DrDenimJeansmakers

Josh's Nudies after 15 months in 13 seconds

2011-11-24T12:09:00.003+01:00

Here's Josh with his pair of Nudies, showing the day to day wear during a period of 15months.

Stretch the seams after the wash

2011-11-10T16:17:00.003+01:00

Before I washed my first pair of raw denims, I was chatting to Alexander from Dr.Denim and his first bit of advice to me was to stretch the seams after the wash. The reason he said was that the thread used for the seams, are different than that used in the actual denim, so it sort of pulls together after the wash. The shrinking also doesn't help with the seams. What you got to do after the wash is to grab the crotch and the hem, and pull, as you can see in the picture above. Give it a good stretch, and it should help with getting the seams back to "normal".

The front of the knees before and after the wash

2011-10-14T13:16:00.003+02:00

Here we go with the knees before and after the wash. This is the front. Three things are very clear. For one the stretching in the knees after 6 months of wear. The second thing is the colouration after the wash and thirdly there's the shinyness of the jeans, on the left, after 6 months of wear.

I love the way the folds are so clear on the left, but after the wash they're just marks on the denim. It's why I do these tests.

The crotch and the seat before and after

2011-10-12T10:34:00.003+02:00

Today I'm looking at the front and back of the jeans before and after the wash. The crotch and the seat areas as they say.

You'll notice, as always, the shiny-ness of the before photos on the left, and the matt colour of the after photos on the right. Then the standard colouration that happens because of the wash. The other thing is that the folds which is clearly shown on the left are now just marks on the right. Tomorrow I'll show photos of the knees fron and back, where you can see it more clearly.

NY Daily News.com

2011-10-11T16:13:00.005+02:00

I always scour the web for information about jeans and denim, especially Raw Denim. Every now and again though I stumble upon articles about my blog, which is always an honour to be mentioned. Here's one I found on NY Daily News called Working stiffs: Raw denim lovers wear their jeans for years without washing them.

Music made with 1000 pairs of jeans

2011-10-11T13:40:00.001+02:00

There's always something new and interesting once you start searching for the word denim or jeans on the internet. The above video isn't necessarily the best video, but it's an interesting idea and looked like a lot of fun.

360 degree before and after wash

2011-10-10T13:23:00.005+02:00

I've managed to build a 360 degree view of the Ormond Selvage jeans, before and after the wash. I'm going to compare more closer areas this week, but for now you can see them on me in 360 degrees. I tried to get the light the same on both days, cloudy and so on, but there was rain on day one, and not on day two, which always affects colour in photography.

You'll notice the hems are rolled up smaller after the wash. This is because the jeans have shrunk. It's usually 5%, or 2cm, but this may differ wash to wash. I try to not use the spin cycle after the wash, as this removes more indigo ink than I am happy with. I still like the dark colour, however you can see the colour is lighter on day two.

Treeger. A new favourite from Dr.Denim

2011-09-29T16:22:00.006+02:00

I was ambling through my favourite store Red Devil, and stumbled upon a pair of Dr.Denims that I haven't seen before. A wash I liked and a cut that fitted me as well as Terence and Ormond does. The style is called Treeger and this particular wash is called Old Used. A straight-ish leg that's a little loose, but not too much. Very comfortable indeed. I'm really keen to get hold of a pair of Blue Black Raw's, cause I think it'll look fantastic after wearing them unwashed for 6 months. For now I have a washed pair that feels great and fits me really well.

In case you're wondering, the boots are Red Wings. Probably the best buy I've made shoe-wise. So far I've had them nearly one year and looking forward to the first snow. They're comfortable to walk in and really warm too matched with my woolen Happy Socks.

Day 188 Winner

2011-09-05T10:28:00.000+02:00

Here's blog post by Dr.Denim about my jeans. They came out really good.

Day 187 Washing tips

2011-09-04T08:32:00.003+02:00

Here's a post I found on 'How to wash denim'. Some good advice. As there are a hundred ways to get from point A to point B, so it is with washing denim. Everyone has their own way. I wash mine in the same way i wash all my other clothing, with the exception of the first two washes. The reason is simple. Have a look at the pics above, where I washed a white T-shirt along with my pair of Dr.Denim Terence Raw. With the first two washes, no matter what you do, you want to be careful, as there's a lot of blue ink washing out.

Day 185 How I washed my jeans

2011-09-02T16:26:00.009+02:00

What I think is important when washing your jeans, is to fold them inside out. This keeps a lot of the indigo dye in the denim, which prevents fading, as well as protect the exposed outer seams.

On day 161 I crashed my bike and got a big grease stain on my knee. I always use vanish when washing, and this means my denim too, if they ever get washed. I wasn't sure it would work so well, because the stain has had 20 odd days to settle into the fabric. I am glad to report that the stain is completely gone.

The washing machine I use has a lot of settings, so I choose the one that seems most appropriate, called 'Denim'. The only problem I have is that the program ends with a spin cycle, which I try to avoid. The reason for this is that the spin cycle, no matter how slow, sucks out all the water. This means dye, which means more fading than is absolutely necessary. So I always set my alarm to 5 minutes before the cycle ends, so I can pull the plug and hang them up wet, to dry naturally.

Tomorrow I will publish some photos after the wash, stretching the seams and hanging them up.

