Sugar Cane Denim

[Cold Summer]

That sounds fascinating Pedro. Usually when folks around here talk about "proper garment care with extended longevity & beauty" they're criticizing people who don't ever wash their jeans, but it sounds like you're inclining toward the opposite direction, which is fine with me since I tend to prefer how jeans look when they're washed a bit less frequently (though maybe not to the extremes of SE Asian guys who never wash them at all.) I love the idea of a way to reliably clean my jeans that doesn't involve using a washing machine.

Even on jeans I've washed more often (about every 1-2 months of wear) I'm pretty sure the environmental impact of this is negligible compared to routine washing of towels and normal laundry I do each week, which uses most of the water/detergent.

[Thanks_M8]

@Pedro you put a lot of thought into this

to me it just came naturally through trial and error over time. wash when dirty, wear until dirty, repeat...

 

[Double 0 Soul]

When it comes to washing my jeans..I try not to overthink it (i'm not sure if this makes me cool...hopefully it does!!)  when i consider them dirty i chuck them in the wash.. from my perspective it doesn't need to be anymore complicated than this.. as a result, they turn out pretty well.. @Pedro i would love to see some results/examples of your jeans after this process?

 

For ref..my jeans usually get washed at the 6mth mark.. my work jeans (SC-37's) are always covered in crap, oil, sawdust, resin...breakfast cereal, i'll take them home twice/yr for a wash but after a day or two in the workshop they're covered in crap again.. I try and make the wash coincide with a nice weekend so i can get them on the line and dry again for Monday morning.

 

My other pair of jeans i wear at home (also SC's) get washed at the 6mth mark but i only wear them for a few hours/day so in reality they're getting washed more frequently.. Ive tried different solutions over the years.. SC wash sachets (too expensive) Dr B,s (difficult to remove the soap and they're left feeling greasy) i'll just use Persil liquid or whatever we have at the time... if my jeans looked terrible as a result of my washing regime i'd have to rethink the process, but y'know.. if it's not broken.

 

I know some peeps like to go to the extremes, some are immaculately presented almost shop mannequin-esque in their workwear.. it wouldn't be superdenim without this angle but for me.. they're just jeans and however nice/expensive/accurate they might be i still treat them as such, i always think nice fades are the result of caring less.. that and the grime of course

 

My white tee's are only white for the few moments in the following seconds after putting them on, i get them for nowt so wear them till they're battered (which isn't long) then i'll use them for cleaning the car/bike, waxing furniture, cleaning up spills ect  they get chucked in the wash and often find their way back into my clothing pile so i find myself wearing clean tee's which are covered in marks and stains.. the one i'm wearing today.. it looks like i wore for painting bitchumen on the guttering so it's got black splats on the shoulders and a finger/wipe marks across the chest  i appreciate this approach isn't for everyone but we have different lifestyles.. and this approach suits mine.

[Double 0 Soul]

What's the opposite of 'pop' ?

[Maynard Friedman]

Classical.

[Thanks_M8]

^^my t shirts after cooking cause I forgot the apron again 

[Thanks_M8]

Got these SC40105Fs recently/about 1,5 months ago through yahoo auctions, finally got around to posting them.
Pocket bags in the front are gorgeous selvedge fabric, backpockets are lined with the same fabric.
Lightweight chambray fabric, sized up a bit in accomodation for the inevitable gut and summer heat in Freiburg.
They are a bit long at 34", thinking of getting them hemmed some day before I start wearing these, if I come around to a place doing it well, not to keen on shipping them across the country for a hemjob I could do myself with my grannys old Singer, but I wouldn't get that sweet roping...

 

Edited March 18, 2022 by Thanks_M8

[JMS]

Denim on the new 37 jacket looks very nice. Will post some photos when it arrives. 

[Pedro]

On 3/8/2022 at 2:56 PM, Thanks_M8 said:

@Pedro you put a lot of thought into this

to me it just came naturally through trial and error over time. wash when dirty, wear until dirty, repeat...

 

The owner of the company has been experimenting with this technology for 20+ years. Its his fruits of labor. Its quite fascinating to see and learn from people like him very much like (edit: several on this forum who have passion for denim). There are a few competitors at the commercial scale for this liquid CO2 technology and, ofcourse, China has recently jumped in for its commercial potential and environmental benefit of tremendous water conservation (and the associated downstream costs of water treatment facilities).

