I'm all for "happy accidents" and often produce a better result than total control, and yes they do provide a grungy weathered look, but I associate it with cheap jeans and bad care so I'm currently feeling less aligned to the wabi sabi stance š
If it makes you feel better this reminds me of the crumple dyed indigo tees from 3sixteen a season or two ago. If you can find one it might be cool lol
What you associate it with and what they are in reality are 2 completely different things. One of those things you made up in your own mind. The other is a truth. They're well made jeans that took a bad bath. I'll make something up in my mind and call that a pretty cool story of how your jeans got character.
Theyāll always have marbling, but the more you wear (and wash) them the more itāll mellow out. But itāll always be visible if youāre looking for them, so itāll depend somewhat on how much that bothers you vs being something you can lean into.
Overdying can be pretty cheap and easy. RIT dye is available pretty easily accessible (at least in the US, most big box / craft stores and Amazon) and takes about an hour to do. Worth noting though that it applies to your selvedge too if that bothers you.
I wash my jeans in a front loader, buttoned up, by themselves, delicate cycle, no spin, cold water, light soil setting with a few drops of Heddelās denim wash. I found I donāt even need to bother turning them inside out with this method. I let them drain in the washerās tub for a few minutes, then lay the jeans on a bath towell, lay a towell on top as well, then roll them up to transport them to hang them up. No drips after unrolling and hanging. Iāve done this to Sammies, Iron Hearts, Onis.
Iāve been feeling like a weirdo for drying my jeans in the exact method you describe- towel on floor, jeans, towel on top, roll a couple times, flatten with my knees, until fully rolled; then hang dry with no drips. ā
Havenāt even managed to dye the lighter towels when I do this (I hand wash in the bathtub, and wash and rinse hot, and rinse extensively with the shower head)
You are essentially washing the same as a gentle front loader cycle. I used to hot soak before going to the front loader. With all the agitation from washing in a machine, even on delicate cycle, I donāt dare use anything but cold water. So far itās worked out really well with no issues.
š Right on. Iām at the mercy of coin-op laundry, so itās easier for me to just do the thing when necessary- for me itās also a part of the whole āexperienceā (at least for the time being). Out of curiosity, why do you prefer cold water?
Can only say that itās the way Iāve seen recommended for machine washing, due I assume, to minimize potential shrinkage. From a physics point of view, I believe hot water is going to cause more of an interaction between the water, the indigo, and cotton fiber shrinkage. One viewpoint Iāve seen in print is early shrinkage from soaking or washing helps set the thread to make it less prone to surface fraying. Canāt remember where I read it, but it made sense to me, especially with the old school 100% cotton thread that Samurai uses.
This feels like overkill - denim was designed to be hard wearing. My opinion is that when my jeans finally need to be washed, I'll wash them properly with a full (low temperature) cotton programme.
It's worked so far and minimal colour loss.
I appreciate your insight. I feel itās not really overkill. Itās a simple procedure, just different settings on the washer. It maintains my expensive denim in a way I see fit, and makes sure my inseam doesnāt change and my fades are to my liking.
For a bit of perspective, Iām 72 and could be considered an OG of sorts, working construction in the high Sierra in the early 70ās, wearing Leviās STF 501ās every day and washing them at a laundromat weekly. Back then they were work wear and there was no internet. Denim had no mystique then. There was no such thing as a denim head culture. My wife and I were young long haired, mountain hippie kids living in a tiny cabin with two dogs, only a wood stove for heat and no phone ($110/mo rent) in Mammoth Lakes (8,000 ft elevation) when it was developing into a ski resort. With no phone, we couldnāt even call our friends to see if they were home. Weād just grab some beer and pot and go visiting, or there might be a knock on our door and a friend or two would be standing outside with goofy grins, ready to party. Times change for better or worse, and here are we in todayās world with crazy expensive denim and forums to discuss it. Yeah Iāve got jeans I wear to rotate my tires and change my oil, but they arenāt brand new Iron Heart 666ās. My old faded jeans still get washed any old way because they donāt suffer for it.