Day 184 After the wash

2011-09-01T10:44:00.004+02:00

I spent last night washing the jeans after 180 days. I'll post some photos in the following week on the wash and what I did, but I thought I'd just publish the photos of what they look like today. One thing you can immediately see is the shrinking. I have had the hems rolled up twice with a rather large fold, but as you can see this morning, they're rolled up much less and thinner. They are fitting extremely well and feel great. Much softer and I think the colour and markings came out great.

More photos to come.

Day 183 Time for a wash

2011-08-31T13:59:00.007+02:00

It's finally that time. Time for a wash. 6 months have come and gone and they're looking good, but like I said smelling a bit. The two photos above is what they look like today. I will wash them tonight, then publish some photos of them as well as compare them before and after.

Day 182 Dirty

2011-08-30T14:19:00.000+02:00

Here's two pictures to show the dirt on the inside hem that I roll up. I wear a 34 leg, but because the jeans stretch so much from wearing them every day, plus the fact that they haven't shrunk yet, makes them sit a little lower than usual. This means that in the end I needed to fold them hem up twice instead of the usual once. You can clearly see how dirty they became from just and every day wear. A little gross really, but all in the name of fashion.

Day 181 Express.be

2011-08-29T15:17:00.003+02:00

My blog was featured on the Belgium website Express.be in October 2010 under the tag Joker. Maybe so, but also maybe misunderstood. It's very interesting reading the articles, because if you're not a denim lover, or more specific a raw denim lover, you always focus on the fact that the jeans are unwashed or dirty, where a denim lover will focus on the fact that the wear is great or the colour is fading nicely. All to their own I suppose.

It was featured again this last month, again under joker, but this time because I threw my jeans in the freezer for a couple of days.

Day 169 After the freezer

2011-08-17T16:25:00.008+02:00

On day 155 I chucked these jeans into a plastic bag and shoved them into my freezer. The reason you do this isn't very complicated. It's to kill the bacteria that causes them to smell, be that from sweat, or being wet from rain and not drying properly. This is the first time I have done this 6 month test during summer, so there's a lot of sweat, but also a lot of rain, especially during a normal Swedish summer.

Did it work? Well more or less. It didn't do as much as what I thought it would, but it was much better once they dried completely after I had hung them up. Just happy actually that I'm nearing the end and they're getting washed soon.

Day 167 Wallet wear

2011-08-15T09:43:00.003+02:00

Here's the wallet I bought two and a half months ago. The photos are at 1 month intervals. The leather is lamb skin and exceptionally soft. I got one of these for a friend of mine a year ago and his wallet is looking absolutely fantastic, hence me getting one too.

The company m0851 makes some really great products with good build quality. If you live in Gothenburg you can get them from Krypton.

Day 164 Donk Denim

2011-08-12T15:26:00.003+02:00

Nearing the end of the 6 months, I decided to give the jeans a break on rainy days, especially when it's hot. Summer, the sweating and the constant rain has not been kind to them. They do smell a bit more than usual. a few days in the freezer did help some, but I decided to give them a rest for today and wear something else.

These are called Donk, and are the denim version of Dr.Denim's popular Donk Chinos. I love them, because of the feel, large front pockets and fold-ups.

Day 163 Puma Evisu

2011-08-11T09:49:00.002+02:00

After living in Sweden for the past 4 years, my denim wardrobe has not only expanded, but I most definitely have more Skinny jeans than ever before. I actually prefer baggy jeans if I may be honest, but it doesn't really matter. This last week, while my jeans have been in the freezer, I've worn some jeans that I haven't had the opportunity to wear for a long time. This pair is one of my favourites. It's a pair of Evisu jeans that they did in collaboration with Puma. This pair was a pair of stiff jeans, but at the moment they are worn in. Very worn in and exceptionally comfortable.

Here's an article on Highsnobiety.com about the jeans.

Day 162 Fight Acne

2011-08-10T16:43:00.007+02:00

Here's a campaign done by Dragster on behalf of Dr.Denim. Dragster is the agency for Dr.Denim and with this advert won a broze medal in the monthly best adverts from a magazine called Resumé. Some people say it's a bit cheesy, but if you know the guys from Dr.Denim, then this is perfect, and suits their style and brand perfectly.

Day 161 Grease stain

2011-08-09T16:35:00.000+02:00

These jeans are getting washed at the end of the month, and I'd really like to see how this stain on the knee comes out. Probably there forever. I got it when I crashed over the handlebars of my mountain bike going down some stairs in town. Like my mom always used to say, "That'll learn ya".

I'll post a photo after the wash. Maybe I'm lucky and there's no permanent damage.

Day 160 Harris fixed again

2011-08-08T16:30:00.001+02:00

My first pair of Raw denim jeans, called Harris, has now had its second fix. The first fix was the back pocket, but now I fix the wear under the right back pocket. The holes appeared just because of the wear and tear. They have been worn more than 250 days and washed only twice so far.

As you can see the thread appears more blue in the photo than it really is in real life. Picking the correct thread colour is always a challenge. These jeans a blue/black, and fade in a sort of greyish tone. Truly tough to match the colour, but in real life the fix is much closer than it appears in the photo.

