How to Care for Raw Denim the Right Way

Raw denim isn't like those pre-washed jeans you find at any department store. It's honest fabric that takes work to break in, and if you're going to wear it—whether you're working a ranch in Tennessee or just looking the part around Nashville—you need to know how to treat it. There's no shortcuts here. Just like tending to a horse or maintaining your saddle, raw denim demands respect and a little patience.

When you first get your raw denim, it's stiff as a new saddle. That's not a defect. That's the point. The fabric hasn't been broken down yet, and the indigo dye hasn't started to fade. This is where most people go wrong. They wash their new jeans too soon, stripping away all that character before it gets a chance to develop. Don't do that.

Raw denim looks like it belongs to someone. Mass-produced jeans all look the same because they've been processed to death.

The First Wear

Wear your raw denim. Wear it hard. Get out there and live in it. Work in it if you can. The friction between the fabric and your body, the wear on the seams, the way the dye naturally fades in creases—that's where raw denim gets its personality. A cowboy's jeans tell a story. They show where he spent his time, what he worked on, how he moved. Your raw denim should do the same.

There's an old rule in the western wear community: don't wash your raw denim for at least three to six months. Some guys go longer. That doesn't mean they're filthy. It means they're patient. The fabric needs time to conform to your body, to develop a natural fade pattern that's unique to you. Mass-produced jeans all look the same because they've been processed to death.