Levi’s CEO reveals why you should NEVER machine wash your jeans
DENIM jeans should never sit in the laundry pile waiting to be thrown into the washing machine.
Levi Strauss CEO Charles Bergh admits he hasn’t washed his favorite jeans in a decade.
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Washing jeans after every one to two wears is a common practice for anyone who isn’t a “real denim head.”
However, Bergh said, “People who really love their denim” will never put their jeans in the washing machine.
He revealed his simple tricks to keep his clothes pristine and ready to wear.
“I see the scrubbing,” Bergh said CNBC International.
“If I drop some curry on my jeans, I’m going to clean them, but I’ll spot clean them.
“And if they get really dirty, you know, if I’ve been sweating or something and they get really dirty, I’ll wash them in the shower.”
He learned the bizarre trick while staying in youth hostels during his travels through Europe.
“I just jump in the shower, soak myself and wash them like that,” he said.
“We did that as children when we traveled through Europe with Eurorail.
“The way you wash your clothes in youth hostels is to jump in the shower and rinse yourself off.”
Levi Strauss fans were divided on the advice and quickly shared their methods Facebook.
“He seems to be a real denim head. I only ‘soak’ my raw denim once a year and clean it as needed,” one person said.
“Wash a maximum of twice a year. I’ve had my 501s for over 15 years now,” another commented.
“My Levis used to last longer just by hand,” wrote a third.
Surprisingly, among the stream of people who agreed with Bergh, a comment recommending washing jeans more often was highly rated.
“Wash mine every two weeks,” they said.
What do the symbols on your clothing mean?
- Illuminated competition – keep away from fire.
- Crossed out iron – do not iron
- Beaks – Wash at the indicated degrees Celsius or lower
- Crossed-out triangle – do not bleach
- Crossed out circle – do not dry clean
- Crossed out square -do not tumble dry
Fashion lovers were recently stunned when Beyoncé stripped down to her underwear to recreate the classic Levi’s laundromat ad.
She throws a bucket of diamonds and her jeans into a washing machine while her song Levii’s Jeans plays in the background.
“My song ‘Levii’s Jeans’ celebrates what I believe is the ultimate Americana uniform – something we all wear with pride,” said Beyoncé.
“I am honored to work with Levi’s to create quintessential American iconography.
“Denim on denim is often viewed through a male lens, so this innovative campaign, which celebrates the iconic female perspective, is important to me.”
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