Day 159 Alexander Graah in Copenhagen

2011-08-07T16:23:00.004+02:00

Here we are at the Copenhagen Clothing Fair 2011, and Alexander Graah explaining their collection. I'm looking forward to some new Donk chinos, especially a new green they have, then also they have some great new shirts styles. I'll see if I can get hold of some pics to post later on.

I'm looking to do a new interview with Alex and Johannes in the coming month. If there's anything you'd like to know, please send me your questions and I'll ask them.

Day 158 Dr.Denim in Copenhagen

2011-08-06T16:05:00.000+02:00

Two days ago I was in Copenhagen for the Clothing Fair, and as I wrote yesterday, I visited the Kids Fair and a client called I dig Denim, but we also said hi to the guys from Dr.Denim. They had a fantastic stand, a great collection, ice cold beer, and some Danish sausages on offer.

Day 157 I dig Denim

2011-08-05T15:49:00.000+02:00

Yesterday I was in Copenhagen for the Clothing fair, and to visit a client, I dig Denim, and at the same time say hi to the guys from Dr.Denim.

I dig Denim is a kids clothing brand specializing in denim. Some great styles and cuts, and the kids who own a pair love them. A bit over priced for my liking at 600kr a pair, but then again there's always H&M for a cheaper version. Kids in my view just grow out of clothing too fast to justify 600kr for less than a year. Perhaps if you have 4 boys like my brother has, then they would really be worth it.

But as every pot has a lid, every brand has a buyer. The same with I dig Denim. There's a huge gap in the market for kids jeans, so they can look like mom and dad.

Day 156 Copenhagen

2011-08-04T10:28:00.002+02:00

Off to Copenhagen to visit the Clothing Fair today. Will make a turn at Dr.Denim's stand as well as a new client called I Dig Denim. They make fantastic kids denim clothing.

Oh yes, and while my current pair of test jeans are still freezing away, I decided to wear my original pair of Harris jeans. The ones I used for my first denim test. I did have to fix the hole in the back last night though. Love these jeans. So comfortable. I'll post some proper pics of the fix later on.

Day 155 Feezer time

2011-08-03T13:43:00.003+02:00

Some advise for those wanting to attempt a six month test like this, where you wear your jeans every day: Do it during winter. Summer is way to hot, and in my case, my jeans don't get enough time over night to dry out. They have started to smell a bit, especially when they get wet, as in when it rains. Yesterday I decided to throw them in the freezer to see if that will work. 48 hoursI think will be sufficient.

What the freezer apparently does is it freezes the germs that causes the smell. After freezing them you have to hang the jeans up to dry properly, and then the smell should be OK. Or so I've heard. Tomorrow I'll see if that has worked.

Day 153 Crash

2011-08-01T18:18:00.003+02:00

It was inevitable. A crash on my mountain bike. Luckily there's no holes in the jeans, just scrapes on my hands and arms. There is this big clump of grease on my knee. Will have to check how to get rid of it. Any tips!

Besides that, I got 30 days left in these jeans before the big wash.

Day 136 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-15T08:24:00.002+02:00

Model: Male || Jeans: TREEGER Red Selvage Raw || Shirt: PETE Rusty Red || Bow Tie: DERRIC Navy

Day 135 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-14T11:18:00.006+02:00

Model: Female || Denim Tights: PLENTY Rinsed Blue || Top: LILIANE Deep Blue

Day 134 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-13T11:15:00.003+02:00

Dr.Denim really has some great dresses too. Here's one called Antoine.

Model: Female || Dress: ANTOINE Ivory || Top: SYDNEY Scallop

Day 133 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-12T11:13:00.002+02:00

Day 132 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-11T11:07:00.003+02:00

Model: Female || Denim Tights: KISSY Blue Ice || Top: KIRSTEN Army Green

Day 131 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-10T10:59:00.001+02:00

I really like this blazer. Definitely on my shopping list, especially because all their shirts always fit me so well. Longer arms and skinny.

Model: Male || Blazer: CLIFF Salt & Pepper || Shirt: RAY Navy || Bow Tie: PUNK Salt & Pepper

Day 130 Dr.Denim Fall Winter 2011

2011-07-09T10:43:00.006+02:00

Dr.Denim has just released photographs of their Fall Winter Collection for 2011. Some nice browns and warm colours. According to them, "Creating modern classic looks with a twist and a sense of intelectual curiosity. Seeking greatness through simplicity".

Model: Male || Chinos: DONK Burgundy || Shirt: PETE Deep Blue || Bow Tie: DERRIC Wine Red

Day 129 And it's raining again

2011-07-08T16:23:00.002+02:00

I got some catching up to do with my blog, as I've been working a bit too much lately. So now I decided to blog from my phone a bit which means I can do it on the go. So apologies if you've been starved for an update.

At the moment I'm at the office waiting for the rain to stop so I can cycle home. It's been raining every afternoon for the past week. Shouldn't really complain, as my mom and them back in South Africa had 300 plus mm in two days last week.

Day 125 The Barn

2011-07-04T14:10:00.000+02:00

Day 124 Fit Guide Snap

2011-07-03T13:41:00.002+02:00

Snap is also on my shopping list. I haven't tried it on yet, but it seems to be a shape and fit that will suit me.

Day 123 Fit Guide Mauser

2011-07-02T12:54:00.003+02:00

Mauser is definitely not my type of denim, but as in life, every pot has a lid. Here's some photos from Barry and his pair of Mausers.

