We recommend washing your jeans by hand the first few times to preserve the indigo and prevent any unsightly creasing and premature marbling.
After you’ve washed your jeans by hand several times - by this point your creases have set and your jeans have already begun to fade - machine washing is safe so long as you have a front loading washing machine. We do not recommend washing your jeans using a top loading washing machine because jeans often twist around the center agitator, creating strange fade lines that look like marbling. You won’t like it.
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Prep
Unroll your jeans if they’re cuffed, remove anything from the pockets and give your jeans a few shakes to get rid of excess dust or dirt that may have accumulated on the surface.
Turn your jeans completely inside out and fill a bathtub or sink with warm water. If necessary, add a few drops of color safe laundry detergent to the water and mix. We recommend Woolite Dark or Dr. Bronners but have found that any detergent will work just fine.
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Soak
Submerge your jeans fully into the water, holding them down to allow for the fabric to become fully soaked. You’ll notice the water might start to turn a yellowish greenish color. No need to be alarmed, this is completely normal. It is only a mix of dirt, sweat and indigo that is shedding off of the fabric.
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Agitate
Give your jeans a bit of agitation every few minutes and flip them occasionally because they will tend to float to the surface. You can also use something weighted like a filled glass bottle to keep your jeans fully submerged. You do not need to scrub the jeans.
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Rinse
After about 15 minutes, drain the water and run some fresh water through your jeans to get out any excess detergent. Then you can flip them right side out and gently wring out the excess water.
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Line dry
Hang them up to drip dry in a sunny, warm, well-ventilated area.
