Acid wash is a denim finishing process related to stonewashing, but instead of, or in addition to, plain pumice stones, the stones are soaked in a bleaching agent such as chlorine before being tumbled with the jeans. This bleaches the indigo dye unevenly wherever the treated stones make contact, producing a distinctive marbled or streaked pattern of light and dark areas rather than an even fade.
The contrast created by acid wash is much stronger than a standard stonewash, with patches of near white alongside darker original blue, which gives the finish a bold, high contrast look that became especially associated with denim styles from the 1980s. Because the bleaching is uneven and somewhat random, no two acid washed garments look exactly alike, even from the same production batch.
Acid wash suits a deliberately vintage or statement look rather than a subtle, everyday finish, and it pairs naturally with simpler cuts so the wash itself remains the focus. See wash for where acid wash sits among other finishes, and our guide to jeans washes and finishes for more on choosing between them.
