BEFORE YOU START:
The first thing you need to consider before you start to customise your denim is how and where to rip your jeans. Have a clear idea of what type of rips and tears you want your jeans to have before you get scissor happy to avoid any mistakes. We advise trying your jeans on and deciding where exactly you want to position the rips, you can then make marks with a pencil or chalk to illustrate where you want to cut your jeans. If you make any errors with the marking, then the chalk or pencil will just come out in the wash. It is so important to plan ahead and do trial runs before you jump in with the scissors to make sure that you are completely happy with the look.
Look for inspiration before committing to a style. The beauty of distressing your own denim is that you can really get creative and customise your jeans to suit your style. Whatever fit you’re working with, whether it's skinny, straight leg, or mom jeans, you can create the perfect pair of ripped, distressed jeans. For example, if large knee tears aren’t your thing, then you can opt for a few small tears at the top of the thigh, subtle scuffing of the denim or even just giving your jeans a frayed hem. Depending on your taste, you can really get experimental with your denim and create a completely unique pair of jeans that express your individuality.
MATERIALS
To get started, gather all the materials you need for ripping your jeans.
To create your look, you will need:
- Your favourite jeans (We love our recycled denim jeans)
- A pencil or chalk for marking your denim
- Scissors
- Sandpaper to scuff your jeans
- Tweezers - the perfect tool for intricate detailing
HOW TO MAKE RIPPED JEANS & DISTRESSED DENIM
Once you’ve chosen your denim and gathered your materials you’re ready to get started.
STEP 1: MARK YOUR DESIGN
The most important step: put your jeans on to mark your design. Using chalk or a pencil draw lines where you’d like to place your rips.
By wearing your jeans, you can see your design more clearly and avoid making any mistakes. You should avoid adding rips and tears to parts of the jeans that are very tight as this can cause them to get much larger with frequent wear.
STEP 2: CUT ALONG THE MARKINGS
Begin vervolgens langs de markeringen te knippen. Als je wilt dat de gaten helemaal door de spijkerbroek gaan, kun je doorgaan en de schaar gebruiken om langs de markeringen te knippen. Als je echter een meer subtiele look wilt, gebruik dan de scherpe rand van de schaar en begin langs de markeringen te schrapen waar je wilt dat de denim scheurt.
STEP 3: USE SANDPAPER TO DISTRESS YOUR JEANS
To add further detailing to your ripped jeans and create a distressed look, use sandpaper and tweezers to focus on specific areas.
Simply rub the sandpaper across the torn denim. The denim will begin to thin and give the jeans a worn, distressed look. How much pressure you apply and how much you want the denim to thin is dependent on your personal preference.
If you’re wondering how to give jeans a distressed look without cutting holes into the denim, then we recommend putting the jeans on and using the sandpaper to rub the denim until you get the desired effect. Wearing the jeans for this step gives you more control over the finished look.
STEP 4: USE TWEEZERS FOR FINER DETAILING
Keep sanding until the denim starts to thin. Once the threads loosen and become visible, you can use tweezers to pull out the individual threads.
STEP 5: WASH YOUR JEANS
Wash your jeans on a delicate, low temperature cycle after you have finished customising them.
STEP 6: TUMBLE DRY YOUR JEANS
Dry your jeans in the tumble dryer at a low heat, normal dry cycle.
STEP 7: YOUR JEANS ARE READY TO WEAR
Your custom jeans are now ready to wear. Wear them with pride, knowing that these jeans are completely individual to you and no one else will have the same pair.
Customising your denim jeans is the perfect way to update your look and create your own unique style. Wear your jeans casually with trainers and laid back t-shirts, or wear them to give a dressed up outfit some extra edge. Whatever your style, your personalised jeans will become your new wardrobe staple.
Discover our latest denim styles with our jeans range.