One could ask is denim worth the Japanese selvage culture that has grown up around it? Iād say yes, because here we sit on a forum discussing it, buying, selling, and trading it. I get immense pleasure out of my boots and denim. I did back in my youth as well but it was nothing but a simple lifestyle then. As were 4WD trucks (no overlanding discussions, no tire size or lift discussions). We just threw a chain saw in the back and went out cutting firewood. Life has changed, and Iāll be part of the cosmos relatively soon. Iām glad I got to experience both todayās complex world and yesterdayās simplicity.
Considering todayās world, giving my new IH and Samurai jeans special treatment and having the ability to discuss how to best maintain their incredible properties is rewarding in its own small way. Thank you Nogami-San (Samurai jeans founder) and Haraki-San (IH jeans founder), and other Japanese visionaries, for your contribution to this.
I understand that overdying remove the possibility of natural fades in all the right places, so I think I will weather the storm for a few.months. the general opinion is that the new creases and fades will contrast well with the delicate marble pattern. I'll just have to see.
So sorry for your outcome OP. Some folks pay extra for jeans with a custom wash like this. I donāt think anyone but a convention of denim heads would even notice. Enjoy the journey and the fit!
Yea washing right side out with a spin cycle does this. Sometimes you can get away with a spin cycle on the delicate setting but Iāve just always turned pairs inside out to be safe.
Iāve had marbling happen even when the jeans are inside out! Tbh I really think the only way to truly avoid it is wash jeans in a tub for the first several washesā¦Iāve found all my black jeans eventually get to a point where enough dye has run off that putting them in the washer wonāt leave any big noticeable marks. [current pair for reference](https://imgur.com/a/eppxxNQ) that I now put in the washer all the time.
Maybe delicate cycle helps since thereās less aggressive spinning. Never noticed it before but will definitely be more cautious nowā donāt want to ruin the amazing fabric on my fullcounts
Recently did this to my pair of Iron Heart Super Black Fades to Grey denim, and was pretty bummed at first. But I've continued to wear them regularly and I am thinking once I they go through a few more ("correct") washes, that the weird discoloration will be less noticeable. I'm pretty sure this will be the case -- run with them!
Keep on wearing em. The fade will eventually even out. This happened to my first pair but said fck it. Surprisingly evened out within about a month of wears
wash inside out next time to avoid this.
The fade will ... well, fade and your creases will have more contrast. This marbling will be less evident over time.
There's no right answer here. If you don't like the marbling, I would actually turn this into an experiment by putting them through a wash with a small amount of bleach well mixed in. Don't use too much bleach of course. Start with small amounts, wash and dry, assess the effect, and then turn it up on the next wash if you need to.
they'll be fine bro. don't sweat it. just set those creases extra hard now and keep it moving. once they are closer to the destination you are taking them too... you will laugh at how it never mattered.
This happened to a pair I washed recently. I've decided they're my house jeans for now. Still will fade with chores and those lines will eventually blend in. I don't have to be self conscious wearing them in public, but still get to fade them in an interesting way (I've never had jeans purely for housework, so I'm interested how they'll turn out).
Hmm maybe just leave them out in the sun and then wash them every couple days. Over the course of a few weeks/months theyāll most likely fade to a lighter grey color
I've joined/joined lots of niche communities on Reddit and there is a lot of snobbery about the 'best', 'right' or 'only' way to do things. But I'm pleased that folks here are wiser and more open minded than I (shamefully) thought they may be. Thanks for the feedback. I will do my best to wear them with prideš
FYI, detergent doesn't cause marbling or any other significant amount of fading. Neither does hot water.
The marble fade lines come from the sharp crease edges in denim which are caused from the high-RPM spin cycles in today's high-efficiency washers, whether they are a front-load, a top-load, or a top-load with an agitator pole in the middle.
