How to Properly Care for Your Selvedge Denim Jeans
After more than ten years of offering selvedge jeans, one question keeps coming up in our store: how do you wash your jeans?
That’s what inspired us to create this little guide.
Washing and maintaining your selvedge or raw denim jeans is far from trivial. The way you wash them will directly impact the fade, the shade, and the evolution of the patina.
When Should You Wash Your Selvedge Jeans?
It’s often said you should wait six months before the first wash. Others go further and suggest never using water at all, instead opting for dry cleaning once a year and regularly airing the jeans outside in between.
But the reality is more nuanced.
We’ve seen beautiful fades on jeans that were washed regularly, just as we’ve seen great results from jeans that hadn’t been washed for years. It all depends on the look you're going for.
Each wash removes a thin layer of indigo, which slightly lightens the fabric. The image below perfectly illustrates this progressive evolution of indigo over time.
Evolution of a Double Indigo jean by Realign — Photo credit: Robin Denim
If you space out washes, the contrast between worn and unworn areas will be much more pronounced. On the other hand, washing more frequently results in a lighter and more uniform look overall, but still with a charming character.
In short: there are no strict rules. It’s up to you to decide what kind of fade and character you want.
Example of a regularly washed pair of The Unbranded Brand jeans over time…
...and its original color:
By spacing out washes on a very rigid denim, you can get results like this:
How to Wash Your Selvedge Jeans: 3 Possible Methods
Among denim enthusiasts and on forums, three main washing methods come up regularly. Each has its advantages, depending on your desired result and daily habits.
1. Machine Washing
The simplest and fastest method, but it requires some care:
- Always turn your jeans inside out to reduce friction on the outer fabric. Choose a delicate cycle with a temperature of 30°C (86°F) and a gentle spin cycle of 600–800 rpm.
- Use a suitable detergent: regular detergents often contain bleaching agents that may leave marks and dull the indigo color.
- Wash it alone or with other indigo garments, as the first washes often result in heavy dye bleeding.
For several seasons, we’ve been recommending the Lot 5221 Denim Wash Vintage developed by Warehouse & Co., a leading Japanese brand. This denim-specific detergent cleans without affecting the indigo and is gentle on shrink-prone fabrics. It’s the one we use to preserve the raw look of new fabrics.
2. Sea Wash
We’ve tried this method a few times. It’s fun once or twice for the experience, but not practical for daily use. When it dries, the salt leaves a sticky residue on the fabric — very uncomfortable… So we usually return to more traditional methods.
Photo credit: Heddels
3. Hand Washing
This is the gentlest and most precise method to care for your jeans:
- Lay your jeans flat, inside out, in a tub or large basin.
- Use cold water with a small amount of mild or denim-specific detergent.
- Let it soak, gently scrub by hand, rinse thoroughly, and hang to air dry. You can also roll your jeans in a towel to absorb excess water and speed up drying — but be careful, the towel will be saturated with indigo dye.
This method is a bit more “hands-on” than machine washing, but often gives more contrast and better preserves the fabric.
Finishing Tips
- Air dry only: never tumble dry your jeans, as it may cause shrinkage or damage the structure.
- Storage: fold or hang them in a dry, shaded area to avoid premature fading.
- Each pair is unique: fades vary depending on your lifestyle and habits. That’s what makes your jeans personal and full of life.
If you own one or more jeans with distinctive fades and a unique patina, don’t hesitate to contact us or send photos. We’d be happy to feature them in our blog’s Fades Gallery.