After seven months of daily wear in my B-02 REGULAR STRAIGHT 14 oz. green cast selvedge, it’s finally time for their first wash.

Last month we ran an Instagram Story poll asking whether to wash them or not. Most of you voted for ‘keep on fading’, so I followed your lead and held off. For a while. But after a trip to Greece, where I got caught in a sandstorm that turned the sky deep red, like a scene straight out of Dune, with dust blown in all the way from the Sahara, the moment has come.

This marks the final pre-wash update. Next month I’ll share the post-wash results.

I don’t wash my jeans often, so when I do, I stick to a careful process to preserve the character and fading. I follow the same steps as outlined in our wash guide.

I’ll be sharing an update every month to track how this pair transforms over time, so stay tuned for the next chapter. In the meantime, you can follow along on my personal account (@lennaertnijgh) as I continue putting this new fabric to the test.

— Lennaert, founder of BENZAK

Curious about the Indigo Invitational, or denim fading contests in general? This article breaks down everything you need to know about the world’s biggest denim fading competition.

For a closer look at how long wear transforms denim, visit our Fade Archive. It features a selection of well-worn BENZAK jeans (and a jackets), including a few standout pieces that came to life during past fading contests. Each piece shows the character that only real use and time can create.