Raw denim, also called dry denim, is fabric that goes straight from dyeing and weaving into a garment without any washing or finishing treatment. It keeps the natural stiffness of the loom state cotton and the full depth of its indigo color, since none of the surface dye has been removed by washing yet.
Wearing raw denim means the jeans start firm and dark, and gradually soften and fade based on your own body and habits: where the fabric creases at the knees and hips, how often you sit, and how you wash the jeans, or choose not to. Because indigo sits mostly on the surface of the yarn rather than dyeing it all the way through, normal wear gradually abrades the color away at high friction points, producing fade patterns unique to the wearer. Many people wait several months before the first wash to let these fades develop clearly.
Raw denim asks for a bit more patience than pre-washed jeans, since the initial stiffness eases only with time and movement. If you are new to it, our raw denim guide covers what to expect in the first weeks, and the entry on indigo explains the dye behind the fading process.
