Tempted to wash your jeans after every single wear? CEO of Levi Strauss & Co., Chip Bergh, says not to! Trust him, he’s a professional! The man in charge of America’s favorite brand of denim, for over 141 years, wants you to rethink everything you ever thought you knew about washing your jeans.
In an interview at Fortune Magazine’s Brainstorm Green conference in California, Chip Bergh said “These jeans are maybe a year old and these have yet to see a washing machine,” referring to his own jeans. “I know that sounds totally disgusting, I know it does.” While it might very well be pretty gross, the CEO continued, saying that avoiding the washing machine will help your jeans maintain their shape and color, saying “If you talk to real denim aficionados, they tell you don’t wash your blue jeans.”
Indeed, he was right. Even fashion designer, Tommy Hilfiger, shamelessly told TMZ that he practices the same ritual. “I never wash my Levi’s,” the designer told the Celebrity website last year.
So, if washing your jeans isn’t the answer, what is? Some experts say that using white vinegar or vodka to clean the jeans and letting them hang to dry is a great remedy. Others recommend freezing your jeans inside out overnight, or even for several days, to help kills off odors from lingering bacteria.
Try these techniques next time you feel tempted to risk fading yet another pair of jeans in your washing machine. What have you got to lose?
