Is RAW DENIM Making a Comeback?!?

[@jasonmitchell5219]

I hope you're right cos I feel there's a hole in the market at the moment with a lot of jean companies confused or just unsure in which direction to go. When I got into this it was only partially for fashion reasons. Yes, I love the look but I decided I was at an age where being fashionable was neither here nor there but rather that my wardrobe should just contain less but higher quality, comfortable and low maintenance garments that age extremely well. It makes life easier.

[@natashanicole7408]

Wise words

[@BuzzTx902]

First got into raw denim around 2008 at Jean Shop In NYC. Although I do like a nice pair of washed jeans, you can’t beat a good raw, I love the shine or glint that new raw denim has

[@ronnichols2624]

My preference is raw unwashed. Either sanforized or loomstate, but usually go with sanforized. Why? I love the sheen and smooth crispness of unwashed raw denim and canvas. I do not find it uncomfortable to break in, at least not in the 14 - 18 oz denims. But also enjoy my 20 oz and up denims when in the mood for something more substantial. I also do not wear one pair at a time, I have a stack I rotate through depending on my mood. Besides, once raw denim is rinsed or washed that beautiful sheen is gone.

[@svenkasper1002]

Iron Heart just re-released the UHR “Ultra Heavy Raw” 21/23 denim in all their cuts. Really thinking about getting a pair some day soon. Reminds me of my 501‘s back in the days when I was young, the ones that got heavier after the first wash.

[@Nick-dq8or]

Raw! That's what we are here for. It never went away for me.

[@phil41055]

Only got into raw denim recently. I used to only wear Duluth jeans, which are actually pretty slubby and faded nicely. I'm excited for the upcoming slubby elephant 11 from n&f

[@thomasbambrick1162]

The fifth pocket/coin pocket isn't pointless if you smoke and prefer a zippo lighter. A zippo or fale zippo fits in there perfect in most pants I wear and it also gets that age and character to the denim from a constant shape wearing on thee pocket. I don't like when pants don't have that little 5th/coin pocket

[@CeeAreDee]

I used to do that also. But with some pants I found that it pinched when on the bike or bending down.

[@stephenscala3114]

I've never considered raw denim to be popular in any sense. It's always been a niche interest in my eyes, and I've been around for a minute (2006 or so). As far as I can tell, I think a more accurate way of describing what's happened is that contrast fades have become way less popular, for both denim heads and average folk. Which I feel personally as well, jeans with high contrast fades (especially the over the top stuff that you'd see all over the internet on sufu, styleforum, fade of the day etc) are just less wearable imo. And I think the general public has leaned in that direction also, away from high contrast fades. As a result, I think it's become less important to denim heads to buy truly raw jeans and made them more willing to buy one wash, etc. Part of the point of buying raw in the first place was because they wore way harder and thus were more apt to develope high contrast fades. Just spitballin here though, wtf do I know

[@guynamedjohn69]

I watched you before I bought anything. First was 12 oz Japan blue, not thick enough so I got 15.7oz momotaro's 0306 in black and indigo. Those were my favorite and I still love them. But boy I got some iron heart 777 in 25oz. And that is my favorite pair! You know how crunchy they are but to me they are comfortable because of the cut and my body do not fight each other they are still slim but more comfortable than my momotaro's honestly! I think I'll only buy iron hearts moving forward. I'll never buy "washed" jeans but one wash isn't a big deal to me. Still get to put my fades in. My 2 cents. Lol

[@erichagen8053]

I just purchased some Iron Heart 777-UHR 21/23 oz jeans. I'm totally happy with my purchase!!

[@CeeAreDee]

Cool. Happy the heavy stuff works for you

[@fridgeninjas]

I've been into raw denim for about 4 years now and have acquired way too many pairs. None have been faded to a light blue, time to downsize the collection. I might keep my Samurais and a couple pairs of N&F and just wear them until both and I and the jeans turn to dust (Or willem dafoe, whichever comes first).

[@analogheritage8987]

Great question! Don’t mind true raw, but like you, prefer one wash as well. Makes it easier to get the desired fades.

[@alanward4671]

For me, the question of raw or one-wash is secondary - by a long way - to sourcing your denim from a seller you can rely on to give the right info and measurements. Raw is ok if I can be sure of how much they'll shrink, one-wash is fine if I can be sure that they've really only had one soak to take out the main shrinkage. Most smaller, independent retailers are good for this but some of the bigger players are a nightmare. Years ago, I bought a pair of LVC 1966 501s which were sold as having had one soak to soften them and remove the bulk of the shrinkage. Three months later, they were in pieces and in the bin. To be fair, I've also had some top stuff from LVC, but there is no way I can trust them and they're far from from the only culprits. And sorry, mate - I rarely disagree strongly with anything you say but the coin pocket rivets without a coin pocket are fucking idiotic. Just my opinion!

