Which side are you on? It's a challenging question that reflects your commitment: will you keep your jeans dry for that sharply contrasted wear, or will you wash them frequently to achieve a savvy, washed-out look? While the answer doesn’t have to be black and white, when and how often you wash your dry denim jeans will influence how they age. Now that you've just acquired a new pair of dry denim jeans, we're here to guide you through the two divergent paths passionately debated at Nudie Jeans, almost like politics. Yes, at Nudie Jeans, we don’t all agree on the right approach. Ultimately, it's a matter of personal preference — and isn’t that a beautiful thing?

To Wash

Welcome to the clean and convenient path where washing is a natural part of wearing dry denim, ironically dubbed the “dad wash” by not washing. However, this path has its extremes too, such as washing directly and very frequently. Regardless of whether this path is taken to the extreme, it relies on three main aspects. Firstly, the gradual removal of starch softens the jeans, reducing sharp creases. Secondly, washing results in slight rearrangements of the yarns, leading to a more textural aging trajectory. Thirdly, frequent washing allows for a more uniform removal of dye, creating a bluer (or greyer) denim. These aspects are key to the Wash Movement, which aims to emphasize denim characteristics while giving jeans a softly washed-out look, often inspired by vintage jeans from the '50s and onward when jeans had become a staple garment for everyday use. The Wash Movement often praises pure indigo-dyed denim, as it fades more readily and uniformly compared to denim dyed with both indigo and sulfur.

While some wash as frequently as once a week, most people lean towards convenience, washing their jeans when they perceive them as dirty or simply on laundry day — the truth is, many may be unaware that they are even part of a so called "wash movement.

Washing early and frequently does have drawbacks:

• The wearer needs to consider shrinking to a greater extent compared to the not washing.

• Gentle washing and drying are crucial initially.

• The Wash Movement is typically less environmentally friendly than the No Wash Movement.

• Extremely frequent washing can negatively impact the long-term durability of the denim.