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Tips on Maintenance
Denim Works, located in Shibuya, is a shop that's trusted by serious denim collectors. They do everything from repairs and hemming with chain stitches, customizations such as downsizing the waist size and modifying the silhouette, production of original jeans and made-to-order jeans. It's an incredible shop for denim lovers looking for highly skilled help and practical advice.
The owner of Denim Works, Takashi Fukuda, who has done countless numbers of denim repairs shares his maintenance knowledge here.
1. Is it true that you shouldn't wash your jeans to get beautiful contrasts?
It is true if you are looking just for contrasts. But as you wear your jeans, sweat and grease gets inside the fabric, making it soggier and weaker against abrasion. In other words, your denim becomes prone to rip apart. So if you want your denim to last you should wash your denim often. During winter, wash your denim when it starts feeling a little damp.
2. Is it true that it's better to turn your jeans inside-out when you wash them?
If you read fashion magazines and stuff, they'll say things like, "Dry your jeans inside-out. If not your denim will get sunburned and will lose its color." But when it comes to vintage denim, it's a different story. Quite often, vintage jeans will have threads that have weakened over time. If you turn the jeans inside-out, the thread can get caught in the washing machine, causing it to tear apart. If possible, put your jeans, without turning it inside-out, inside a net before throwing it into a washing machine, then wash softly. Because it's a precious article, one might think of washing it slowly with hand... but that's going a bit too overboard. When you're drying it, don't worry about things like sunburns. For example, if you're wearing your jeans during summer, you're exposing it in the sun the whole time, yet it's never a problem. However, if you have just purchased a new denim, you would want to wash your jeans two to three times inside-out to get rid of starch.
3. Will your fabric tighten up and become more durable if you dry your denim in a dryer?
It's not like it's absolutely bad, but if you use a dryer, your fabric will shrink radically and the denim's surface will become soft. If you prefer your denim to be somewhat rigid, it's much better to dry it naturally in the sun. It will dry crisply and it also feels good to wear something that has been sitting in the sun. Drying naturally is the best.
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