We’ve all seen them, those bubbled-up places on your favorite jeans that, just, won’t flatten out. So, why am I getting these weird stretch marks on my jeans, and how do I repair them? These marks are usually a result of too much heat. In this month’s article we will help you avoid doing this in the future.
What Causes Them?
Denim or jeans were originally made from a twill weave of cotton, silk, and wool materials. This blend produced a sturdy product that served the working man or woman well. However, as new materials became available denim has transformed into a blend of modern materials. Most of which contain polyesters.
It’s polyester in your denim jeans, which gives our modern jeans the stretch we love so well. Nevertheless, that same material is causing those hideous stretch marks.
How To Avoid Stretch Marks
Over time, your jeans will naturally lose their stretch and start to get worn out. In order to keep them from breaking down so quickly, we recommend the following:
Remember that polyester materials are a type of plastic that begins to break down at 302º F. As a result, if the polyester is exposed to high heat – like in your hot water and hot dryer– it can break down and cause the stretch to release permanently. This results in unsightly bulges of material throughout your jeans. Therefore, if your denim contains polyester, we strongly suggest that you only wash them in cool (Or at most warm) water and let them air dry.
Can They Be Repaired?
Unfortunately, once the stretch in your jeans has been damaged, there is no way to repair it. Some people may try ironing their stretched jeans to repair them. However, since heat is what caused the problem, ironing them will only add insult to injury.
If you want to avoid this problem altogether, you could always buy 100% cotton jeans. Companies such as Lee, Levi, Wrangler, Dearborn, Gap, and more, still offer non-stretch denim. Non-stretch denim is a great solution, if your jeans get too dirty for a cold water wash (Ie: manure, oil, grease, sweat, stains etc…).
Check out our other article about Plastics and they harm they can do.>>
