Let’s clear the air: No more vinegar baths. No freezing. No tossing your jeans in the ocean. Most of those "jean hacks" come from people who’ve never actually worn in a proper pair of raw denim.

If you want great fades and long-lasting jeans, you need the facts. Whether you’re just starting out or already on your fifth pair, this guide breaks down the basics, and the not-so-basics, of washing raw denim the right way.

Raw denim is made from cotton. And cotton? It loves water. That’s why your underwear and bedsheets can handle regular washes, even at high temperatures. But denim is woven and dyed differently, so we treat it with more care.

The takeaway?
You can wash your jeans. You just need to do it right.

Here’s the secret to those beautiful fades: indigo.

But indigo is a surface dye, it doesn’t soak deep into the fabric. That’s what makes fades possible… and it’s also what makes indigo sensitive to washing.

To keep the soul of your denim alive:

• Wash jeans inside out to reduce friction on the surface.
• No spin cycle the first 2 washes if your jeans are dyed with synthetic indigo.
• Natural indigo? Skip the spin for at least 5 washes.
  Spin cycles are like a denim blender, they can strip color and cause patchy, uneven fades early on.
  

How to tell the difference?
Check the product page or tag. Natural indigo tends to be used in premium or traditional shuttle-loomed jeans.

Even if your jeans are sanforized (pre-shrunk), they will still tighten a little after washing.

• Cold water = minimal shrinkage. Best if you’re happy with the current fit.
• Warm water = slight shrinkage. Good if your jeans feel loose after some wear.
• Hot water = maximum shrinkage. Only do this if the jeans are way too big and the dye is already stable.

Expert tip:
Wearing unsanforized (shrink-to-fit) denim? You’ll need to pre-soak or wash before hemming. Expect 5–10% shrinkage, especially in length.

A lot of people brag about going 6+ months without washing. Cool, but not always smart.
Every wash does stress your jeans a bit, water, soap, and motion wear down fibers over time. But letting dirt, body oils, and bacteria build up? That causes breakdown too. It's about balance!

So, when should you wash?

• When they smell funky
• When they feel stiff and grimy
• After a sweaty summer trip or festival
• If they’ve seen mud, oil, or spills
  

For Natural indigo jeans:
Always use the wool/gentle cycle, even after the fifth wash.

• AIR DRY ONLY. Dryers are denim killers. They shrink, twist, and fry cotton fibers.

• USE MILD DETERGENT. Ideally something for wool, silk, or denim (no bleach, no enzymes).

• WASH ONE PAIR AT A TIME. Denim-on-denim abrasion = unnecessary damage.

• NO FABRIC SOFTNER. It clogs the cotton’s pores and affects wear.

• SPOT CLEAN IF NEEDED. Don’t toss in the machine for every little mark.