[@xXcangjieXx]

Not a fan of LVC, having compared their 1966 and 1984 cut to real redlines from those eras I can say that they aren’t very accurate. Plus the longest inseam they sell is a 34 inch which will shrink to a 31.

[@alanward4671]

@@xXcangjieXx To be honest, I don't know enough to comment on how true to the original they were. I can say they were a great fit, the cut wasn't far removed from the 1947s. It was just crap denim, and this was back in the Cone Mills days too.

[@perforce1]

As a decently experienced denimhead, my 2 most recent purchases are TCB 50’s and Warehouse DD-1001XX.

[@Ives1776]

I tried on IH's 25 oz unsanforized denim and my god it was so uncomfortable even though it was like a size and a half too big. Swapped to their 21 oz and it was comfortable for the first while but once they stretched out they got uncomfortable too. I got some IH 14 oz fade to grey denim jeans and they fit so much better.

[@svenkasper1002]

I have all three IH denim weights, my 25 Oz are sanforized though, and I don‘t find the 21 or 25 that uncomfortable I must say. Of course movability is restricted in the 25 Oz at the beginning, but after a while they do soften up quite a bit and you‘re actually able to pick up things from the floor or walk up stairways without looking totally stupid. The 21 Oz is pretty much comfortable out of the box I would say. I think it all depends on the cut you‘re getting and if that cut actually suits your body. And sure the 14 Oz are more comfortable than the other weights, but I do love the extra 11 Oz when temperatures are getting colder again.

[@LeadLeftLeon]

25 Oz is overkill. Where do these wearers live in some incredibly cold climate. I found 17 oz Samurais to be ideal. 21 oz iron hearts take long to break in and feel heavy

[@svenkasper1002]

@@LeadLeftLeon I don’t think that 25 Oz is overkill. The way the fades are building up is just awesome. And of course the 21 Oz are feeling heavier than the 17 Oz Samurai, but they are super soft out of the box and not that hard to break in IMO. At least compared to the 25 Oz that is of course. But I do love the way the heavy denim feels and “falls”, or you could also say stands 😅

[@LeadLeftLeon]

@@svenkasper1002 yeah I’m in Seattle. 17 or 18 is perfect for year round. 15ish oz Momotaros work but after experiencing thicker you don’t want to go back lol. I have a pair of 21 oz IH for the winter

[@imnavii531]

Just bought my first pair of raws from Haven Court :)

[@Jackson-jk9ff]

The „usless“ seam on the backpockets is because they use two layers of denim in this area to reinforce the backpockets and make the more tough against wear and tear if you carrying your wallet in your backpocket. :-) Their fabric maybe is nothing to write home about, but their designs‘re. They so clever designed, so much attention to detail. Look at their classic 3301, may dosent look special, its their normal 5 Pocket jeans, but get one try it on and you will see, their fit, construction is perfection! Their more experiental designs are even wilder, hidden pocket, attached zip pockets but attached clever. In terms of fit and construction G Star is spot on! Btw: i think they tend to fit slim people the most.

[@eundoparkmusic]

I have a pair of G Star selvedge and I got them because I was super curious how a fashion brand did selvedge. They're stretch 14 ounce and pretty decent. They're however not raw

[@CeeAreDee]

I was tempted by the 3D style. But then o remembered I am 40 😂

[@BobStetson]

I wear one wash unsanforized but I have two pairs of sanforized. It doesn’t really matter to me if they have touched water before I put them on, the one wash doesn’t do much to the fabric other than get some shrink out.

[@johnnyc.3261]

Not real fan of stretch denim but I got some Kato 4 way stretch jeans and they’re insanely comfortable and a great fit. I love to wear heavy canvas or denim pants most of the time(all 12oz or higher) but those Kato’s are something special, I haven’t had them long enough to see fades but if they fade properly, I can’t recommend these enough.

[@andrewbeddows7500]

Only this week I bought 2 pairs of selvedge denim, a One washed pair and and my first pair of RAW. I was only after the One washed but curiosity about the whole RAW denim journey finally got the better of me, so I bit the bullet and bought a pair of 21/23oz Iron Heart. They are now washed, stiff as hell , fit great and will be my project pair through the winter. However, this will probably be the only pair of RAW I ever buy as I'm quite happy with One washed.