Day 122 Fit Guide Ormond

2011-07-01T12:43:00.001+02:00

Ormonds are by far my favourite fit. Doesnät matter what denim, they just seem to fit me.

Here's all the posts on Ormond. My first pair has now been washed once after 18 months. Here they are before, and here they are after the wash. They're now about 22 months old, and I'd really like to wear them again, but not before I finish this test, also with a pair of Ormonds.

Day 121 Fit Guide Raymond

2011-06-30T12:38:00.001+02:00

When I started this test for the second time I found out that Dr.Denim has launched a pair of Raymond Red Salvage raw denim. I tried them on, but as with so many things in my life, it just didn't fit comfortably, so I swapped them for a pair of Ormond Salvage raw denim.

These are a nice pair of jeans, especially the red salvage denim, so if Raymond fits you, you'll be pleased.

Day 120 Fit Guide Jones

2011-06-29T12:36:00.003+02:00

Jones, as with Joel and Doyle, I have not seen in shops near me. It seems like a perfect pair for working in. Slouchy and all that.

Day 119 Fit Guide Donk Chino

2011-06-28T12:30:00.001+02:00

I have 4 pairs of these. Not all chinos mind you. I have on pair in black Corduroy, perfect for autumn. Then two pairs of normal chinos in tones of brown. The last pair is a pair of raw denim, in the shape of the Donk Chino. A very cool pair of denim, with chino pockets front and back and exceptionally comfortable. I'd highly recommend trying to get your hands on a pair of them, you won't be disappointed.

Day 118 Fit Guide Joel

2011-06-27T12:27:00.003+02:00

I need this one. Stretched denim, tapered leg and loose top. Sounds comfortable. Dear Alexander, could you please... 32, 34... yada yada...

Day 117 Fit Guide Doyle

2011-06-26T12:22:00.000+02:00

Haven't seen these in any of the shops I frequent. The waste seems to 70's high for me. Would love to try them on though, because the high waste is making a comeback, with wider hems however. These are tapered. Perhaps in a worn out denim would be good for a pair around the house.

Day 116 Fit Guide Largo

2011-06-25T12:19:00.000+02:00

I'm not a fan of chains and lots of buttons, pockets that close and so on. If you are, then you'll love Largo. Think Hip-hop cool with a Dr.Denim feel.

I've tried them on, and the shape is ok on me, but as I said, too much detailing for me. I like plain, simple and smooth.

Day 115 Fit Guide Stanley

2011-06-24T12:13:00.001+02:00

These jeans are made from such heavy selvage denim, plus the denim was left out of the final wash, if I got my story right, and therefore the denim feels soft to the touch, and sort of fuzzy. I love the suspenders.

They will take forever to wear in, and because they're made from such a heavy denim, it feels as if they can stand on their own.

Here's photos of my pair. I've only worn them about 10 times so far.

Day 114 Fit Guide Raine

2011-06-23T12:09:00.000+02:00

If I had to choose shorts, it won't be these ones. They're based on the Raymond denim model, and I've tried that model on a couple of times, and it just doesn't seem to fit my body shape. Glad Dr.Denim has more than one model. My favourite is Ormond, and I wish they will do some shorts based on them.

Day 113 Fit Guide Eddie

2011-06-22T11:58:00.004+02:00

Been looking at these shorts at my favourite store Red Devil, but haven't placed an order yet. They come in all the colours and flavours, perfect for summer. Think I got to get me a pair at least to try out, because I think they are based on the Donk Chinos model, just shorts, and Donk fits me well.

Here I wrote about my first pair of Donks.

Day 112 Festival Summer

2011-06-21T16:34:00.000+02:00

It's that time of year again, when everyone grabs their gum boots and their raincoats, because it's festival time. Last night we were at the first one of the season, called Woody West and I saw my new favourite band called Rambling Nicholas Heron. Really good stuff.

So my first festival down, and no, not all artists performed inside. Watched Band of Horses on the large stage outside. Just hope my jeans last the distance through this warm, sweaty, rainy Swedish summer.

Day 111 Ormonds Grey

2011-06-20T16:27:00.001+02:00

Going through a test like this has its benefits. You don't have to wash trousers for 6 months, as you're only wearing one pair. One negative is that you usually have a cupboard full of cool jeans that you're not wearing at all. As in the case of my grey Ormonds. They're just so comfortable and the denim is so soft. Oh well, in two months I can wear them again.

Day 110 Travelling home through Norway

2011-06-19T23:08:00.000+02:00

Headed home after a week in the north of Sweden. Yes you guessed it, warm and sweaty from a 10 hour train ride. Important to hang the jeans up properly at night, so they're perfectly dry the next day. You do not want the sweaty smell to start, as then it's emergency in the freezer time.

Day 109 Hiking and Fishing

2011-06-18T21:09:00.002+02:00

A really testing time up in the north I must say. Today it's hiking, followed by fishing. I'm happy I got the horse smell out by just hanging them up over the heated towel rail. Perhaps it was so much the horse than the saddle smell?

Anyway, today we went for a hike in the mountains in a place called Fjällnäs (Google Maps). It's a really beautiful part of Sweden, and specifically this time of the year, you always have a chance to spot a brown bear, elk, wolves or reindeer. I only saw reindeer this time around.

