Dry denim jeans are the way denim used to be. Unwashed, stiff, deep indigo blue denim, the purest of its kind. These jeans have not been washed, so as you walk, bike, dance, or whatever you do, they will form to your body and lifestyle. The deep blue indigo colour will wear off in places where the fabric wrinkles or rubs. Your unique worn-in jeans will emerge over time. Your dry denim jeans require slightly different care, but what's the best way to do that? We'll tell you about that here!

Don't you dare wash your dry denim!

First tip: wash your jeans as little as possible, preferably not at all! If you wash your dry denim early on, your unique worn-in pattern will develop much slower. That is, of course, a shame! We recommend washing your jeans for the first time after at least one year of intensive wearing or half a year of daily wearing. If stains have gotten into your jeans, you can manually remove them with a cloth and, if necessary, a mild cleaner. A gentle cleaner that we like is ox gall soap. Don't scrub too hard, because you will see it in the colour of the jeans. Dab gently!

Make your dry denim smell like roses again

Your jeans go through a lot, which may cause an unpleasant odour over time if you don’t wash them. The temptation to enlist the washing machine's help can be big. Before you use this last resort, we have a few alternatives to put off your next wash for a while:

If you have a steamer, you can gently steam your dry. The steam removes the foul odours.
Another helpful aid against odours is using an antibacterial spray explicitly designed for jeans, such as this DFNS spray.
If you own a dryer, you can put your jeans in the dryer with a scented cloth on a short program of a few minutes. Keep in mind that this may shrink your jeans slightly.

If you really can't put off your dry denim wash any longer

If a few months have passed and you really can't put it off any longer, there's nothing else to do. Make sure your pockets are empty, the buttons and zipper are closed and the legs are rolled up. To keep the color of your pants as dark as possible, it's best to wash the jeans inside out. Dry denim will lose a lot of color in the first wash, which is why it is better to wash the jeans separately. Also, keep in mind that dry denim also shrinks during the first wash. This normally happens at the first wash in the production process and now so at your home.

Time for the first wash! You can do two things:
1. Soak your jeans in your bathtub, sink, or a large bucket

Make sure your bathtub, sink, or bucket is thoroughly clean
The temperature of the water is very important, the warmer, the more your jeans will shrink. Therefore, choose cold or lukewarm water.
Make sure the whole jeans are underwater, you can put something heavy on them if necessary. Leave the jeans in the water for up to an hour.
Remove the jeans from the water. Be careful that the blue water does not discolor other surfaces.
Just hang the jeans out to dry, preferably outside. Do not use a dryer or wring them out!

2. Wash your jeans in the washing machine

Choose a cold wash cycle with the lowest speed if possible. This is also good for the planet!
Use a mild detergent and don't add fabric softener! Check that the detergent has no bleach, that would be a shame.
Next, especially don't wring out the jeans, they can get out of shape. And don't dry your jeans in the dryer either. Just hang the jeans out to dry, preferably outside.

"Or run into the sea with them and dry up in the sun. The salt adds an extra effect to your fade-in pattern."

For the dry denim diehards

We have a few more tips and tricks for those who would do anything to develop the perfect dry denim worn-in jeans. Wear your jeans as often as possible! Leave your other jeans aside to speed up the fade process. When it's time for the first wash, you can bathe with your jeans to ensure they will form your body completely. Or run into the sea with them and dry up in the sun. The salt adds an extra effect to your fade-in pattern. It may be less comfortable than usual, but success is guaranteed!