[@matthouston8411]

I kept wearing out really great looking but thin Calvin Klein jeans that were hard to find. Basically I have one great pair made in Mauritania and they are super thin and comfortable but after a few weeks I started getting a hole in the knee! So Instead of buying 4 of them a year it made sense to look for something that would last through a couple years

[@damondrion78]

I’m by far seasoned but familiar would describe me better! I’ve just purchased the PBJ SR-019 and for sure intend on continuing on the journey.

[@jaba2276]

Now Nudie are pushing on their website. Nice video! I think it's a comeback. I'm wearing one one wash, one washed and one raw Nudie Jeans at the moment

[@markopolo9936]

I’m pretty new to quality denim but have worn almost exclusively Levi’s for about 15 years. I’ve had raw, but tend to go one washed as they are a lot more predictable when washing and are generally more comfortable. That being said, nothing gives fades like raw denim!

[@buckeygoldstar6210]

As for what I buy, I lean towards what Is available for my budget at any given time - However , Always seems I can find Original 501 shrink to fit or Wangler Mw30 Cowboy cut at decent prices at any given time

[@superandz]

I like all denim I have washed, stretch, raw selvedge, japanese denim the lot.

[@CeeAreDee]

👖

[@devinhurt7698]

I wish I've gotten that ad its significantly better than the ads that I get

[@bobdavis3636]

By this time in my collection of denim I have all of the styles and washes covered. I don't need any more options unless I just want to spend more $$. This question would be for the new aficionado as to whether they want raw, 1 wash etc.. I don't need more options.

[@nomadicsouls3290]

Never had a pair of Raw denims. Spending a lot of money on a pair of jeans that may or may not fit you after washing is too much grief.

[@loadedpainted7040]

levis 501 STF are pretty cheap depending on where u are in the world.

[@nomadicsouls3290]

@@loadedpainted7040 Never looked at Levi’s 501 STF before. It’s the whole soak before wearing to get the shrinkage out. Why bother if I can pick up a pair of pre-shrunk denims? What’s so special about a pair of Raw denims?

[@adamkreuz9068]

I think most denim companies offer sanforized now

[@loadedpainted7040]

@@nomadicsouls3290 you can also get any levis denim that has 'rigid' in the title like their 'rigid dragon' denim and those are pre shrunk AKA sanforized. and it's all about creating ur own fades and ur jeans telling a story of ur life. it's very similar to real leather getting a nice patina with wear. it's just knowing you did that and the fading/wear is entirely unique to you and to that period of ur life. not to mention the fading always looks way better and more natural than mechanically faded/distressed jeans. the feel and the quality is just better too. they'll probably last you longer if u treat them right. I feel like if u get ur hands on a pair and wear them until u start to see some fades ull get what i mean.

[@Cdotpdot]

G Star Raw think they were call Elwood and had a 96 stitched on the back. Also had a sinch back, thats what started it all for me. Then onto Edwin, the indie kids went nudie. Agggghhh nostalgia. Don’t think I have bought a pair of jeans that were not raw for about 20 years. Love the crispy stage. Don’t love the denim bleed..

[@CeeAreDee]

I’m such a fan of one wash these days. No crispy stage and no bleed.

[@lukemcevoy2385]

Before anyone did anything, Evisu did everything

[@MrMax42099]

Are you going to make any new videos? I just checked and its been 10 months! I sure wish you would because they were really getting good! Hope all is well, cheers

[@cvzv93]

The Triple A has a coin pocket. G Star just placed it behind the waist :) that’s why there is a rivet that looks a design thing in place of the pocket …

[@CeeAreDee]

So wait. It’s on the inside?

[@cvzv93]

@@CeeAreDee -- Yup … i was surprised myself when i received my first Triple A ….

[@CeeAreDee]

@@cvzv93 ok. Interesting.

[@55555Deadman]

Will Uniqlo selvedge jeans shrink after washing?

[@soccer171717]

I used to be really into "raw" denim when I first started but nowadays I'm buying one washed if its available. Takes a bunch of the guess work out of the shrinking process. Im at the point where i have found my favorite brand and just wait for dope stuff to drop from them.

[@mcdermott9656]

What brand do you like?

[@soccer171717]

@@mcdermott9656 PBJ is my go to brand nowadays followed by SDA and TCB.

[@MS-bl9oy]

Half off G Star Raw pleated jorts!? G Star is back.