The hiking was followed by my first fishing in Sweden in a lake called Funäsdalssjön. I managed to catch my first Northern Pike.

All in all a great day and the jeans made it through with some more wear and tear and a few more stories to tell.

Day 108 Red Wine Stain

2011-06-17T22:49:00.008+02:00

You know, this had to happen. Sooner or later. I do drink a lot of red wine, and when you mix that up with having running kids around, you're bound to sooner or later have it on your clothing.

We have just finished dinner, the kids were on high alert and my wine was in my hand, when a 4 year old boy, who shall remain nameless, ran straight into my hand and a quarter of the glass ended on my jeans, my shirt, the floor and the couch. The shirt I got clean just because I got it soaked immediately. My jeans I decided to leave on, but took a damp cloth and rubbed as much as I could, and nothing more. I didn't have spare clothing, so there wasn't much else I could do, besides it's not the end of the world. The wine stained my left inner thigh and my front right pocket area.

I am writing this post a week later, and I have to say, that if I asked you to show me where the two red wine stains were, you would not be able to find them. I am amazed that there's no stains. Sure the jeans are still dark and all of that raw denim colour stuff, but I know what red wine does to a white shirt. On this raw denim however, there's nothing. So perhaps in the future I'm not going to worry so much about the red wine.

If however you get red wine on your couch, then cover the whole area with salt. It pretty much cleans the stain out by absorbing all the liquid. Works pretty well.

Day 107 Horseriding

2011-06-16T20:52:00.000+02:00

The thing I love about testing jeans, is that there never seems to be an end to the things you can do. This time around it was horseriding.

I'm currently up in the middle of Sweden in a place called Funäsfjällen, and there's a lot of higher mountains here, than further South. Well 1500-2000 metres high, which is pretty high considering their neighbour Denmark, which has a highest point of 70 metres.

So there I am with a friend and her two Icelandic ponies Silfra and Dagur and hoping not just that I won't sweat a lot, but that I will afterwards be able to get the horse smell out.

In the end it all turned out OK. Not too bad smell, and I hung them up on the heated towel rail and they were dry in the morning.

Day 106 Funäsdalen, Sverige

2011-06-15T22:55:00.003+02:00

The thing I love about Sweden at this time of the year is that this photo was taken at 23h25. Still light, even though the sun has set at 22h30. Doesn't get much darker than this at this time of the year. It does rain a lot during summers though. Perfect for these jeans. NOT!

Day 105 Timberlands

2011-06-14T22:40:00.000+02:00

I didn't think I'd be wearing these again this year with summer and all being here. But now I'm halfway up in Sweden and it's a bit colder and raining. Happy I packed them, my favourite pair of Timberlands.

Day 104 Travelling

2011-06-13T22:07:00.006+02:00

Today has been a long day. Traveled for 11 hours, which is the equivalent of a trip to South Africa from Sweden by plane. Except today it was by train from Gothenburg to Stockholm, then train to Ljusdal, then bus to Sveg and on to Funäsdalen, for a total of 1300 kilometres. Little tired.

Day 103 Gothenburg

2011-06-12T21:44:00.000+02:00

Growing up in Cape Town, I'm used to the views. High mountains and so on. Now I live in Gothenburg, and this is as good as it gets. Pretty nice view still though.

A reminder for a week, as I'm travelling again tomorrow to a client in Funäsdalen. I usually take the night train via Oslo in Norway, then Stören and on to Röros. This time I'm using the expensive Swedish rail system which takes much longer and includes four and a half hours by bus of a total 11 hour journey. Yes, 11 hours, then I'm only halfway up in Sweden. A very long country and journey indeed.

View Larger Map

Day 102 Stains

2011-06-11T20:53:00.003+02:00

One of the most asked questions and most visited pages on this blog is How to wash your jeans? The second is How to get rid of stains?. Although I am no expert, I have had my share of experiences, this being my second 6 month denim test and all. I have had everything from chewing gum, mud, dirty snow, baby food, porridge, wine, beer and Cava on my jeans and every time succeeded in getting it out. The only difference here, and something that makes it harder is that you cannot use water with raw denim, as it will cause the fabrics to shrink. Makes removing stains from raw denim tough, so rule number one applies, which is to not get anything on your jeans in the first place.

Above is an image from Men's Journal Magazine on how to sort out those stubborn stains. But as I said, this is for when you have already washed your raw jeans and they have shrunk and so on.

What I have found out is this:

Beer and white wine is not so bad. Just use paper to dab it as much as you can.
Mud needs to dry first then use a brush to brush it off, as you would with dust.
Don't get red wine on your jeans. It doesn't come out. If you do get it on the first thing you do is take off your jeans and lie them flat on a table. Then cover the entire stain with fine salt. The salt draws out the wine. Helps a lot, but you're lucky if it removes all.
Baby food and porridge. Take off as much as you can, then a damp cloth usually gets rid of the rest.
Grass stains is along with red wine. Don't get it on in the first place. I would assume that once dry, a brush would get rid of a lot. And here I mean a hard bristle brush.

Other than that, if you know of something more, let me know.

