Q&A: What Happens When Raw Denim Is Washed Too Early?

The Balance Between Great Fades And Longevity

We anonymously asked the guys over at ABCDENIM, “What happens if you wash/soak a pair of raw denim very often, like once every week? Would raw denim actually be worth buying under that situation?”

Their response is that, “washing will actually strengthen the denim fibres and the jeans will in fact last longer,” which we agree on.

Still, “with regular exposure to water, you won’t get much of a contrast in your fade,” which is not a problem if high contrast fadings weren’t what you’re looking for.

We would argue that even though we wash you jeans often you will still be able to get some nice fadings, like the Levi’s Vintage Clothing 1967 505 above that was worn every day for 4 months straight and washed 7 or 8 times (more pictures here). Roping will also be much more prominent on a regularly washed pair.

Read more in our raw denim guide.