Denim Washes and Finishes Explained: Stonewash, Raw, Selvedge and More

Quick Reference

Washes and Finishes

Stonewash

Jeans are tumbled in large industrial machines with pumice stones. The stones abrade the surface, softening the fabric and lightening the indigo, most noticeably on high-contact areas. Smaller stones give an even fade, larger ones leave more pronounced marks. The result is the soft, worn-in feel of jeans that have been owned for years. Stonewashing uses a lot of water and is hard on the fabric, so many mills now get the same look with enzymes, ozone or lasers.

Try it: Wrangler Cowboy Cut Active Flex in Stonewash or the Levi's range, most of which come in stonewash and dark stonewash.

Acid Wash

An 80s invention. Pumice stones are soaked in chlorine bleach and tumbled with the denim, stripping indigo in irregular patches to create sharp, marbled contrast between dark and near-white. The jeans are then rinsed to stop the bleach and washed for softness. Acid wash is still used for a deliberately retro look, sometimes layered with other fades for a more subtle finish.

Light and Dark Washes

Every "wash" on a label describes how far the original indigo has been lightened by laundering. Light wash jeans have been washed heavily, sometimes with enzymes or chemicals, to reach a pale sky blue. Dark wash jeans keep most of their dye. A wash is often combined with whiskering or distressing so the jeans look naturally aged, and the main appeal is comfort: they feel broken in from the first wear.

Pre-washed rigid denim sits between the two. Wrangler 13MWZPW Pre-Washed Indigo is the classic 13MWZ cut with the stiffness taken out and the shrinkage already done.

Bleached

Bleaching goes further than a light wash, using chlorine or similar agents to strip the indigo almost entirely, either across the whole garment or in selected areas for high-contrast patterns. It was everywhere in the 1980s and comes back around every few years. The chemicals can weaken the cotton slightly, which modern finishing processes work to limit.

Ozone Washing

The sustainable alternative to stonewashing and bleaching. Jeans go into a sealed chamber where ozone gas breaks down the indigo, fading the fabric with almost no water and no bleach. Fade intensity is controlled by how long the jeans stay in the chamber. Brands that focus on lower-impact production use it to get a stonewashed look with a fraction of the footprint.

Tinted

After the standard indigo dye, the denim is given a second, lighter tint, usually yellow, green or red. The tint mutes the blue and gives it a warmer, more vintage cast. It can be applied evenly or concentrated around seams and pockets. Tinted denim turns up most in autumn and winter ranges where earthy colours are in demand.

Overdyed

Overdyeing means the jeans are dyed again after they are sewn, giving a deep, uniform, saturated colour: true blacks, dark reds, greens. The extra dye makes the fabric slightly stiffer at first. Overdyed jeans resist fading better than lighter washes, but high-wear areas will eventually lighten to show the base colour underneath.

Resin Coating

A resin finish applied to the surface gives denim a sheen, anywhere from a subtle gloss to a leather-like look, and makes the fabric stiffer and more structured. It is a fashion finish, common on skinny and night-out styles. The coating wears down gradually with washing, which gives the jeans their own kind of broken-in character.

Crinkle Effect

Permanent creases set into the denim with heat or chemicals, usually at the waistband, knees and ankles, so the jeans look rumpled and lived-in from day one. Some crinkle finishes are barely there, others are deliberately dramatic, and they are often paired with fading or distressing.

Distressing and Fading Techniques

Distressed

Deliberate damage that copies years of hard wear. Sanding wears down the thighs, knees and pockets; grinding roughs up hems and seams; cutting and fraying produce rips and holes. The intensity ranges from a few worn patches to full tears. Once a purely casual look, distressed jeans are now styled with everything from boots to blazers.

Whiskering

Faded crease lines placed where jeans naturally fold: fanning out from the fly across the hips, behind the knees and at the top of the thigh. They are made by hand sanding, laser or resin, and give new jeans the dimension of a pair that has been worn for years. Whiskering is most common on slim and skinny fits, where the creases sit close to the body.

