and they feel just as sturdy as my APC selvedge. Are they going to wear out faster because they aren't selvedge denim? They feel just as crispy and thick..

[Guest]

ring ring, or anyone who knows... I just got a pair of 501xx shrink-to-fits and they feel just as sturdy as my APC selvedge. Are they going to wear out faster because they aren't selvedge denim? They feel just as crispy and thick..