How long should non-premium denim last? - YouLookFab Forum

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How long should non-premium denim last?

Cilleena

Veteran

After reading Maya's thread about expecting her premium denim to last for 10 years, it got me wondering if my non-premium denim is pooping out on me too fast. When I say "non-premium denim", I'm talking about Gap level denim. So not super inexpensive, but not premium either. I have 2 pairs of Gap jeans that I bought last fall that are falling apart on me. Rips at the waist band and getting threadbare at the crotch. I am kind of rough on my clothes because of my activity level with the kids...lots of bending and squatting in my jeans. Still, less than a year out of a pair of Gap jeans seems kind of short. My Elle brand for Kohl's skinnies are coming undone at the hem, but I kind of expect that because they cost me less than half the price of the Gap jeans.

What is your experience with the life span on various quality denim jeans?

Dressing

16 replies

Latest reply was from tewyw

Becky

Veteran

My secondhand Lucky jeans are lasting me about 2 years of hard wear (worn about 3-4x/week), or the dressier ones which don't get worn as much are still going strong after 3 years.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I wear jeans to work to waitress and bartend (plenty of lifting, bending, rolling kegs even) and my Levi's never seem to wear out. They fade and stretch some but no rips. I have Lucky's and some Miss Me I wear for work (I save the $$$ denim for off time) but they've only been in rotation for a year so I can't speak to the longevity yet. I'd say most denim should last a couple years honestly.

Velma

Veteran

Of course it depends how many pairs you have and how often you wear them, but I know I get at least 2-3 years from my Old Navy/Gap jeans. Even then, they don't rip or even get threadbare--they fade and wash down, and the texture gets a bit rough or fuzzy. Then they become gardening/barn jeans!

modgrl

(website)

Veteran

I never thought about this before but it is a good exercise. I was surprised and annoyed that my victoria's secret jeans were shot after two years. I really loved the fit and the fact that they came in different lengths but I won't be buying them again. My ATL jeans also didn't last too long. But my Joes' and James jeans look as good as day 1. They were very pricey but have held up. I don't think it's a rule though. You can get junk or quality at all price points. You really need to look at the fabric. If you know that you are going to be very active, I would look for denim that is a heavy weight and sturdy. Denim that is super soft or a summer weight looks and feels nice but is not going to hold up for a long time. Also, denim that is dyed a color or extremely dark wash is going to fade and only last 1-2 seasons if you wear them a lot. I would look for a natural denim color that is not over-dyed.

Kate

Veteran

Most of my current jeans have been through at least 40-50 wears and are still in good shape. They're from loft, F21, and gap. My gap jeans in high school and college typically lasted 3-4 years before they had holes, but were rather worn out before that (and I would step on the hems, so those were a complete mess about 6 months in). Part of it also is how often you wash them - mine usually get 4-7 wears between washes.

rosee

Veteran

...taking notes. I've never bought "new" denim, so mine always had a life prior to my wearing it, but most of it has held up for years (definitely broken in though). And I don't have more than 4 pairs in rotation.

Cilleena

Veteran

I think that my washing machine is damaging my clothes. It's an 18 year old top loader with a beater bar in it. Besides my denim wearing out faster, my tops (especially made out of slinky modal)get tiny holes in them after 2 or 3 wears. Also, buttons come off of pants really easily.

Mo

(website)

Veteran

I think that could be part of your problem. At home we have a front loader but here in the FL rental it's an old one like yours with the agitator. I see that the knits get pilled up more, as well. I'm starting to turn modals inside out before washing. And as always, zip those zippers so they don't chew the other clothes!

Cilleena

Veteran

Zipping zippers...I never thought of that. Bet that's what is causing the tiny holes...along with the agitator. Thanks for the tip, Mo.

A tip in return, if you didn't already know this, turn all "slub" knit tops inside out too. Otherwise they look worn and pilly in a few washes.

amyreh

(website)

Veteran

Are you drying your jeans in the dryer or hang drying? On top of your washer, drying them in the dryer can also break down the fabric more quickly I think.

Diana

Veteran

Hmm, even my premium denim does not last nearly 10 years (well, except for the ones that don't fit right and that I don't wear)! Maybe 3-4 or so at best. Honestly I haven't noticed a huge difference in durability between premium and upper-end non-premium, although I can tell a big difference in other respects like styling and fit. I don't have any really cheap jeans, so I couldn't comment on that. I am hard on my jeans, and they all get ruined in exactly the same way which has nothing to do with washing or stretching out, actually. I always get holes in my jeans either at the inner thighs (where they rub together) or for some reason right at the bottom of the butt (I guess that has to do with the way I generally sit or something?). For that reason I expect lightweight denim to fall apart faster, regardless of whether or not it's premium.

To be honest, I use a regular top loader cycle and dryer dry most of my denim (except for jeggings) and I have never had a pair get stretched out or lose its elasticity before it springs holes in one of the aforementioned places. I do generally go several wears between washes though.

Barbara

Veteran

They should last for years! I have several pairs of Common Genes jeans that are three years old and are like new. Rule number one: NEVER EVER dry jeans in the dryer. It will ruin the spandex.

How I care for my denim: to wash, turn them inside out, wash in cold water - I use Purex detergent - NO fabric softener. Fluff them in the dryer WITHOUT HEAT for about five minutes and turn right side out, shake, straighten seams and hang to dry.

lyn*

(website)

Veteran

My sample sale 1921's (around $150 or so new) are holding up definitely and I've owned them for 3 years.

The only pair of jeans that have "crapped out" on me are my $15 walmart ones that I got maybe 5 yrs ago.

Maybe I am just gentle with my jeans. I always wash them inside out. With woolite

Cilleena

Veteran

I just learned to not put my jeans in the dryer a few months back, so the ones that are falling apart are my "dryer" jeans. I had to keep drying them in the dryer after I started because it's the only way they shrunk back to the right size. Hopefully, my newer pairs that I've spared the dryer will last longer.

Why no fabric softener? My water is so hard that the clothes will practically stand on their own without it.

Queen Mum

Veteran

cileena- the hard water should not be what causes stiffness, but rather using too much detergent. The detergent doesn't get rinsed out completely and leaves the fabric stiff. If you really feel that your water needs to be softened, I'd put a cup of baking soda in with either the detergent or maybe the final rinse. Baking soda is a natural softener and it shouldn't affect your clothes. I NEVER use fabric softener. I don't even own any.

tewyw

Member

You could buy jeans at Farm and Fleet for around $20 and they would last 5-10 years. I got fed up with designer jeans getting holes in the knees after only weeks to several months and stopped buying them for the last 7 years. They have really perfected their system of getting you back in the store to empty your wallet over blue jeans. Even the North Face convertible pants I bought from REI and wear all the time have lasted me about 5 years so far and they're not even denim, and no visible wear in the knees! They honestly look like I could get another 5 years out of them easily.