Denim care guide
The mainstay of many a wardrobe, denim is a fabric most of us turn to at least once a week, whether that’s your favourite pair of jeans or a trusty denim jacket. The actual material jeans are made of originates from a city in southern France called Nimes, with the word ‘denim’ coming from the French ‘serge de Nimes’ or ‘sturdy fabric from Nimes’.
American businessman Levi Strauss spotted the fabric in the 1860s, re-christening it as denim and bringing blue jeans into the world, and the rest, of course, is fashion history. But how do we keep this wardrobe staple in its best condition? 'When taken good care of, denim can last for many years and age beautifully,’ says our Garment Technologist Breda Conlon. So naturally we asked Breda for her top tips on how to wash jeans and care for denim garments.
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You can go for a very long time without washing your denim jeans and jackets
1. Watch out for colour transfer
The dyes traditionally used in denim are made from Indigo, a natural pigment that gently fades over time to develop patterns of wear. ‘The first thing to take into consideration is colour transfer, especially if your denim is dark blue,’ warns Breda. ‘Keep new denim away from anything light in colour, as the dark denim dye can transfer to your tops, handbags and even chairs – and those stains are challenging to get rid of.’
2. Wash it less
Even though you might be throwing on your jeans every couple of days, Breda advises that it’s better not to wash it too often. ‘You can go for a very long time without washing your denim jeans and jackets,’ she says. ‘Just air them out, brush away any dirt and hang them in your closet afterwards.’ Keep your denim fresh in between washes using a fabric refreshing spray.
3. Wash it with care
When you do need to wash your garment, don’t just throw it in the machine with the rest of your laundry. While denim is heavy-duty in wear, it needs a lighter touch when it comes to washing. ‘Preferably wash your denim by hand in cold water, with some natural soap or other gentle laundry liquid,’ says Breda. ‘And always wash inside out.’ Take a look at our handwashing guide for more information.
If you are going to wash your denim in the machine, Breda recommends the following:
• Turn jeans inside out.
• Wash your garment with other similar coloured denim or black clothes.
• Select a delicates cycle with cold water and no spin cycle.
• Use just a tiny amount of washing detergent and avoid using a softener.
• Top tip: to keep a dark colour from fading too fast, you can add a small sprinkle of rock salt to the tumbler, inside a front pocket or closed wash bag. The salt will set the dye and help keep run-off to a minimum.
4. Don't fully dry
If you've hand-washed your denim, gently fold and press the water out of your garment but don’t be tempted to wring it, recommends Breda. Hang your denim outside to dry or flat-dry your garment indoors, still inside out if it’s a pair of jeans. ‘My best tip, though,’ says Breda, ‘is to not allow your jeans to dry 100% as the denim will become stiff. Instead, put them on when they are around 90% dry, or keep them inside out and give them a quick iron on a cool setting.’