Raw Jeans

[TraceCub]

I hijacked my boss's Sunday paper this morning and found this article fairly amusing. For anyone who doesn't (or can't) click the link, it basically details the raw jean phenom. You buy jeans (average $150) that are not pretreated or prewashed. You wear them for at least six months to get them to conform to your body (the most natural fit possible!) and "set" the color. You're then free to wash the jeans.

Unfortunately the picture in the on-line article doesn't do the jeans justice I think. In the paper they had this wonderful (and I'm not being sarcastic) picture of a pair of raw jeans worn by a graphic designer here in Atlanta. The jeans are over 1 1/2 years old and have only been washed once.

The cool stuff is where the jeans conformed to things on his person. There's a pen line where he stuffed a pen into his pocket every day, the back right pocket has a wallet outline (and actually had to be repaired), the back left pocket has a set of keys outline, and they made special note ( ) that the crotch has been repaired twice in the life of the jeans.

And they look fantastic! The pair basically looks like (to my untrained/"unrefined" eye) a pair of stressed pre-washed jeans you'd find in some high end boutique in New York. Only personalized.

Pretty cool!

What do you guys think? Any of you raw?

[twinmom]

That is just gross to me. I can't imagine wearing something for 6 months without ever washing it.

[aimster]

Agreed. I'll wear my jeans 2 or 3 times before washing them but.... 6 months? Ewwww.

[fantoongal]

i also cannot understand this. it's gross. i get grossed out when my jeans start to feel all smooth....you all know what i'm talking about, then i HAVE to wash them. and that's after abut 5 or 6 wears.......

[TraceCub]

I think the difference here is the quality of denim. Apparently, this harkens back to what jeans were in the 1800's. Made to last, made to be worn all the time.

That said, it's not that surprising to me that the main market for these jeans are, you guessed it, men. Guess it's the whole not wanting to do laundry thing.

From what I've read elsewhere, if you are a reasonably clean person the jeans won't get "funky". There are proper methods of airing them out between uses, etc.

[nbodyhome]

Yuck.

No matter what the jeans are made of, I need to wash them every time I wear them.

[knittingknerd]

I'm just thinking, if I wear my favorite jeans more than 3 times I can pull them off without unbuttoning or zipping them. Six months? I'd be able to wear them as a dress. Or what happens if (and we're in the girls lounge so I can mention it) you have an accident? Are you stuck not washing them for the remaining time? I hate doing laundry and use Febreeze if I want one extra wear in, but 6 months...

My brother probably has them though.

[krystledm]

My gramps would jump on the boat. His fave story to tell us kids is about how his momma had to steal his jeans at night to wash them when he was a teen, lol

mMind you my gramps is 65 so he was a teen in the 50's and a greaser. Still wears his hair like that and even owns pomade! lol

As for the nonwash. My main problem is how reaxed they would get. I too go a few wears before washing and after about 3 they are way falling off. If they could find a way to fix that I'm in.


I just asked my brother his opinion.

He said he's up for it EXCEPT he'd be afraid of people thinking he couldn't afford more jeans, my bro is very hung up on others opinions. I told him you just tell them they are designer and they'd go "oh...ok!"

so maybe we have a tester? maybe...

[I Heart Disneyland]

I am way past the phase of life wherein I need to be hip! I'd never make it wearing these 6 months without washing them!!!!!!! I will stick with my $60 jeans, and be a happy camper! AND be able to wash them when I see fit. That is freedom my friends.

[Ginarella]

Interesting. I seriously can't go without washing my clothes at least two days before I wear them.

[StrikeYerColors]

For me, owning this pair of jeans is a cross between raising a puppy and owning a pet rock. Call it a project.

funny. it'd probably be something i'd try just for the heck of it.

my jeans can go about 5 wears before they start feeling greasy, or start to smell. but i can imagine that if you aired them out on the line after every use, or stuck them in the freezer like the guy in the article, you could keep them smelling okay.

it really fits into the whole "distressed" trend, and i'm not really into that. I like dark blue, even washes (no distressing, bleaching, or sandblasting), with a perfect fit according to whatever cut they are.

but i'd try it out just to see what they looked like in the end.

[TraceCub]

my jeans can go about 5 wears before they start feeling greasy, or start to smell. but i can imagine that if you aired them out on the line after every use, or stuck them in the freezer like the guy in the article, you could keep them smelling okay.

I've done that in a pinch when travelling and it actually works really well! I've turned a pair inside out and hung them up and they're fine the next morning.

Considering that we're talking about thick, rugged denim, I think that's perfectly acceptable and not gross at all. It also helps to remember how infrequent laundering was when jeans (like these) were originally created.

[SCUBAbe]

Yuck.

No matter what the jeans are made of, I need to wash them every time I wear them.

me too....even if I only wore them to the store and back home...they go in the laundry. 6 months is gross.

[stinkerbell]

My high end jeans ($150+), I don't wash very often at all. I have had a pair since Sept. that have never been washed, actually. I have two other pairs that I bought then that have only been washed maybe twice?

None of them go in the dryer. Shudder. I hang dry them, then steam iron them (the only things I own that I iron). It's the only way to preserve them that I know of.

[TraceCub]

My high end jeans ($150+), I don't wash very often at all. I have had a pair since Sept. that have never been washed, actually. I have two other pairs that I bought then that have only been washed maybe twice?

I'm glad you answered! Neat to get an opinion from someone who does it.

Do you like these jeans more than "regular" jeans?