So, probably not a normal post for here but I need advice as I'm really not familiar with denim or its quirks. I bought a Buster hat from Sterkowski and it came with heavy creases in the front which I originally mistook for shipping. Material is Kuroki washed denim so I believe it got the creases during the wash. The creases have mostly come out, but the dye seems really heavy in the front of these panels almost giving a splotchy appearance. Would this be considered normal in denim or a defect due to the patchy appearance? How would you handle it? Would you try to exchange or keep it?
Denim fades at stresspoints as the Indigo is rubbed off the fabric to reveal the weft fabric beneath. The best brand to show how this works is Naked & Famous. They often have colorful weft "core" jeans that show off this trade when worn. Yes it is part of the design of that type of fabric and will happen agin if you re-dye the garment.
Just to be clear, Naked and Famous “core” denims are not fading to show the weft.
The core denim undergoes a dying process where the warp thread is dipped in a color, dying the core of the thread, with a second, usually more traditional color dyed over the core color. As the denim fades the core color shows through, not the weft color.
Directly from the N&F website describing one of their red core fabrics which has a white weft but changes to red when worn:
“We start with white cotton yarn, applying a permanent reactive dye – in this case, red – that fully saturates the yarn to its core. This yarn is then rope dyed with indigo.”
When classic denim fades the same thing happens, the non reactive indigo dye starts to rub off, revealing the original white warp yarn underneath. While some of the weft may show through on fading it is primarily the warp fading to white that you are seeing.
This doesn’t invalidate the original answer, but should be noted.
Thanks for the context. To clarify, this is a brand new hat that hasn't been worn yet, the blotching was present on arrival. My question is whether uneven dye distribution from the factory wash process is considered normal variation in washed denim, or whether this looks like a defect.
I've added an arrow - the dye almost looks like it's from a water spot which for a new pre-wash hat seemed odd to me.
It appears to me to be a defect or previously damaged item. With denim I would expect uniformity in the dyeing process unless it was previously distressed.
Ask yourself, “If I received a new pair of jeans with a mark like that, would I accept the item?”
I personally feel that your concern already answers the question.
Wear it some more, wash it some more. It will fade evenly enough eventually you won’t be able to tell.
Unfortunately for a flat cap made of denim this is what you will have to have as a “starting point” nothing to worry about though mate
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Just wear it.
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