How many times in your life have you put your jeans in the washing machine? Some say you should never wash. Understand:
No matter how hygienic you are, you are likely to use your jeans more than once before washing, right? But what if you never washed it? This is exactly what the CEO of the Levi’s brand, Chip Bergh, does and recommends.
The CEO of one of the first and main jeans manufacturers in the world made the controversial statement during a sustainability event and shocked people a little. According to him, he had been wearing his favorite jeans for more than a year and the piece “hadn’t seen a washing machine yet”. According to him, the measure has several advantages, such as preserving the integrity of the rob, as well as saving water.
However, it is clear that this statement is somewhat controversial and considered unhygienic by many people. This is because washing clothes is very important to avoid the proliferation of fungi and bacteria, as well as bad odor. So, is it a good idea to follow Bergh’s advice?
Why does the CEO of Levi’s say we shouldn’t wash our jeans?
Do you have any idea how many times your favorite pair of jeans has been through the washing machine? Most likely countless times, but for the CEO of Levi’s this is wrong. For Chip Bergh, the ideal would be to not wash your jeans even once, that’s exactly what he does and recommends to all his customers.
“If you talk to fabric experts, they will tell you never to wash them.”it was clear. “I know this sounds disgusting, but believe me, it is possible. You can wipe it with a damp cloth and leave it to dry, and it works. I’ve never had a skin problem or anything like that.”explained the CEO to the audience at the Fortune magazine event.
According to him, the justification for this is that there is no need to put the jeans in the washing machine. Firstly because this can damage the material, which will lose its color and elasticity and secondly because it wastes a lot of water.
In fact, in a survey carried out by the brand in 2008 to evaluate the product’s lifespan, Levi’s discovered that half of the water consumption is used in the manufacture of the item itself and the other half in the customer’s home, due to multiple washes in washing machines. to wash.
“The point I want to get to is that consumers need to turn off the automatic button, after using something, put it straight into the machine”he stated.
Is this hygienic?
As he said, this sounds disgusting and unsanitary. According to him, the solution to eliminate dirt and bad smells would be to wipe it with a wet brush and let the item dry in the sun. But is this alone enough?
Therefore, it is important to take care to avoid the proliferation of fungi and bacteria, in addition to the fact that jeans can become a potential vector for viruses, such as the coronavirus itself. So much so that during the pandemic the recommendation was to wash clothes immediately after use, to reduce the chances of the item harboring the virus.
Speaking from a microbiological point of view, pants can be a major breeding ground for fungi and bacteria, as microbiologist Aline Stipp explains to the Viva Bem website: “It is treated as a thick fabric, which retains sweat especially in hot times, such as summer. We know that for the proliferation of microorganisms, moisture content is necessary.”
Therefore, the ideal is to wash your pants regularly, even if this goes against the recommendations of some manufacturers. In fact, some brands advise their customers that to disinfect pants, simply place them in the freezer for 12 hours in a bag and then let them dry in the sun. However, this process is neither effective nor scientifically proven.
How is it recommended to wash jeans?
For Viva Bem, Aline stated that the ideal is to let the jeans soak in soapy water for at least 12 hours. After that, simply follow the traditional washing process, eliminating the use of special products. Now, if the item has been used in places with a lot of exposure to agents, such as hospitals, it is important to wash the pants separately from other clothes.
However, we know that in everyday life no one has time to leave their pants to soak for 12 hours. So it’s very unlikely that anyone would actually do this. Therefore, it is worth noting that the traditional soap used to wash clothes is enough to provide efficient cleaning of all your items, including jeans.
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Sources: Exame O Globo Mulher Viva Bem
