Shrinkage Fears

By
valetmag
on October 13, 2008 10:57 PM | | Comments (0)
Question

I want a pair of raw Levi's 501s, but I know they're supposed to shrink. Do I wash them before wearing? Or buy a size up?
- Sean, Philadelphia


Question
"Fit is as inherent to denim as it was when we invented the blue jean back in 1873," says Brett Anderson, of Levi's. "The general rule of thumb with our Shrink-to-Fit fabric is to buy the jean 1 to 2 inches up in the waist and 3 to 4 inches longer in the inseam." So for a 32x32, he suggests increasing to a 34x35. "Before wearing them, I'd wash them by hand in warm water, without soap. Soak for at least 15 minutes, moving the jean periodically to prevent the settling of the dyes." He did, of course, remind us there are many who buy the 501s in their exact size and then simply never wash them. $46, at Levi's.

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