In today's tough economy more and more people are taking care of what they have instead of going out and buying new.  Fashionable denim jeans can be expensive, especially since jeans are one of those wardrobe essentials that everyone needs. And even those who can afford the latest denim jeans choose to cut down due to environmental concerns.

Taking care of your jeans is a good way to preserve not only the environment but your bank account as well. In order to keep your designer denims from Michele in the best condition and reduce your carbon footprint, follow these simple tips:

1. Extend the life of your jeans by wearing them two or three days in a row. Only wash when it is compulsory as washing will cause the jeans to fade and fray quicker.

2. Wash your jeans in cold water if they are no visible dirt or stains. This reduces fading. Reserve hot water washing for really dirty or oily jeans.

3. Wash your jeans on the shortest and gentlest setting when they are dirty. Very lightly soiled jeans may even be washed on a delicate cycle, however, you may need to spin it more than once to get all the excess water out.

4. Zip zippers and button buttons before washing your jeans. This prevents the metal fasteners and rivets from rubbing against the fabric during washing, which essentially causes wear and fading.

5. Turn your jeans inside out before washing. This allows fading dyes to settle back into the fabric. Add some old jeans in with your new ones to absorb any excess dye and add new life to old, faded jeans.

6. Let your jeans air-dry until they are only slightly damp and finish them off in the dryer to soften them up. This protects the fabric from excess heat, and saves on energy as well.

7. Avoid buying pre-washed jeans. When a new jeans is pre-fade for fashion purposes to weakens the fabric, shortening its life span.

8. The knees of your jeans are usually the first area to start fading. A good idea would be to patch them before they wear through. Iron-on patches are simple to apply and readily available. Another idea would be to cut-up old, unwearable jeans for patches.

Quality, designer jeans are available everywhere, and in order to keep them looking as good as new, follow the above tips. Michele at Gray and Osbourn offers a variety of jeans and trousers for all shapes and sizes.

Author bio

This article was written by Gray and Osbourn and offers tips on jeans and trousers available at Michele. Visit us online for our full range.