Washing Raw Denim: Broken Down by a Denim Designer

Respectfully, we're not putting our jeans in the freezer.

Raw denim is iconic, and tragically misunderstood. If you’ve ever found yourself doom scrolling to figure out how to wash it because you heard your friends boyfriend talking about wearing his jeans in the ocean or putting them in the freezer (That guy often thinks this is a personality trait) I’ve got you. And the good news is it’s easier than you think.

Raw Denim is unprocessed denim, left the way it comes off the loom at the denim mill. Some of this denim goes to the wash facility to be stone washed, but if it stays raw, its rich dark indigo and develops iconic fades that are a reflection of how the wearer lives their life.

Quinn Jeans in Raw — 12 months of wear — 0 washes

There’s no hard rule on when to wash your raw denim, but generally, you want to wait as long as you can before washing. Every wear adds character and every time you wash them you’ll lose some of that story. A good benchmark is 6-10 months before the first wash. I write this sitting in raw jeans that haven't been washed in 12 months, and to be honest, they don't really need it at this point. But for the sake of journalism, I will sacrifice my perfect jeans for this tutorial.

How to Wash: Step by step

1. Fill your bathtub or a large basin with cold water. You don’t need fancy soap—just a gentle detergent or something made for denim (skip the Tide Pods).

2. Turn your jeans inside out. This protects the indigo dye on the outside and keeps the fading nice and slow.

   

   3. Submerge. Let them soak for 30 - 60 minutes. No scrubbing, no wringing—just a soak.

   4. Rinse thoroughly. Drain the tub and rinse them under cold water until it runs clear.

   

   5. Squeeze out the water—never wring. Roll them up in a towel and give it a good stomp to soak up the excess, or, use the spin and drain cycle on your washer.

   6. Air dry. Lay them flat or hang them with a pants hanger. Re-block the shape (tuck in pockets, flatten fly placket, pat flat) and let them dry completely before wearing.

Hot Tips:

• Spot clean first. A little stain on the knee doesn’t mean you have to wash the whole thing. Dab it gently with a damp cloth and mild soap.

• Avoid over-washing. This is a marathon, not a sprint. Each wash will lighten the denim and break it in further, so less is more.

• Wear with confidence. Raw denim is meant to be lived in. Don’t stress about keeping it pristine—the whole point is to make it uniquely yours.

So, that’s it—washing raw denim doesn’t need to be complicated. Forget the rules and just make it work for you. These jeans are meant to evolve with you, softening and shaping into something completely yours, but when they need a soak they'll let you know. And now you know how to soak like a pro, LFG.