Day 101 More Jeans Companies

2011-06-10T20:30:00.003+02:00

Here's three more denim brands that I have never heard of before. The first is Silver Denim Co. (www.silverjeans.com) which seems to be a young outdoors lifestyle type brand. The second is Buffalo Jeans by David Bitton, which appears to be a lot more fashion orientated brand. And the third is Mek Denim, which appears to be a boy meets girl and they both like denim brand.

Of them all I prefer the Silver Jeans brand. I try not to be a fashion victim, which means buy things now because they're in fashion. I prefer buying something because it's made well, the craftsmanship is outstanding and it will last. Another catch for me with any brand is the narrative. What story do they have to tell?

Day 100

2011-06-09T20:26:00.001+02:00

A 100 days? Who would have thought? Well so far the jeans are handling everything I have thrown at them. That includes a moving day, beer, two glasses of wine, a glass of Cava, a 5km cycle in the rain, 4 other rainy days, a cat and one dog. Looking forward to the next 93 days before the first wash.

Day 99 Triumph Scrambler

2011-06-08T20:19:00.004+02:00

No.1 on my birthday list is this Triumph Scrambler. An 865cc beauty. Feels like these jeans would fit well into that leather seat.

Day 98 Havaianas

2011-06-07T20:08:00.000+02:00

Probably my most favourite shoes in the world. If I could wear jeans, T-shirt, Cap and Havaianas every day I would. Not sure what my clients would say, but hey, one should be able to dream.

Day 97 A New Wallet

2011-06-06T20:07:00.000+02:00

I love small wallets. I love front pocket wallets. I especially love small front pocket wallets. Today I felt it was time to get a new one. We bought this exact model for a friend of mine and his is looking especially good after a few month's wear. It's an especially soft leather. I'll post more photos as the wear gets more and more and it gets more character.

Here's some posts I did on the marks my front pocket wallet has made on my other jeans.

Day 96 Alex

2011-06-05T19:49:00.001+02:00

This weekend I met up with Alexander and his brother Johannes from Dr.Denim at a party with a group of our friends. As always, my camera was there, but I found this photo on it afterwards. Taken by Johannes while my camera was just lying on the table. Apparently the camera was on and he just pushed the shutter button. Nice image. Great composition.

During the night Alex and I did compare our jeans, as we're both doing the same test, he with a pair of Red Salvage Raymonds and me with a pair of Red Salvage Ormonds. I think I'm leading, but the final wash will tell the truth.

Day 95 Rainbow time

2011-06-04T19:42:00.000+02:00

It's that time of the year again in Gothenburg. Time for the HBTQ Festival.

Day 94 Grass stains in the park

2011-06-03T19:36:00.000+02:00

I've mentioned before how late the sun sets here in Sweden during summer. In the north in the Arctic Circle the sun never sets for a period of about 6 weeks. Down here in the south it sets at about 10pm at night and is up again at around 4am. That means that after work, which ends at 5pm, you still have 5 hours left to enjoy the day. That's why we have so many parks and green spaces in town. So many people just enjoying the fact that summer is here.

Which brings me to grass stains. Anyone know how to get rid of them without using water?

Day 93 Summer is here

2011-06-02T19:30:00.000+02:00

I walk past this Rhododendron bush every day on my way to work and on my way home. Today it was at it's most beautiful it will get all year I think. All the flowers are out and it smells in a range of about 5 metres around the bush. Now we know summer is finally here.

Day 92 Colouration

2011-06-01T01:38:00.000+02:00

Finally I can show you some coloration. The dark blue is from the hem area, which is still blue because I fold up the hems. The light blue part are my knees. They always go first on my jeans. Since as far back as I can remember, my knees turned white before any other part.

Day 91 Wear In

2011-05-31T01:32:00.001+02:00

Been finding quite a few of these on the jeans lately. Means they're finally getting some wear and tear. Had a chat with Alexander from Dr.Denim and he has a wear on his jeans, that are probably on Day 100 at the moment, in the same place as mine. Impossible that it is a defect in the material, but the wear looks similar. Will take a photo when I see him again.

This tear in the photo is from folding up the hem. I start with one fold, and currently I am on three folds, as these jeans stretch.

Day 90 Roadtripping

2011-05-30T13:28:00.004+02:00

Spent nearly the whole day in the car today with two colleagues, travelling something like 320km for a 3 hour meeting and then 320km back. I have a client up north in Sweden, where I usually travel to, but this was a sort of compromise meeting halfway between Gothenburg and Funäsdalen (Foon-ass-da-len) in a town called Örebro (Uh-ruh-broo). Sweaty car seats are not ideal for a denim test I can tell you that.

Day 89 Long days

2011-05-29T13:20:00.001+02:00

Took it easy today. A walk in town with a friend.

Even during the week this is possible, as the sun sets so late during summers. Even if you finnish work at 17h00 you still have 5 1/2 hours left, as the sun only sets at 22h30 at the moment. Love summers.

Day 88 Moving day

2011-05-28T13:14:00.000+02:00

I helped a friend move today, and I don't think these jeans would see a more challenging day. Well at least I hope not.

First the move, up the stairs, down the stairs, through the window, over the table and into the cellar, up to the attic, down to the cellar, out the window, in the window and then some. Luckily it didn't rain. Or at least not then. It did rain though on my 5 kilometre uphill cycle home and these jeans weren't soaked, but very wet, I did have to hang them up and see if I could get them dry with a hair dryer. But then i didn't know if that would make them shrink, so in the end i just left them hung up.

