Denim care
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. 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. Here are some tips on how to wash jeans and care for your denim garments:
"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. Keep new denim away from anything light in colour, as the dark denim dye can transfer to your tops, handbags and even chairs.
2. Wash less
Even though you might be throwing on your jeans every couple of days, it’s better not to wash them too often. ‘You can go for a very long time without washing your denim jeans and jackets,’ says OB’s Garment Technologist Breda Conlon - just air them out, brush away any dirt and hang them in your wardrobe afterwards. Keep your denim fresh in between washes using a fabric refreshing spray.
3. Wash with care
If you are going to wash your denim in the machine, we recommend the following:
• Turn jeans inside out.
• Wash your garment with other similar-coloured denim or black clothes.
• Select a delicate 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
Hang your denim outside to dry or flat-dry your garment indoors, still inside out if it’s a pair of jeans. To stop your jeans going stiff, put them on when they are around 90% dry rather than fully dry - or give them a quick iron on a cool setting, inside out, when they’re 90% dry to finish off the drying process without them going stiff. Always check the care label for guidance and refer to our washing care guide.