Sandblasting

Sand blasted at high pressure onto the thighs, knees and seat to fade specific areas. It produces a very convincing worn look, but the fine silica dust is a serious health risk for factory workers, and most major brands stopped using it more than a decade ago. Laser fading and ozone washing now produce the same effect safely.

Laser Etching

A laser burns away the top layer of dye with pinpoint precision, reproducing whiskers, worn patches and even logos or images without sandpaper or chemicals. It uses far less water than traditional finishing and is now the standard way most large mills add wear patterns. If a new pair has very neat, symmetrical fading, it was probably lasered.

Cropped and Frayed Hems

The hem is cut off, usually just above the ankle, and left unfinished. It frays naturally with washing, or is sanded to speed the process along. It suits both sneakers and heels, which is why it has stayed popular well past its first run as a trend.

Fabric and Construction

Raw / Rigid / Unwashed

Denim that has not been washed or treated after dyeing. It arrives dark, stiff and heavy, then softens and moulds to the wearer over months. Because nothing has been done to it, every fade on a raw pair comes from the way its owner moves. Unsanforised raw denim can shrink noticeably in the first wash, so it needs a little care; our denim care guide covers that.

This is where Wrangler built its name. The 13MWZ Cowboy Cut in Rigid Indigo and the 936DEN slim fit in Unwashed Rigid Indigo are both true rigid denim.

Selvedge

Selvedge (from "self-edge") denim is woven on older, narrower shuttle looms that produce a tightly finished edge along the fabric. That edge, usually marked with a coloured thread, most often red, shows when you turn up the cuff. Shuttle looms are slower and the fabric is narrower, so selvedge jeans cost more, and they are generally sold raw. The finished edge does not fray, and selvedge has become shorthand for premium, traditionally made denim.

Broken Twill

Standard denim is a twill, with the diagonal weave running one way. Broken twill reverses the direction at regular intervals to form a zigzag. This removes the diagonal grain that causes standard denim legs to twist after washing, and gives the fabric a softer, more relaxed feel. Wrangler has used broken twill in its jeans since the 1960s for exactly that reason.

Chain Stitching

A looped stitch, rather than a lock stitch, used on the hems and sometimes the pockets of better-made jeans. It is strong under stress and, after a few washes, pulls the hem into a slight twist known as roping, which raw and selvedge denim fans look for. Chain-stitched hems are a good sign that a manufacturer has paid attention to construction.

Natural Fades: Honeycombs and Stacks

The patterns that finishing techniques imitate. Honeycombs form behind the knees, where repeated bending creases the fabric into a diagonal lattice. Stacks form at the ankle when extra length bunches over the boot and the folds fade. Both develop on raw denim through wear alone, which is why they are prized: no two pairs come out the same.

Decorative Treatments

Embroidery

Designs stitched directly into the denim, by hand or machine, on pockets, legs or seams. Embroidered jeans were a signature of the late 60s and 70s, when people customised their own, and they are back in both mainstream and designer ranges.

In western wear, embroidery never went away. Pure Western builds its women's range around embellished back pockets, contrast stitching and diamantes, and you will find embroidered pocket details across Wrangler and Ariat too.

Patchwork

Pieces of other fabric, often denim in different shades, sometimes corduroy or cotton, sewn onto the jeans. It began as repair and became a 70s DIY fashion statement. Today it ranges from a couple of subtle patches to full mixed-panel designs.

Paint Splatter

Deliberate spots and drips of paint, either flicked on by hand or printed for a more controlled pattern. The look comes from painters' workwear and has been adopted by streetwear. Because every splatter pattern is different, each pair is effectively one of a kind.

Which Finish Should You Buy?

If you want jeans that look and feel broken in from the first wear, choose a stonewash, pre-wash or light wash. If you want a pair that becomes yours over time and you are happy to put up with a stiff few weeks, go rigid. For everyday western wear, a rigid or pre-washed Wrangler cowboy cut is the standard for a reason: heavy denim, broken twill and a fit designed for the saddle.

Part of our denim series. See our Ultimate Guide to Western Jeans.