The Levis CEO doesnt wash his jeans except in the shower when hes wearing them
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Today in “rich people are gross” news, Levi’s CEO Charles Bergh claims that he never puts his jeans in the washing machine. He first made this claim about ten years ago and people interpreted it to mean that you should never wash your jeans at all. Now Charles is clarifying to CNBC that he does actually wash his jeans. How? He will wear them into the shower and soap them up that way. I can’t do this, you guys. I can’t take this man seriously. The thought of wearing jeans in the shower is so unpleasant. Have you ever tried to get out of a soaking wet pair of jeans? I have. It’s not fun. Washing your jeans on your body in the shower…it feels like something Elon Musk or Zuck would do just to be contrarian and annoying. It’s peak “I live a sheltered, wealthy life so I have to manufacture experiences of struggle and discomfort” behavior. People who are obsessed with denim will say to never wash jeans, but I have some informed thoughts about this–I used to sell raw selvedge denim many years ago when I worked at a men’s clothing store.
For most pieces of clothing, it’s clear they should be washed after a few wears. But jeans can be more divisive, with some even saying to never wash them.
And in parts, Levi Strauss CEO Charles Bergh may be to blame for that. Even though he didn’t quite mean for that to be the main takeaway from an event he spoke at in 2014.
“I never said don’t wash your jeans,” he clarified in conversation with CNBC’s Christine Tan as part of the “Managing Asia” show broadcast last month.
Bergh still doesn’t use a washing machine to clean his denim. “True denim heads, people that really love their denim, will tell you to never put your denim into a washing machine. So that’s what I do.”
Denim lovers often say washing jeans will impact their shape and color, while keeping them unwashed will improve their appearance through creases and exposure to the elements. Not washing them is also said to make them last longer as it will prevent the denim’s fibers from wearing down — which could lead to holes or rips.
But Bergh also doesn’t just leave his jeans to get messy and covered in dirt.
“If I drop some curry on my jeans, I’m gonna clean it. But I’ll spot clean it. And if they get really gross you know, if I’ve been out sweating or something and they get really gross, I’ll wash them in the shower,” he said.
[From CNBC]
If you don’t sweat continuously like I do, you can wear jeans a few times without issues, just like bras. (Bras hold their shape better and last longer if you space out the washes a bit.) But after three or so wears, jeans will start to smell just like anything else that makes direct contact with your skin. Now, I will say that I refuse to put my jeans in the dryer because it does wear out the fibers faster. I lay them flat to dry instead. But if you wash them inside out, in cold water, on the gentle cycle with a gentle detergent, it is fine.
Raw selvedge denim is the untreated fabric that Levi Strauss chose for its rugged durability back in the 1850s. You can still get it now, but it is much stiffer than regular jeans, which are treated with enzymes for softness. We used to tell people that the easiest way to break in raw selvedge jeans was to put them on and get into a tub of cold water. This works but it’s an awful sensory experience, and it also won’t clean your jeans. Marilyn Monroe supposedly used to do this with men’s jeans from the Army surplus store. She liked to wear jeans for running and weight training, and she would wear them into the ocean and they would mold to her body. Anyway, I think it’s nonsense that jeans can go months or years without being washed. Why do rich people have to invent new ways to be stinky when the rest of us are out here showering every day and doing four loads of laundry a week?
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