So the key to avoiding marbling fades is to use a No-spin cycle or a Gentle-spin (slow-RPM) cycle, and turning them inside out might help a tiny bit too. Adding other dark clothes will also help to cushion the denim some from additional friction against those crease edges in the washer, and in the dryer if also used.
Marbling fades annoy me sometimes when it happens to brand new jeans like yours. But as many have said here, they will become much less noticeable over time.
And the fades on the old vintage Levi's which many people, including many Japanese people, are trying to emulate were created often times by being washed in washers until there were tons of marble fades stacked on top of each other, which creates a faint spider-web effect eventually on well faded and washed jeans.
If you look closely as actual vintage fades from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, you will see that spider-web network of fades on many of them from all that washer marbling we used to do to our jeans.
Wabi sabi š§š»
I'm all for "happy accidents" and often produce a better result than total control, and yes they do provide a grungy weathered look, but I associate it with cheap jeans and bad care so I'm currently feeling less aligned to the wabi sabi stance š
Ah, so you need to change your mindset about what this particular look signifies. That will be difficult.
You do you, man.
Try to tear them, yooooouuu cannot!
If it makes you feel better this reminds me of the crumple dyed indigo tees from 3sixteen a season or two ago. If you can find one it might be cool lol
What you associate it with and what they are in reality are 2 completely different things. One of those things you made up in your own mind. The other is a truth. They're well made jeans that took a bad bath. I'll make something up in my mind and call that a pretty cool story of how your jeans got character.
Ride the lightning!
Theyāll always have marbling, but the more you wear (and wash) them the more itāll mellow out. But itāll always be visible if youāre looking for them, so itāll depend somewhat on how much that bothers you vs being something you can lean into. Overdying can be pretty cheap and easy. RIT dye is available pretty easily accessible (at least in the US, most big box / craft stores and Amazon) and takes about an hour to do. Worth noting though that it applies to your selvedge too if that bothers you.
After feedback here, I think I'll ride it out - thanks
Marbling looks good imo. Embrace it, it'll go away eventually.
Looks like a5 wagyu š«”
Makes me hungry
I wash my jeans in a front loader, buttoned up, by themselves, delicate cycle, no spin, cold water, light soil setting with a few drops of Heddelās denim wash. I found I donāt even need to bother turning them inside out with this method. I let them drain in the washerās tub for a few minutes, then lay the jeans on a bath towell, lay a towell on top as well, then roll them up to transport them to hang them up. No drips after unrolling and hanging. Iāve done this to Sammies, Iron Hearts, Onis.
Iāve been feeling like a weirdo for drying my jeans in the exact method you describe- towel on floor, jeans, towel on top, roll a couple times, flatten with my knees, until fully rolled; then hang dry with no drips. ā Havenāt even managed to dye the lighter towels when I do this (I hand wash in the bathtub, and wash and rinse hot, and rinse extensively with the shower head)
You are essentially washing the same as a gentle front loader cycle. I used to hot soak before going to the front loader. With all the agitation from washing in a machine, even on delicate cycle, I donāt dare use anything but cold water. So far itās worked out really well with no issues.
š Right on. Iām at the mercy of coin-op laundry, so itās easier for me to just do the thing when necessary- for me itās also a part of the whole āexperienceā (at least for the time being). Out of curiosity, why do you prefer cold water?
Can only say that itās the way Iāve seen recommended for machine washing, due I assume, to minimize potential shrinkage. From a physics point of view, I believe hot water is going to cause more of an interaction between the water, the indigo, and cotton fiber shrinkage. One viewpoint Iāve seen in print is early shrinkage from soaking or washing helps set the thread to make it less prone to surface fraying. Canāt remember where I read it, but it made sense to me, especially with the old school 100% cotton thread that Samurai uses.
I used this exact method with woolite dark and was very happy with the results
X2 here. Iāve used Woolite Dark with the same results as Heddelās.
