When shopping for a new pair of jeans, you may come across stone wash and acid wash. They are two of the most common styles of jeans. Stone wash and acid jeans have been around for decades. Like all jeans, they are made of denim. Stone wash and acid wash, however, are distressed styles that offer an aged, worn-in appearance. What’s the difference between stone wash and acid jeans exactly?
What Are Stone Wash Jeans?
Stone wash jeans are characterized by their stone-based distressing process. Distressing, of course, is designed to create an aged and worn-in appearance. Stone-wash jeans are distressed used stones.
All jeans consist of denim trousers. They are made of durable cotton with the weft passing under at least two warp threads. Stone wash jeans are no exception. After producing a pair of conventional jeans, though, manufacturers may convert them into stone wash jeans. Converting a pair of conventional jeans into stone wash jeans requires the use of stones.
The jeans are placed inside of a rotating drum with small stones. The stones may be smooth, or they may be porous “pumice” stones. As the drum rotates, the stones will beat against the denim from which the jeans are made. This process will distress the jeans, resulting in stone wash jeans. Stone wash jeans are exactly what they sound like: jeans that are washed with stones. The stones will beat against the jeans to distress them.
What Are Acid Wash Jeans?
Acid wash jeans, on the other hand, are characterized by their acid-based distressing process. They are a style of distressed jeans. As the name suggests, acid wash jeans are distressed with acid. Acid will distress jeans by causing them to fade to a lighter tone.
The denim from which jeans are made is typically dyed. Most jeans are made of blue-dyed denim. Light blue and indigo, for example, are two of the most common colors for denim. Some jeans are light blue, whereas others are indigo. Other common colors for denim include black, olive and red. Acid wash jeans are still made of dyed denim. They are simply washed in acid during production.
When producing a pair of acid wash jeans, manufacturers will submerge them in a bath of an acidic solution. The acid won’t necessarily dissolve the jeans. Rather, it will break down the color-causing dye within the denim. The end result is a faded, worn-in appearance. As the jeans soak in acid, the dye will degrade. The same thing happens when jeans fade naturally due to sun exposure. Acid wash jeans are designed to mimic the appearance of faded jeans.
Differences Between Stone Wash and Acid Wash Jeans
Contrary to common belief, stone wash jeans and acid wash jeans aren’t the same. They are two different styles of jeans.
Both stone wash jeans and acid jeans are distressed jeans. When compared to conventional jeans, they look older and worn in. But the way in which they are distressed varies. Stone wash jeans are distressed using stones. They are placed inside of a rotating drum — similar to a clothes dryer — along with many small stones. The stones will then beat against the exterior of the jeans while distressing them.
Acid wash jeans aren’t distressed using stones. Instead, they are distressed using an acidic solution. Acid wash jeans are literally washed in acid. They are submerged in a bath of acid. As they soak in acid, they’ll begin to fade. The acid will break down and degrade the dye within the jeans’ dye. As previously mentioned, nearly all jeans are made of dyed denim. Acid wash jeans are simply bathed in acid, which causes the dye to break down.
The main difference between stone wash jeans and acid wash jeans is that the former are physically distressed, whereas the latter are chemically distressed. Stone wash jeans are physically distressed with stones. Acid wash jeans, on the other hand, are chemically distressed with acid.
Choosing Between Stone Wash and Acid Wash Jeans
You might be wondering whether to choose stone wash jeans or acid wash jeans. There are high-quality stone wash jeans, and there are high-quality acid wash jeans. When choosing between the two, you should consider your personal preference. Some people prefer stone wash jeans, whereas others prefer acid wash jeans.
Stone wash jeans are typically a better choice if you prefer the look, as well as feel, of physically distressed jeans. All stone wash jeans are physically distressed. They are essentially beaten with small stones. You can achieve a similar effect by wearing a new pair of jeans for many years. The longer you wear a pair of new jeans, the more distressed they’ll become.
For a more faded tone, though, you may want to choose acid wash jeans. Acid wash jeans don’t have the same level of distressing as their stone wash counterparts. They are still distressed, but acid wash jeans retain their structural integrity. Instead, they simply look lighter and more faded.
You can still find both stone wash and acid wash jeans in different colors. You can also find them in different cuts, such as boot cut, skinny and straight leg. For a physically distressed style, stone wash jeans are the way to go. Stone wash jeans have a naturally worn and degraded appearance. Acid wash jeans, conversely, are a better choice if you prefer a faded appearance. When exposed to acid, denim will fade. It will still retain some of its dye, but the acid will cause it to fade.
In Conclusion
Distressed jeans are available in different styles, including stone wash and acid wash. Stone wash jeans are distressed using stones. They are placed inside of a rotating drum that physically distressed them. Acid wash jeans are distressed using an acidic solution. They are placed inside of a bath of acid that chemically distresses them. After reading this, you should have a better understanding of the differences between stone wash and acid wash jeans.