It was found to be quite effective with synthetics and down but not so much with cotton & natural fibers. I see @00 alludes to my “overthinking” it. This coming from a man who spent countless hours to meticulously write the book on the history of Sugar Cane denim, a brand from Japan where everything is “overthought” to the greatest detail. How many different colored threads are found in Sugar Cane denim pants? Twenty? So maybe there is a little irony in @00’s apparent casual indifference & disdain for “overthinking”.

When a guy works as a mechanic then he gets to use the equipment after hours on his own vehicles. Thats how I would describe my use of the equipment on my denim. Experimentation. Fun. Applying principles of chemistry to launder effectively & efficiently and prolong a garments useful life. More than anything, the same trial & error you describe. 

But, hey, I am Hispanic. We are the blood that keeps the USA alive, we do all the manual labor in the dirtiest environments and yet we have the cleanest clothes. Go to a Mexican neighborhood and what do you smell? The artificial scents of laundry detergent wafting through the air. 

Clean clothes are serious business in my Culture! 

 

Edited March 21, 2022 by Pedro

[Pedro]

On 3/9/2022 at 5:29 AM, Thanks_M8 said:

^^my t shirts after cooking cause I forgot the apron again 

I had a roommate in college. A brilliant (in both theory and application) of architecture, engineering & construction. A gifted artist who used to detest the term. The anti-artist. I used to always joke him that he would spend over an hour each morning, actually he used to sleep past noon so each afternoon, meticulously preparing his appearance to achieve his “style” of random, unkept, haphazard and indifference.

He was meticulously “unkept”.

 

A Mexican would not even have a shop rag this dirty. (insert cringing emoji)

 

Different Cultures.

Travel away from the Tourist centers in Mexico and Central/South America in the early mornings and you will find all the kids waiting for the school bus in front of their small homes (some that still have dirt floors and no indoor plumbing). Every one of those children is quite well-groomed in their are . Their hair is clean cut and combed. Their clothing washed & clean. Ofcourse, they go to Catholic Schools and are wearing their uniforms but the mothers spend hours keeping their white shirts & blouses brilliantly white and pressed. There is quiet pride in such things.

People who have little material wealth and low stations in life would wear an apron.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Pedro

[Pedro]

On 3/9/2022 at 4:21 AM, Double 0 Soul said:

What's the opposite of 'pop' ?

As any Mexican Abuela would tell you as they scurried you out of their kitchen, a pre-soak in dish soap will lift those kitchen grease stains right out.

I can’t seem to attach a smile emoji.

Edited March 21, 2022 by Pedro

[Pedro]

19 hours ago, JMS said:

Denim on the new 37 jacket looks very nice. Will post some photos when it arrives. 

Every day I watch for the release of the 1937 pants.

Looking forward to your photos!

[JMS]

@Pedro Yes I am excited as well for those to release. I feel that this new denim looks to be some of their best! 

[Double 0 Soul]

2 hours ago, Pedro said:

The owner of the company has been experimenting with this technology for 20+ years. Its his fruits of labor. Its quite fascinating to see and learn from people like him very much like (edit: several on this forum who have passion for denim). There are a few competitors at the commercial scale for this liquid CO2 technology and, ofcourse, China has recently jumped in for its commercial potential and environmental benefit of tremendous water conservation (and the associated downstream costs of water treatment facilities).

It was found to be quite effective with synthetics and down but not so much with cotton & natural fibers. I see @00 alludes to my “overthinking” it. This coming from a man who spent countless hours to meticulously write the book on the history of Sugar Cane denim, a brand from Japan where everything is “overthought” to the greatest detail. How many different colored threads are found in Sugar Cane denim pants? Twenty? So maybe there is a little irony in @00’s apparent casual indifference & disdain for “overthinking”.

When a guy works as a mechanic then he gets to use the equipment after hours on his own vehicles. Thats how I would describe my use of the equipment on my denim. Experimentation. Fun. Applying principles of chemistry to launder effectively & efficiently and prolong a garments useful life. More than anything, the same trial & error you describe. 