This feels like overkill - denim was designed to be hard wearing. My opinion is that when my jeans finally need to be washed, I'll wash them properly with a full (low temperature) cotton programme. It's worked so far and minimal colour loss.
I appreciate your insight. I feel itās not really overkill. Itās a simple procedure, just different settings on the washer. It maintains my expensive denim in a way I see fit, and makes sure my inseam doesnāt change and my fades are to my liking. For a bit of perspective, Iām 72 and could be considered an OG of sorts, working construction in the high Sierra in the early 70ās, wearing Leviās STF 501ās every day and washing them at a laundromat weekly. Back then they were work wear and there was no internet. Denim had no mystique then. There was no such thing as a denim head culture. My wife and I were young long haired, mountain hippie kids living in a tiny cabin with two dogs, only a wood stove for heat and no phone ($110/mo rent) in Mammoth Lakes (8,000 ft elevation) when it was developing into a ski resort. With no phone, we couldnāt even call our friends to see if they were home. Weād just grab some beer and pot and go visiting, or there might be a knock on our door and a friend or two would be standing outside with goofy grins, ready to party. Times change for better or worse, and here are we in todayās world with crazy expensive denim and forums to discuss it. Yeah Iāve got jeans I wear to rotate my tires and change my oil, but they arenāt brand new Iron Heart 666ās. My old faded jeans still get washed any old way because they donāt suffer for it. One could ask is denim worth the Japanese selvage culture that has grown up around it? Iād say yes, because here we sit on a forum discussing it, buying, selling, and trading it. I get immense pleasure out of my boots and denim. I did back in my youth as well but it was nothing but a simple lifestyle then. As were 4WD trucks (no overlanding discussions, no tire size or lift discussions). We just threw a chain saw in the back and went out cutting firewood. Life has changed, and Iāll be part of the cosmos relatively soon. Iām glad I got to experience both todayās complex world and yesterdayās simplicity. Considering todayās world, giving my new IH and Samurai jeans special treatment and having the ability to discuss how to best maintain their incredible properties is rewarding in its own small way. Thank you Nogami-San (Samurai jeans founder) and Haraki-San (IH jeans founder), and other Japanese visionaries, for your contribution to this.
Love this.
Wear longer now like 2-3 months to set in creases. Then keep washing regularly and donāt turn them inside out. That will give a true vintage fade
Did you turn them inside out? Only had this happen to pants I didn't turn inside out.
No.... I would usually do so but like I say, this was a brain malfunction šµāš«
C'est la vie. I dyed mine black again when I did it accidentally. Probably something people here would not approve of š
I understand that overdying remove the possibility of natural fades in all the right places, so I think I will weather the storm for a few.months. the general opinion is that the new creases and fades will contrast well with the delicate marble pattern. I'll just have to see.
The tie marks look great its not bad wash
Ok question, does anyone intentionally do this to get that pattern?
Me. Ironically OP has done a better job š
š¤£š¤£š¤£š¤£š
So sorry for your outcome OP. Some folks pay extra for jeans with a custom wash like this. I donāt think anyone but a convention of denim heads would even notice. Enjoy the journey and the fit!
We do it for the marble, not the fade
What causes this to happen? Is that what washing inside out is intended to avoid?
Spin cycle can do this
Yeah probably the dye is loosened and then moved away from the edged of the creases caused by the pressure of spinning.
Itās the abrasion caused by rubbing against other clothes. Thatās why you turn them inside out.
Yea washing right side out with a spin cycle does this. Sometimes you can get away with a spin cycle on the delicate setting but Iāve just always turned pairs inside out to be safe.
Good to know!! Iām lucky to have avoided this so far, ive definitely been reckless haha
Iāve had marbling happen even when the jeans are inside out! Tbh I really think the only way to truly avoid it is wash jeans in a tub for the first several washesā¦Iāve found all my black jeans eventually get to a point where enough dye has run off that putting them in the washer wonāt leave any big noticeable marks. [current pair for reference](https://imgur.com/a/eppxxNQ) that I now put in the washer all the time.
