It’s obvious that most clothes has to be washed after a few wears. However, opinions on jeans might differ significantly; some people are even against washing them. And Charles Bergh, the CEO of Levi Strauss, could share some of the responsibility for that. Even if he didn’t intend for it to be the primary lesson that was learned from a 2014 speech he gave at an event.
“I never said don’t wash your jeans,” he clarified in conversation with CNBC’s Christine Tan as part of the “Managing Asia” show broadcast last month.
The interview with Charles Bergh in from of CNBC HERE?
Can you wear your jeans under the shower?
Bergh still cleans his jeans by hand rather than in a washing machine. True denim heads, people that really love their denim, will tell you to never put your denim into a washing machine. So that’s what I do.”
Fans of denim frequently claim that washing jeans will change their colour and form, while leaving them unwashed will improve their appearance by allowing creases and weather exposure to show off. According to another theory, they will last longer if you don’t wash them since this will keep the denim’s fibres from deteriorating and causing tears or holes.
Bergh, though, does more than simply let his clothes grow filthy and soiled.
“If I drop some curry on my jeans, I’m gonna clean it. But I’ll spot clean it. And if they get really gross you know, if I’ve been out sweating or something and they get really gross, I’ll wash them in the shower,” he said.
Bergh clarified that this entails wearing your jeans in the shower and washing them with soap just as you would your body.
The carbon footprint on earth
According to Bergh, washing jeans contributes significantly to the carbon footprint of the item. He pointed out that although the denim business uses a lot of water in its manufacture, customers’ frequent washing also has an impact.
He noted that although individuals in other parts of the globe may put their clothes in the washing machine after a few wears, Americans could wash their pants after every use.
In recent years, the discussion regarding how often we should really wash our clothes has moved beyond just jeans. Recent social media debates on what is and isn’t sanitary have been sparked by disputes about how frequently individuals wash their bedding and pyjamas, for example.
But Bergh also notes that there are other arguments rather than hygiene itself, such as the water consumption of washing machines. Therefore, some sustainability experts argue that washing less clothes might be beneficial for the environment, particularly since washing our frequently synthetic clothing, releases microplastics that add to the problem of plastic pollution.
Therefore, even if some people would not be content to avoid washing their jeans in the washing machine, it might be worth considering to wash them and other clothes less regularly or if possible, on hand.