Don't think they'll be the same again.

Day 87 What rain in Spain?

2011-05-27T13:11:00.001+02:00

Welcome to Gothenburg. Here's your umbrella. That's what it's all about. Hope this isn't the whole summer.

Day 86 The dog hair effect

2011-05-26T13:07:00.002+02:00

You might have read about the Cat effect I posted not so long ago. Well here we have the Dog hair effect, courtesy of Tess. Didn't think of it at all until it was too late. But nothing a brush and one of those sticky rollers can't fix.

Day 85 More rain

2011-05-25T13:01:00.001+02:00

Our lives in Gothenburg are dominated by the weather. Every second day seems to be rainy. Luckily not stormy and rainy, just rain. So maybe we shouldn't complain. Makes this denim test just a little more interesting though, whilst trying to wear them and not get them wet. Like I said before though, they've gotten wet so much lately with all the rain I wonder if they're shrinking already?

Day 84 Wear and tear

2011-05-24T12:55:00.001+02:00

There's this area on my upper thigh, that seems to be wearing a lot more and faster than all the other places. The fibres are already torn, so I'm going to be keeping an eye on it to see if it's getting worse. If it's going to tear, then I'll wash the jeans and fix them I think. Will have to see. I've thought of all possibilities, and the only one I can think of is my mobile phone, which is in my left hand front pocket all the time.

Anyone else with the same problem?

Day 83 Clearer skies

2011-05-23T12:53:00.000+02:00

Finally some clearer skies and a beautiful day.

Day 82 IKEA on a rainy day

2011-05-22T12:49:00.001+02:00

Went to IKEA yesterday, which is the best thing to do on a rainy cold day. It did however start pouring down on the way to the car. Not so easy to run when you're carrying bags and skipping and hopping over puddles of water. Looks like a lot of rain this week. These jeans are shrinking already I fear.

Day 81 21 kilometres

2011-05-21T12:37:00.001+02:00

This weekend was the 21km Gothenburg Marathon. And no, I didn't run. Figured the jeans won't make the distance ;)

I did however go look and scream my support whilst eating an ice cream in the sun.

Day 80 Back Pockets

2011-05-20T12:32:00.002+02:00

So here I am, on day 80, nearly half way, and so far looking good. I did mention this before, that it's going to be tougher to not just keep them clean during summer, but dry. Once a smell starts you need to take extra care. I try and hang them inside out and open every night. Not easy to do or remember for that matter. But so far the back side pockets show some good wear, but not yet tear.

Day 79 What's in a name?

2011-05-19T12:19:00.004+02:00

For those that don't know, most Denim Companies give their jeans names. Even Dr.Denim. Their style names are based on film characters. Not the main characters, but mostly the side characters. Below are just a few examples:

Donk: Crocodile Dundee
Jones: Police Academy
Ormond: I'm for the Hippo (yes, the one with Terence Hill and Bud Spencer)
Kissy: James Bond, You only Live Twice
Plenty: James Bond, Goldfinger
And so on...

Day 78 Comparing the front

2011-05-18T11:59:00.001+02:00

And today you can see the front comparisons of these three pairs of jeans. Washing this pair of Ormonds I have on will be great, to see how the Salvage Denim has handled the 6 month test.

Day 77 Comparing the back

2011-05-17T10:19:00.000+02:00

In this photo I compare the three pairs of jeans that have gone through tests. First on the left is Harris, which is over two years old, has had two washes and is in need of fixing before I wear them again. The second pair is a pair of Ormonds, that I've worn for 18 months before I washed them. Then the last pair is the pair of Ormonds I'm testing now, which will be washed on the 1st of September this year.

Day 76 Amateur night

2011-05-16T11:08:00.000+02:00

Ok, officially it is amateur night here at the denim testing competition. Let me tell you why. When I started speaking of aquiring my latest pair of Red Salvage denims, Alexander from Dr.Denim said I should get a pair of Raymonds Red Salvage Raw jeans. I did however try them on, but now that I remember, they didn't fit me so well. I did like the Raw Salvage denim, but in the Ormond model. It just fits my body type better, tall and skinny.

But I have been writing since the start of March that they were Raymonds, when in fact they are Ormonds. Silly me.

Day 75 My favourite shoes

2011-05-15T18:27:00.000+02:00

Don't know why, but I can be in these shoes all the time if I could. But unfortunately we have winter here which is not so accomodating for these shoes, and then it also rains often during summer, so I need to swap them for gum boots a few times. Generally though, if I could choose, it'll be either these or my Havaianas.

Day 74 Gothenburg Science Festival

2011-05-14T18:16:00.001+02:00

Today I did a presentation on Web strategy and Social Media to a group of scientists at the Gothenburg Science Festival. It's weird being in a room with so many scientists, who do things that I won't ever understand, as much as they might not understand why someone would wear a pair of jeans every day for 6 months, even though the whole process is very scientific ;)

Above is me taking a break before my presentation, which went well, and now hopefully the world of the web will be a better place.

Day 73 So far

2011-05-13T13:31:00.000+02:00

And so far I'm 73 days in. Looking OK I think.