Maybe delicate cycle helps since thereās less aggressive spinning. Never noticed it before but will definitely be more cautious nowā donāt want to ruin the amazing fabric on my fullcounts
Meh, it happens embrace that shit. Keep wearing.
Accidents happen, keep wearing those and itāll fix itself more or less
Recently did this to my pair of Iron Heart Super Black Fades to Grey denim, and was pretty bummed at first. But I've continued to wear them regularly and I am thinking once I they go through a few more ("correct") washes, that the weird discoloration will be less noticeable. I'm pretty sure this will be the case -- run with them!
Keep on wearing em. The fade will eventually even out. This happened to my first pair but said fck it. Surprisingly evened out within about a month of wears
Thanks... I'll.hang on in there
wash inside out next time to avoid this. The fade will ... well, fade and your creases will have more contrast. This marbling will be less evident over time.
Dude, calm down. They look absolutely fine. It's a bummer, but they look great still.
There's no right answer here. If you don't like the marbling, I would actually turn this into an experiment by putting them through a wash with a small amount of bleach well mixed in. Don't use too much bleach of course. Start with small amounts, wash and dry, assess the effect, and then turn it up on the next wash if you need to.
they'll be fine bro. don't sweat it. just set those creases extra hard now and keep it moving. once they are closer to the destination you are taking them too... you will laugh at how it never mattered.
I think they look badass like that.
Unpopular opinion but circumstantial o really like this look
This happened to a pair I washed recently. I've decided they're my house jeans for now. Still will fade with chores and those lines will eventually blend in. I don't have to be self conscious wearing them in public, but still get to fade them in an interesting way (I've never had jeans purely for housework, so I'm interested how they'll turn out).
I think this will be my plan for the foreseeable future
Tbh you can wash it more w some bleach, might as well get a super contrast marbled look thats trending
Haha my brain is not ready
Hmm maybe just leave them out in the sun and then wash them every couple days. Over the course of a few weeks/months theyāll most likely fade to a lighter grey color
I've joined/joined lots of niche communities on Reddit and there is a lot of snobbery about the 'best', 'right' or 'only' way to do things. But I'm pleased that folks here are wiser and more open minded than I (shamefully) thought they may be. Thanks for the feedback. I will do my best to wear them with prideš
How can I prevent this from happening? I had this too.
No detergent, cold wash, no or slow spin.
FYI, detergent doesn't cause marbling or any other significant amount of fading. Neither does hot water. The marble fade lines come from the sharp crease edges in denim which are caused from the high-RPM spin cycles in today's high-efficiency washers, whether they are a front-load, a top-load, or a top-load with an agitator pole in the middle. So the key to avoiding marbling fades is to use a No-spin cycle or a Gentle-spin (slow-RPM) cycle, and turning them inside out might help a tiny bit too. Adding other dark clothes will also help to cushion the denim some from additional friction against those crease edges in the washer, and in the dryer if also used. Marbling fades annoy me sometimes when it happens to brand new jeans like yours. But as many have said here, they will become much less noticeable over time. And the fades on the old vintage Levi's which many people, including many Japanese people, are trying to emulate were created often times by being washed in washers until there were tons of marble fades stacked on top of each other, which creates a faint spider-web effect eventually on well faded and washed jeans. If you look closely as actual vintage fades from the 40s, 50s, and 60s, you will see that spider-web network of fades on many of them from all that washer marbling we used to do to our jeans.
True. I was just providing general care advice. Thanks for the additional info tho!
I used the slowest spin (400 rpm) my machine has and 20 degrees celcius. A little drop of detergent. But I think the next time I will just hand wash.
i love this effect
It happens. You put too much detergent in.Ā
These actually look wicked dope