But, hey, I am Hispanic. We are the blood that keeps the USA alive, we do all the manual labor in the dirtiest environments and yet we have the cleanest clothes. Go to a Mexican neighborhood and what do you smell? The artificial scents of laundry detergent wafting through the air. 

Clean clothes are serious business in my Culture! 

 

Huf! are you going to show us your jeans or not?

[Maynard Friedman]

I think he’s busy ironing them!

[JMS]

how are you always right there with the quickest remarks 

[Double 0 Soul]

Quip-bot

[Cold Summer]

3 hours ago, Pedro said:

But, hey, I am Hispanic. We are the blood that keeps the USA alive, we do all the manual labor in the dirtiest environments and yet we have the cleanest clothes. Go to a Mexican neighborhood and what do you smell? The artificial scents of laundry detergent wafting through the air. 

My wife is Brazilian, so not the same but maybe close enough - and she is obsessed with scented fabric beads you toss in the laundry with your dirty clothes/towels/etc. It seems kind of funny to me, I don't expect my clean laundry to smell like anything, but she really likes the fresh smell. Maybe this is where it comes from?

[mondo]

Well, apart from anything else, at least Sugarcane seems to inspire people to bring their own particular authenticity to the table... something to be celebrated, I think

[Double 0 Soul]

It also inspires a lot of venting of hot air without any jeans ever being posted...to be celebrated? not so much so.

[Duke Mantee]

On 3/21/2022 at 2:19 PM, Pedro said:

brilliant (in both theory and application) of architecture, engineering & construction

Never in my 30 odd years in the industry have I ever met an architect who knew much about engineering 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Duke Mantee

[Maynard Friedman]

But I thought you and Prince Charles were best mates!

[Duke Mantee]

33 minutes ago, Maynard Friedman said:

But I thought you and Prince Charles were best mates!

We are, but he’s neither architect nor engineer

[mpukas]

4 hours ago, Duke Mantee said:

Never in my 30 odd years in the industry have I ever met an architect who knew much about engineering 

We know the basics, some more than others. I've never used anything I learned in school, except for the exams. 

All the engineers I work with know enough about architecture and design, and are more than willing to accommodate my ideas. Or tell me I'm way off base. 

[Duke Mantee]

1 hour ago, mpukas said:

We know the basics, some more than others. I've never used anything I learned in school, except for the exams. 

All the engineers I work with know enough about architecture and design, and are more than willing to accommodate my ideas. Or tell me I'm way off base. 

Read what I responded to, and you’ll find you’re not way off base. 

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

so sugar cane brings us some US made 37s... any recommendation where to buy best being in europe? and any chance that bears will sell those?

many thanks in advance and a happy sunday! 

 

[Pedro]

On 3/22/2022 at 11:40 AM, Duke Mantee said:

Never in my 30 odd years in the industry have I ever met an architect who knew much about engineering 

Nor an engineer that was a good builder but You are looking at it all backwards.

He is an expert craftsman first who is a PE second and architect third.

He wore a toolbelt first and it set the foundations. You would need to have come up in the trades to appreciate the significance. 

Edit:

Ofcourse, we are failing in giving Frank Lloyd Wright the proper recognition.

Edited March 27, 2022 by Pedro

[JMS]

@Sympathy-For-The-Denim I'm sure Hinoya will carry them, as they currently stock the jacket. I would order from them. They ship FedEx, took 4 days to get from Japan to the Western US for me. 

[Duke Mantee]

1 hour ago, Pedro said:

Nor an engineer that was a good builder but You are looking at it all backwards.

He is an expert craftsman first who is a PE second and architect third.

He wore a toolbelt first and it set the foundations. You would need to have come up in the trades to appreciate the significance. 

I did come up in the ‘trades’ … I’ve written books in the stuff

[Pedro]

1 hour ago, Duke Mantee said:

I did come up in the ‘trades’ … I’ve written books in the stuff

Ahh, thats great. I would love to read them. Any articles in Fine Homebuilding?

I had just finished a Sunday breakfast meeting when I typed my last message. Three engineers and myself.

The conversations were drier than the toast, but always thorough.

Waiting for the release of the new 1937’s. I wonder how closely they will resemble the Lot 303 or 304 or the 40701 in measurements and number of buttons on the fly. Any insights on the denim weight?

Edited March 27, 2022 by Pedro