Black Levi 501 Jeans

Grumpy_chap

I purchased some Black Levi 501 Jeans. 

They are from a proper High Street retailer, so should not be fake, although they were discounted old stock "grey" import.

Levi 501 is "my" jean that is the only type I've ever had since I was a teenager.

This pair was rather odd in that the dye was falling out when I put them on.  Literally falling out of the jeans like a powder.  I hoovered up the powder and nothing has any marks now.

I took the jeans off and put them through the washing machine and find the jeans are still shedding some dye (though much reduced). 
The amount of dye that came out was so much I had to run the washing machine empty to rinse the drum which had been left with dye marks.

The jeans are also odd in that the dye has literally fallen off the lower part of one leg.  The jeans are all one colour, but a very visible line around the bottom of one leg below which the colour is a less strong black.  Although I could see that when the jeans are hung up, I think the starkness of the change will reduce when the jeans start to age.

I have never had this with any jeans in the past of any colour or, indeed, any clothing, certainly not to this sort of extent.  Very odd the colour literally falling off as a powder and the colour still coming out after a wash.

My question is, should I now just do a couple of more washes at 40 degC until the colour stops coming out (and, hopefully, the variance will blend)?  Or would I be better doing a hot wash 60 degC, 90 degC?  Or can I save energy and just run a couple of cold wash cycles with the jeans and still achieve the required result?

Rosa_Damascena

OS board I think. Mods?

Emmia

Grumpy_chap said:

I purchased some Black Levi 501 Jeans. 

They are from a proper High Street retailer, so should not be fake, although they were discounted old stock "grey" import.

Levi 501 is "my" jean that is the only type I've ever had since I was a teenager.

This pair was rather odd in that the dye was falling out when I put them on.  Literally falling out of the jeans like a powder.  I hoovered up the powder and nothing has any marks now.

I took the jeans off and put them through the washing machine and find the jeans are still shedding some dye (though much reduced). 
The amount of dye that came out was so much I had to run the washing machine empty to rinse the drum which had been left with dye marks.

The jeans are also odd in that the dye has literally fallen off the lower part of one leg.  The jeans are all one colour, but a very visible line around the bottom of one leg below which the colour is a less strong black.  Although I could see that when the jeans are hung up, I think the starkness of the change will reduce when the jeans start to age.

I have never had this with any jeans in the past of any colour or, indeed, any clothing, certainly not to this sort of extent.  Very odd the colour literally falling off as a powder and the colour still coming out after a wash.

My question is, should I now just do a couple of more washes at 40 degC until the colour stops coming out (and, hopefully, the variance will blend)?  Or would I be better doing a hot wash 60 degC, 90 degC?  Or can I save energy and just run a couple of cold wash cycles with the jeans and still achieve the required result?

I'd probably do them at 60 degrees, if they fade horribly, then given its cotton denim you could dye them black again with the dylon machine dyes - I do my black jeans periodically when/if they've faded through overwear.

DYLON Washing Machine Fabric Dye Pod for Clothes & Soft Furnishings, Intense Black, 350g (Pack of 1) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B071LNN3XJ/ref=cm_sw_r_awdo_MFA1DWMR7D1RZG07YGEE

If the jeans have a lighter colour patch, it will also get dyed.

If you have a Robert Dyas nearby, then they also stock this stuff, you will need to run the machine on empty though afterwards to get rid of any excess dye.

silvercar

Rosa_Damascena said:

OS board I think. Mods?

Agreed. Sadly, the Board Guide magic wands are currently in the workshop for repairs, so OP may want to post on this board:

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/categories/old-style-moneysaving

Grumpy_chap

I wasn't quite sure which area to post this, so I did a search for washing jeans and most results were here.  That's why the thread is in this forum.  I am accepting if I got that wrong.

Eldi_Dos

I think the correct process with these denims is to put them on and have as hot a bath as you can stand, this  causes the denims to shrink to your shape, followed by mother giving you a skelp round the ear for using all the hot water and leaving the bathroom in a terrible state.

Emmia

Eldi_Dos said:

I think the correct process with these denims is to put them on and have as hot a bath as you can stand, this  causes the denims to shrink to your shape, followed by mother giving you a skelp round the ear for using all the hot water and leaving the bathroom in a terrible state.

I don't think the OP is looking for advice to shrink his jeans - I'm making a bit of an assumption, but I think that they've bought the correct size, but have an issue with the dyeing process...

Rosa_Damascena

Emmia said:

Eldi_Dos said:

I think the correct process with these denims is to put them on and have as hot a bath as you can stand, this  causes the denims to shrink to your shape, followed by mother giving you a skelp round the ear for using all the hot water and leaving the bathroom in a terrible state.

I don't think the OP is looking for advice to shrink his jeans - I'm making a bit of an assumption, but I think that they've bought the correct size, but have an issue with the dyeing process...

It was a flippant comment, and one that tickled me.

Grumpy_chap

Eldi_Dos said:

I think the correct process with these denims is to put them on and have as hot a bath as you can stand, this  causes the denims to shrink to your shape, followed by mother giving you a skelp round the ear for using all the hot water and leaving the bathroom in a terrible state.

HeHe.  They were the days. 😃

Fortunately these jeans fit correctly.  I just want to stop the dye falling out leaving powder behind.  It's quite unusual.

I am actually at the shops today and noticed there is a Levi store so I might ask them for ideas.

Grumpy_chap

Called into the Levi store and the service was absolutely superb, especially given the jeans were not purchased direct but via a third party.  

Explained the jeans were purchased from another vendor, about the dye falling out like powder and the fact I've run through a  couple of 40 deg C washes which has improved (but not stopped) the dye falling out and the colour variance that has become apparent.

The staff in the store said that was clearly a fault but suggested to run another wash or two at 30 degC as per the laundry instructions (i.e. inside out) and see if that solves the dye falling off issue and whether the extent of colour variation is then acceptable.  The staff said if that did not solve the problem they would allow me to take the jeans back to the Levi store and they'll swap out. 

Really surprised at such an excellent standard of customer services.  I will do the couple of cool washes as suggested, which will hopefully do the trick.  I have nothing to lose.  Hopefully, the colour variance will be sufficiently low as to be acceptable - in fact the service was so good that I am more tolerant to more colour variance than I would otherwise have been.

So, a good trip.  Plus, I also not have a rather snazzy pair of "toffee brown" jeans that I bought while I was in the shop.  Hopefully, that is an "on trend" colour...

MSE_ForumTeam5

We've moved this to the Old Style board