Raw Denim Guide

Most jeans reach the store already washed, softened and pre-faded by the factory. Raw denim skips all of that. As this section of the Denim Fabric Guide explains, a raw (or "dry") jean is sold in its loom state — the indigo, the starch and the shrinkage all still in the cloth — and the wearer does the finishing personally, one day of wear at a time. Our raw denim term page gives the short definition; this guide covers how raw denim actually behaves in wear.

Break-In: The First Weeks

New raw denim, especially in midweight and heavyweight cloth, feels like cardboard. The warp yarns are coated with starch and sizing from the loom, and the fabric has never been softened by water. Over the first weeks of wear the starch works out, the cotton relaxes, and the jeans mold to the body — the waist typically gives up to an inch, knees bag slightly, and creases set where the wearer actually bends. This break-in is part of the appeal: a broken-in raw jean fits one person in a way no pre-washed garment can. Heavier fabric breaks in more slowly and more dramatically; a lightweight raw jean may feel settled within days.

Fades: A Record of Wear

Indigo sits on the surface of the warp yarn, so wherever denim rubs, folds or stretches, dye wears away and the white yarn core shows through. Raw denim keeps all of its dye until the wearer starts removing it, which produces the sharp, personal fade patterns enthusiasts prize. Whiskers radiate from the front hips where the fabric creases in sitting. Honeycombs form as a diamond lattice behind the knees. Train tracks appear along the outseams of selvedge jeans where the folded edge abrades, and stacks fade in rings where extra length bunches at the ankle. Phone and wallet outlines fade into pockets. Because the fades map the wearer's habits, no two pairs ever age alike.

To Soak or Not to Soak

Whether to soak raw denim before wearing depends on one fact: whether the fabric is sanforized. Sanforized denim has been pre-shrunk by a mechanical process at the mill, so a sanforized raw jean can be worn straight away and will shrink only slightly (about 1–3 percent) at its first wash. Unsanforized denim — the classic shrink-to-fit type — still holds all of its shrinkage, up to roughly 10 percent in length. Unsanforized jeans should be soaked in warm water before wearing so the shrinkage happens up front; buy them long and slightly roomy to allow for it. A soak also removes some starch and loose dye even on sanforized cloth, at the cost of a little fade contrast. Washing technique, temperatures and shrinkage management are covered in depth in Denim Care & Shrinkage.