[@colmcgillveray1010]

I have been wearing 2 pairs of 10 year old Albans recently..Got about 10 pairs of Japanese highend jeans that i have not really made much of a dent in. Being skint help when you are breaking in jeans.

[@loadedpainted7040]

as a denimhead of 7 years I still like the raw denim. but I don't go unsanforized very often because left field nyc hasn't really offered much in that realm which is where i get 90% of my denim from.

[@actontreadway1168]

So fascinating that Gstar would come up here. It makes sense, I guess, but I always looked at it like it was a brand that wasn’t for me. I own a bunch of it, but it’s like a guilty pleasure or something. I only ever see it in Asia, mind you, so I always felt I was kind of a weeb for wearing it. I have found a lot of great stuff there so I just wear it because I love it, but I’ve been waiting for someone to call me out on it.

[@b8tzim767]

Would be interesting to get your take on raw loomstate vs. raw sanforized denim. .

[@seanhaines426]

It’s good that G star is trying to gain some new interest in raw denim. Off topic but have you looked into wingman denim? Looks really good especially for price. Also shirts and jackets. Shipping to the states is a bit gouging, but still possibly worth it if you buy a few pairs at once. Anyway can’t find any reviews in English. Would love to see a review on this brand. The site even has a fade archive on the different weights. This looks very promising

[@loadedpainted7040]

I dont find the coin pocket useless. i can keep my utility knife in there at work or my vape outside of work for easy access. just sayin lol

[@Amantino]

What jacket is that behind you, second from the left (your right)?

[@alexdefaro]

I'm into not buying anything more until I'm able to get at least one of my 10 pairs of jeans with reasonably faded 😂😂😂

[@LeadLeftLeon]

What gets more shrinkage out of the way between sanforized vs one wash? And why choose one over the other

[@GPhillipss]

You should watch Keezy TV. He is bringing the selvedge denim hype back. He makes his own Japanese denim selvedge jeans and i own a pair. They are super well made

[@kristianpeterson2571]

Well, I love the idea of raw denim. But living on a budget, I am at the mercy of the thrift gods. So, obviously I can’t look for raw denim. However, I have had decent luck finding then occasional pair of selvedge jeans. My favorite pair right now is a pair of G, by Guess selvedge jeans. They’re very well made, complete with chain stitched hems, and the belt loops that are sewn under the waistline. Slightly slubby, they’re conforming well to my shape. And I’m starting to see the fades coming through. I wouldn’t have thought china would make selvedge, but well done, nonetheless.

[@emergencyflowers]

I don't think it was ever popular to begin with and that was part of the appeal. Denimheads were/are a small community. I've destroyed my share of Samurai, Studio D'artisan, Sugar Cane, Flat Heads, PBJ, Strike Gold, and Iron Hearts (the pair that got it all started), and spent far too many hours reading Superfuture. I currently have enough unworn pairs to last 3 lifetimes, if they still fit. It can be an expensive hobby, and unsanfordized is risky. Not to mention the variation between different lots of the same cut in the same size. I'll always appreciate nicely worn in denim, but as I got older my interests/values changed and I'm no longer willing to pay $350 (or often more) for something that I'm not that interested in even though my income far exceeds what it did back then. Besides, the best looking pair of faded jeans I ever saw were a $20 pair of Rustlers worn by a construction worker placing concrete for a sidewalk. Changed my perspective on it. But to each their own. 🙂

[@mirosawirzyk5247]

I'm a HARDCORE DENIM HEAD (and Polish, hi neighbour) - the only pain I had was with over 20 OZ raw denim (like Unbranded Brand)...

[@tailorsoldierspy6464]

Hey wait a minute I need my coin pocket to store my lighter as I am a cigarette smoker

[@gunneryelton347]

I’m looking for a mid-weight (18oz) black selvedge denim pants to wear to get married (not a proper wedding, just a ceremonious courthouse wedding) and I’m not looking to break the bank. Anyone have any suggestions?

[@teksgeroi]

Coin pocket is not useless! At least I use it for keys (or airpods case).

[@DIYTutorialGuy]

I’ve always liked raw denim; the brand new stiff-as-a-board feel of the jeans, the break-in process, and wearing the shit out of them to make them “my own!” To be honest, I do me and never care what anyone else thinks of what I’m wearing, so raw denim is perfect for my style!

[@NoskosBBQ]

Still love a nice crispy pair to break in 😁

[@XFS540]

What exactly is “G-Star” anyway? Is it a brand intended to cater to an urban/street vibe or something?

