Soaking: its not just that urban myth related to sex, it's also something you do to your denim....buy why? There are a number of reasons you should soak your denim, that number is 2, and the reasons are as follows.
Unsanforized Denim
As you know from checking out the terms page, unsanforized denim is NOT pre-shrunk meaning that it WILL shrink when you wear it. You can either let it happen when you don't expect it (sweating your balls off in the summer heat wearing full weight denim) or sit in a bath tub wearing your jeans so they shrink to your size. Unsanforized denim will shrink up to 10% so make sure to go up at least one size when purchasing.
If you don't do this, I can tell you from personal experience your jeans will feel like they are binding up tighter and tighter every day until your crotch blows out one night while hanging out back stage with a band. While you may not actually be hanging out with a band when it happens, I can promise the crotch will blow out and you will be very sad the $300 you spent on them jeans was all a waste.
When soaking your jeans, you need to consider how much shrink you are looking for, then base your water temp off of this. The warmer the water, the more the jeans will shrink, the cooler the water, the less they will. Though it is not necessary, wearing your jeans while shrinking them will truly customize the fit whereas if you soak them by themselves, you risk them shrinking too much and not fitting how you would like. Don't be that guy, sacrifice your comfort for a bit and wear them jeans in the tub.
Strengthening your Denim
So you have been wearing your denim for a few months and they are fading nicely...isn't that nice. You may notice at this point that the denim is starting to feel thinner and softer than when you purchased it; if its not, you aren't wearing the jeans enough. You may also notice there is some wear in the crotch area, maybe even some of the threads are breaking to expose the weft underneath. While this is an exciting time, its also a crucial period in determining the fate of your denim.
One should never wash too early as washing essentially stops the fading process, but that doesn't mean you can't soak. Soaking does something special, it restores the strength of the cotton lost through months of wear. If you have ever worn raw denim for a long period of time without washing, say a year or more, you may have noticed that the crotch came very close to, or maybe did, blow out. This is because the cotton became too brittle from lack of moisture and stress. The best way to combat the blow out is to soak every 6 months or so. Turn your jeans inside out, place them in a tub of cool water, weigh them down with whatever you have that sinks, and let them sit for 45-60 minutes while you enjoy a pants-less party session.
When your soak session has ended, hang them puppies up to dry. Don't roll them in a towel, don't hang them over a heater, just let them air dry in room temperature air. When they feel ok on the inside, turn them right-side out and let them finish that way.
Congratulations, you're now a soaker!
