Take 1: Unsanforized Denim

5 months ago I started working at Tate + Yoko and discovered Okayama Spirit while exploring the Naked & Famous Denim warehouse. I fell in love with the dry and nubby texture and tried them on. They fit me like a glove in a Weird Guy size 27. I brought them home, cut the hem long enough for an extra wide cuff and wore them to the office the next day. I decided not to soak the jeans. This is the first time I purchased a pair of unsanforized denim.

If you ever researched into the world of Unsanforized denim I'm sure your search engine has lead you to Reddit. Here is a recap of the information I came across:

 “You have to soak unsanforized denim to settle the seams”
“Make sure you size up 1 size. The denim will shrink at 1 size after washing.”
“Soak time and temperature of water depends on how much you want your denim to shrink”
“If you decide not to wash them, make sure you never get caught in the rain because this will result in some very weird looking denim”
“Wear your jeans while soaking them for the most custom fit”
"Get out of the tub in the wet jeans and wear them until they're dry for the most custom fit"
“Do not wear the jeans while soaking because it may lead to over stretching in areas on stress”
“If you decide not to wash them initially, you should never wash them”
“There are many types of unsanforized denim and they will all shrink differently”
“The denim will stretch approximately 1 inch after 30 days of wear”
“Inseam will shrink 1 inch after soaking and will not stretch back”
“Once you go unsanforized you never go back”

All of these different suggestions are confusing. I work with a team of crazy denim fanatics who have helped me, a first time unsanforized denim owner, sift through the wish-washy information. Good to know- Bahzad, Naked & Famous Denim Sales Manager, is very active on Reddit and keeps the conversation in check. Bahzad says "there is a lot of misinformation out there, unfortunately a lot of it still repeated.". 

 I've been wearing the Okayama Spirit's for 3 months.

I'm already starting to see noticeable fade patterns because this 16 oz super rigid denim creates lots of friction and the indigo easily rubs off the surface. However, because I went true to size I can’t wash or soak them, if I do they will become too small to wear. I want to keep the jeans fresh, so I have to be careful about where I wear them. They are a niche pair of denim hanging on my rack worn to spill free occasions like the office and low key brunch at Arthur's Nosh Bar.

This is not an inconvenience for me because I have a handful of jeans in rotation so I'm never stuck pant-less. However, if you're looking for a pair of jeans that you want to beat up and wear hard.. I definitely would not advise you to purchase unsanforized denim that you can not soak in a bath with a splash of dark detergent for a refresh. Size up and soak them so they will shrink to fit. I do think it would be much easier to get away with picking up a perfect fit unsanforized denim jacket and never washing it- but that's just a personal opinion. If you love the feel of unsanforized denim but you're not ready for the hassle, Tempi Treated jeans are a great alternative. It is an unsanforized jean that has gone through a soak treatment that is designed to preshrink the fabric and preserve the natural rigidness and beauty of the fabric. Ready to wear from day one and you don't need to worry about shrinkage.