[@CeeAreDee]

I’d say that’s a pretty accurate picture of where the brand is now.

[@jamesineson]

Does one wash fade still??

[@natashanicole7408]

What Watch are you wearing in this? Couldn’t find it in the bio 😅

[@benkang7177]

when I was in college, I knew about Nudie and had a pair of nudies. Then I bought a G Star 3301 black dry jeans, I wear them everyday and saw fades that I couldnt find on my nudies. Anyways, nowadays i try to look for great fabric for my jeans and if they are selvedge, even better.

[@traviscabello7365]

The coin pocket is made for a pocket watch. Not coins 😊

[@jaggavan]

Id actually forgot about gstar raws. Damn nostalgia to my early teens. Baggy hip hop style raw denim jeans made me look like a white wannabe 90s rapper lol

[@atticusmcfarlane9283]

Woah, LVC is potentially going under? I’d love to learn more.

[@stricht8]

Who cares. The company is woke.

[@kelseymolon]

I’m a potential new denim head and way before I always thought raw is the way to go as I look at washed denim unoriginal 😂

[@saleemwaheed9956]

Raw denim didn’t go out style. At least not in the States. What has happened is the number of manufacturers and brick and mortar stores have dwindled.

[@zhaqrath858]

Endrime denim vs g star?

[@cameronatkins7496]

Lol I've never seen that ad

[@guynamedjohn69]

As far as the title of your video goes I don't think it is making it come back because most normal people stop listening as soon as you say jeans are $300 plus. Absolutely none of my friends or colleagues care about raw denim. Out of my 800 friends on Facebook none of them care about raw denim either. Walking around my city I have never seen another selvedge edge. Maybe it's just where I am but it is not a known thing here I feel like I'm the only one.

[@GreenPois0n124]

I visit Philadelphia a lot. I have maybe seen selvedge 3-5 times out in public. One day, a woman actually complimented me on my APC’s. I agree, the price makes most people shy away, but these days it’s getting more common for sure.

[@GreenPois0n124]

@Pike Fish I’ve only ever bought 1 pair of selvedge for myself, were only ~120 shipped from Amsterdam after being hemmed down to 32” inseam. My APC’s and Momotaro’s were both gifted to me, I love them all. The nice thing is, no one is telling you how to spend your money!

[@akira0583]

@Pike Fish I would

[@jimmylee2745]

@@GreenPois0n124 my momotaro got the most compliments too. People always ask me what brand it is becasue of the white block stripe branding. For most people, they can't tell the difference between an expensive one vs a cheap raw denim. The avg person who spending $300 + on a pair of jeans, they want other people to know it is expensive by some sorta of branding . That's why momotaro Is one of the more popular expensive raw denim brand.

[@GreenPois0n124]

@@jimmylee2745 I should have specified, I own the (G-017?) copper label! So thick back patch with the rivets, and no back pocket paint. I personally like both styles, but figured I’d go with something a bit more toned down. The pink inseam and unique selvedge ID really are what people enjoy, which makes me happy

[@uyi2g4eva]

Raw denim is probably not good business for the major jeans company as they tend to last longer and you are not buying jeans from them every year.

[@Sy7j3wdDPS]

Went for a walk to the mall in my city, probably met over 5 selvedge users ranging from local brands to nudies Wearing my Studio D’artisan’s SD108s tho 🤤🤤

[@Crewdbal]

Raw is going nowhere but staying a niche. 200$ for a jean is never going to get into mainstream mentality. Obviously the niche might get a bit bigger with time because of how more and more people are seeking quality products, but is it a comeback ? I dont think so.

[@LeadLeftLeon]

Stf raw is outdated old tech. Imagine using a 1G flip phone because that’s how things used to be. There’s newer and better, but you’ll be authentic with the obsolete

[@elephantricity]

cant get over how off center cut your jacket looks.

[@CeeAreDee]

You’ll get over it eventually.

[@elephantricity]

@@CeeAreDee not until this video is deleted unfortunately

[@CeeAreDee]

@@elephantricity oh well. Guess you’ve got some lasting trauma. Good luck.

[@Tiger24kicks]

I have 3 raw jeans and 1 raw denim jacket all nudie

[@CeeAreDee]

Good choice.

[@Tiger24kicks]

@@CeeAreDee your channel got me back into denim. My love for raw denim had died, back in 2011 Nudie Jeans was my first brand and I got into today I just ordered my 10th Nudie jeans this year and 2 Nudie jean jacket. Later this week I'll be getting another pair.

[@lukemcevoy2385]

No. No it isn't.