Day 72 Knees

2011-05-12T10:28:00.001+02:00

Can't stop writing about the knees on these jeans. They're very discoloured already, and that's only after 72 days. I do rub my hands on my knees when I sit, and since a child the knees were the first part of my jeans that always showed wear and stretch first. Seems nothing has changed.

Day 71 Inside out

2011-05-12T10:21:00.001+02:00

Here's what I do when I've worn the jeans through a sweaty day. Fold them inside out and hang them up. It does dry faster and is ready to wear the next day.

I do however want to discuss a comment made by a reader. Dangwei Zhao said: Raw denim is not for people that wear the same pair of jeans everyday. Raw denim is not for people that shower once a week and If you are clean and wear different pants throughout the week, then washing your denim once every few months is not bad at all. If you disagree, then consider how often you wash your jackets? Get the point?

My answer is yes, Raw denim is not supposed to be worn every day, but as I answered in the comments, that I am trying to test these jeans by wearing them for as many days as possible in as short a time period as possible. In 6 months I will wear them about 180 times. If I want to achieve the same amount of wear by wearing them along with my other jeans, say once a week, then this test will take three and a half years.

I do appreciate the passion in protecting Raw denim from the uninitiated or uneducated, but I'm trying to show people why Raw denim is so special, because when I started two and a half years ago, I knew nothing. Now I love Raw denim.

Day 70 Jack Jones

2011-05-09T11:36:00.003+02:00

Don't ask me why, but I have a few stuffed animals at home. Must be something to do with my softer side. Most are dogs of all breeds, and all materials. Here's my latest addition from Jack Jones, and in denim.

Day 69 Wallet

2011-05-08T11:30:00.001+02:00

I always have a front pocket wallet, small and neat. Carry 6 cards and cash. I dislike coins, and often cash, as most cards work very well for where I live and work. My wallet is always the marked clearly on my jeans's front right pocket. This is so far after 69 days.

Here's a link to my previous test and the marks my wallet made in other pairs of my denim.

Day 68 Brännö

2011-05-07T11:17:00.004+02:00

The word for island in Swedish is ö, pronounced uhh. So Brännö (Brenn-uhh) would be Bränn island. I have a friend who has a family home out on the island, which is in the Gothenburg archipelago.

It's a fantastic place to visit in summer. Winter however is terrible, as all the water between Gothenburg and the island, freezes over. The island is a car-free island, so you are only allowed to walk, cycle or ride you mo-ped (Scooter). We've already been out there for a weekend in the sun, but I feel it's a place these jeans are going to get some proper wear in. There's a lot of gardening to do, working on the house, fixing things, then also walking and of course lying on the grass. So a lot of stain cleaning it seems. Hope for the best.

Day 67 Soil

2011-05-06T11:04:00.003+02:00

As time goes on with tests like these, you get used to expecting the unexpected. A wine stain has come and gone, dust have been cleaned a few times, but the most is always dirt marks like those you see above. Most are easy to get clean with a brush once they dry. Grass stains will be addressed later on, as the summer comes along, as it's bound to happen.

This particular stain is pure soil. Wait for it to dry, then use a strong bristled brush and give the area a few brushes. I usually have my hand on the inside, so that the denim isn't flat. This helps the brush to get into the fibres a little better, as the denim hangs over my hand. I also brush the inside of the denim, just to make sure. Easy with brushing too hard and make marks, however it's all up to you. Sometimes I do not mind the marks, as it's those marks that makes me remember the events in the life of my jeans.

Day 66 Some more wear

2011-05-05T10:58:00.001+02:00

These two folds are in the crotch area of the jeans. They're not just folds but the actual denim is tearing or wearing, depends on how you look at it. I'm definitely going to have to fix this spot in the future. I just hope it's after the wash and not before, cause it'll cause chaos in the wash when the denim shrinks. But isn't this part of the whole thing though? Wear and tear. Wearing in. Wearing out, and all that.

Day 65 Travelling back home

2011-05-04T10:53:00.000+02:00

It's been a long week. Working. A lot of coffees. One festival. Two helicopter trips. A road trip to Trondheim. And now tree trains laterI'm back at home. The jeans are really taking a beating at the moment. It's looking good so far.

Day 64 Dr.Denim keeping me warm

2011-05-03T16:14:00.005+02:00

Two years ago during Dr.Denim's winter fashion show I got a beanie in my Dr.Denim goodie bag. It's been keeping my head warm ever since. One of my favourite items of Dr.Denim clothing.

Day 63 Back in the snow

2011-05-02T13:55:00.001+02:00

A whole bunch of my previous posts in the last month have been about sun, summer and warmer weather, especially now that every trace of snow has melted in Gothenburg and surroundings. However, this weekend I find myself standing on snow once more. Looks like these jeans are thoroughly getting tested in all weather conditions too.

Day 62 Motocross jumping in the snow

2011-05-01T13:48:00.001+02:00

Spent yesterday at an After Ski Festival in Ramundberget. Besides a fantastic helicopter ride to and from the festival, we watched some Motocross jumping in the snow. Now these guys are crazy, but very impressive.

There was one incident with my jeans and the snow though. As I got out and stepped from the ground onto the first patch of snow, my leg went into the snow up to my knee. I thought "Oh, crap", but was pleasantly surprised that the snow was dry. Not a single wet patch on my leg at all. It could have been worse.