Jeans have become recognized as the world’s most popular type of trousers. Research shows that the average person owns over six pairs of them. Not all jeans, however, are the same. There are many different types of jeans, one of which is hard washed. While hard-washed jeans may look like traditional denim jeans, they feature a unique construction that distinguishes them from their counterparts. For a better understanding of hard-washed jeans, keep reading.
What Are Hard-Washed Jeans?
Hard-washed jeans are defined by their construction. They are made of denim — just like all other jeans. The denim used in hard-washed jeans, though, is washed in hot water.
When producing a pair of hard-washed jeans, clothing manufacturers will wash the denim in hot water. They’ll submerge the denim inside a tub or container that’s filled with hot water. After allowing the denim to soak for an extended period, they’ll remove it. Hard-washed jeans are just like other jeans except they are made of denim that’s been washed in hot water.
How Hard-Washed Jeans Differ From Raw Jeans
In addition to hard-washed jeans, there are raw jeans available. Also known as unwashed jeans, raw jeans are essentially the opposite: They are made of denim that’s isn’t washed.
All jeans are made of denim. The use of denim is what defines jeans. No matter what style of jeans you choose, they’ll feature a denim construction. The difference between hard-washed jeans and raw jeans is that the former consists of washed denim, whereas the latter consists of unwashed jeans. Aside from this nuance, they are pretty much the same.
Advantages of Hard-Washed Jeans
Why should you choose hard-washed jeans exactly? With hard-washed jeans, you’ll experience a superior level of softness. When initially produced, denim can have a somewhat rough surface. Hard-washed jeans offer a solution. Washing denim in hot water helps to break down the cotton fibers just enough so that it becomes softer and suppler.
Hard-washed jeans are also better protected against shrinkage than raw jeans. All garments can shrink, and jeans are no exception. If you have hard-washed jeans, however, you shouldn’t have to worry about them shrinking to a smaller size. Garments, including jeans, typically shrink the most when they are washed for the first time. Since hard-washed jeans are already washed — they are washed when they are produced — they generally won’t shrink when washed and dried in the future.
Hard-washed jeans are less likely to bleed their colors than raw jeans. Color bleeding, of course, is a phenomenon in which a garment leaks or loses some of its dye. Most jeans are dyed blue. But even if a pair of jeans features an entirely different color, it will likely have dye. Color bleeding involves some of this dye escaping from the jeans.
Disadvantages of Hard-Washed Jeans
There are a few potential disadvantages associated with hard-washed jeans. Since they are made of washed denim, for example, they may have a lighter tone than raw jeans. Many washed denim jeans are lighter than raw jeans. The process of washing denim creates a lighter tone, which is apparent with hard-washed jeans.
Not all stores sell hard-washed jeans, either. Whether you’re shopping locally or online, you may discover that many stores only sell raw jeans. Of course, this shouldn’t stop you from seeking hard-washed jeans. If you know where to find them, you can purchase a pair of high-quality hard-washed jeans.
Aside from a lighter tone, as well as limited availability, there aren’t many disadvantages associated with hard-washed jeans. They’ve become a popular choice among men and women alike. Hard-washed jeans offer all of the same benefits as traditional jeans but with a few added benefits: They are softer, better protected against shrinkage and don’t bleed their colors.
How to Choose Hard-Washed Jeans
When shopping for hard-washed jeans, there are a few things you should consider. First and foremost, you should choose hard-washed jeans in an appropriate color. You can find hard-washed jeans available in many of the same colors as traditional jeans, including blue.
Blue, including light blue and indigo, are two of the most popular colors for hard-washed jeans. With that said, hard-washed jeans are available in countless other colors. Black has become a popular color for hard-washed jeans. It’s versatile, modern and conceals stains.
Something else to consider when choosing hard-washed jeans is whether you want regular or stretch them. Hard-washed jeans are available in both types of denim. Regular denim is simply traditional denim consisting entirely of cotton. Stretch denim, on the other hand, is a newer type of denim consisting of cotton mixed with a small amount of an elastic fabric.
When made of stretch denim, hard-washed jeans are more elastic. In other words, you can stretch them. They aren’t rigid or stiff. Rather, they are elastic, which is achieved from their use of an elastic fabric like lycra or polyester. Only hard-washed denim featuring stretch denim have these physical properties.
You should consider the pocket style when choosing hard-washed jeans. All hard-washed jeans, as well as raw jeans, have pockets. You typically won’t find any jeans without pockets. Nonetheless, some of them have more pockets than others, and the placement of their respective pockets can vary. If you’re going to buy a pair of hard-washed jeans, you should check to see how many pockets they have and where the pockets are located.
Don’t forget to consider the size. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all pair of hard-washed jeans. Like all jeans, hard-washed jeans are available in different sizes. For the perfect fit, it’s recommended that you choose a pair of custom-sized hard-washed jeans. You can order hard-washed jeans in a custom size here at MakeYourOwnJeans.
Custom-sized hard-washed jeans are designed using your own measurements. They don’t feature generic sizes. Rather, they are made based on the body measurements that you provide. As a result, they fit better than traditional hard-washed jeans.
