IH-666-XHS - 25oz Selvedge Denim Slim Straight Cut Jeans - Indigo

Autorotate

I too have had a similar path with IH.
Seeing the praise and the results of XHS on this forum compelled me to get a pair this winter. I relocated away from southern California recently, and my new climate allows a heavier denim in winter months.
After scrutinizing the IHUK size charts, and seeking advice from the crew, the following is what I do now with new, unwashed, sanforized IH jeans:
-Try them on to ensure no obvious flaws. I also measure the waist and inseam for before/after specs.
-Soak inside out in a warm soak with a few small drops of laundry detergent. This helps loosen any starch and/or other finishing chemicals in the fabric. Leave for 1 hour.
-Drain water. 2 more warm “rinses”. One right after the other, replacing the water each time.
-directly into the front loading machine for 30 minutes on a gentle cycle. Add a few drops of detergent Remove them soaking wet, before the spin.
-back into the soaking tub for a final warm “rinse” in clean water.
-Lay them flat onto a dry towel and roll the towel to remove excess water.
-Hang in a dry, warm room, straighten and remove vertical creases and walk away for 24 hours.

This may seem laborious, but it is SO WORTH IT!!! The denim is now completely free of any starch and chemicals. And in my experience, indigo loss is negligible. For the first hour of wear, while you - and the jeans adapt to each other is the only moments of discomfort, if any. Creases set with ease and there has never been pain, blood, bruising etc. since using this technique.

Yes, I was nervous about ruining my $400+ jeans… but without removing the stiffening agents, I do not think I could go a day wearing these jeans. Sorry, not sorry.

The waist stretch does indeed occur within 10-15 wears. If upon the pre-wash fit the waist is very small, I use a waist stretcher to apply pressure during the drying phase to help with the “give”. For the button holes, I use a needle nose plier to gently elongate the holes.

I’m not a cuffer, so once this process is complete, off to a tailor that can do chainstich hemming. Despite the fabric being sanforized, indeed I have noticed the inseam shorten by as much as 1”. And yes, I have jeans that were hemmed before water, and I’ve lived to regret that. Damn!

Good luck with these pants. I’m only one month in, but these are easily my favorite of all IH denim. They are heavy-duty, well made, breathe excellently and feel sooooo comfortable.

I’ll think this is a great example on the beauty of this pair of denim. Everyone has it’s own journey with this kind of denim wich is so great! I always choose too soak them for around 30/40 minutes in the hottest tap water i can find, hang drip dry and start the journey. For me it’s part of the process to wiggle myself into the denim and make them soft with wear. Also i never had a xhs that gave my red stripes, but i like my denim to be relaxed.

kkibbey23

Any restocks soon?

Alex

Yes, due in the next month or so

AdamJ

RESTOCKING AT 1600GMT ON WEDNESDAY 15TH FEBRUARY

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piranha

Hello
Does anyone have knowledge to share regarding the shrink and stretch of your jeans in the waist and thighs? I’m considering these and I’m not certain which way sanforized denim will adjust to me.
Thanks.

@piranha it’s no exact math but likely 1 inch in waist/length and around 0,5” on the other places

Kasi

Been wearing 25oz one inch waist
Can make it go more bigger if needed

alexpupin

To soak or not to soak?

I'm leaving in 5' for a walk to the UPS pick up point to grab my new pair of 666 XHS

Between Mike's 25oz auction and the recent thread about IH rotation, I decided it was time to try the XHS weight, and make it a 666 cut at that.

Now the question is, be patient, follow the care instructions and soak the fabric first or take them for a spin for a week or so and feel as the denim breaks in?

I went back to the beginning of this thread and many of you just waited before soaking.

Suggestions and first hand experiences, please?

PS: I will continue fading daily the 634-anni until May, so I'll probably wear these new XHS initially for a few days and on Sundays until fall.

SKT

I’ve haven’t had a pair of XHS yet (for shame) but I’ll be interested in your experience. Will probably be my next pair as well for next fall. Good luck!

Jcaz6996

@alexpupin definitely recommend initial HOT soak before wearing them for 1hr don’t need to turn them inside out .
Once removed hang to drip dry .
I put my 555XHS on damp properly about 85% dry and walked around the house just to set the creases behind the knees don’t worry if you can’t do the top button up, soon as I was happy remove and hang to fully dry.

You don’t have to do the putting on damp just what I did .

Autorotate

@alexpupin I’m a big fan of soaking to release the starch and other chemicals. I go a step further and do a delicate wash cycle (only the first 15 mins) with maybe a tablespoon of detergent and extra water. No spin of course. Once out, I do a final cold tub rinse to get everything out of the fabric, and drip dry.
I completely understand - and respect - the rite of passage of wearing brand new, raw denim. I just hate that feeling - and perhaps I’m just impatient to start wearing really really comfy jeans. YMMV.

@alexpupin def a soak otherwise your fades will shift

alexpupin

Thanks everyone,
The consensus is to soak, so the XHS are already in the sink.
Will drip, dry, take new measures and wear them during the weekend.

@alexpupin hope they are dry before the weekend

Salted Racer

People who soak to get rid of chemicals I totally get that…I know there’s starch but are there really any “chemicals“ on IH jeans? Curious to know.

Autorotate

I think @Giles refers to the “chemicals” as a finishing agent… which is different from starch.

This all from memory… pretty sure I read this info here, and I’m pretty sure G will correct me/enlighten us.

Giles

The IH-634 (non-selvedge version) have some Haraki san fade retarding magic applied to them. But apart from that, any stuff in the denim is just sizing agent (usually starch)

https://www.ironheart.co.uk/forum/post/562165

Salted Racer

Thanks for including the link @Giles. Always enjoy the little glimpses into the production process!

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IH-666-XHS - 25oz Selvedge Denim Slim Straight Cut Jeans - Indigo