How To Distress Blue Jeans

If you can learn how to distress blue jeans yourself, you won’t need to purchase expensive designer jeans that are already distressed or destroyed. Why pay for jeans that are already damaged when you can choose any pair of jeans you already own and distress them to your liking? This is a fun, easy way to get the designer look you want at a price you can afford.

To distress blue jeans, you will need:

• Scissors
• Cheese Grater
• Nail File
• Sandpaper
• Block of wood

1. Purchase or find a pair of jeans. You don’t need to buy a brand new pair of jeans if you don’t want to. You can easily use a pair of jeans you already own.
2. Place a wood block inside the leg of the jean. To be sure you don’t cut through both fabric layers of the leg, place a block of wood, an old magazine or some other thick, sturdy object inside the leg before you begin. If you happen to cut through the front layer, this will prevent unwanted cutting or ripping on the back side of the jeans.
3. Rub the pockets and hems. Use rough sandpaper or a nail file to gently rub the edges of the front pockets, back pockets and hems until they begin to fray or look worn.
4. Rub the knees to create wear. The knee area in jeans tends to wear faster than any other area so it looks very natural if you use a pair of scissors or a knife and rub the fabric back and forth to create holes, wearing or fraying above, below or right at the knee. You can also move up towards the thigh area if you choose to.
5. Wash and dry the jeans. To complete the process, you’ll want to wash the jeans in a washing machine and then dry them in a clothes dryer. The dryer will help to further accelerate the destruction process by causing the jeans to fray.

If you want to make distressed shorts from a pair of denim jeans, be sure you cut them into shorts first and then follow the steps above to create your desired distressed look.

Be mindful of stitched areas. You do not want to distress them as they are what hold your jeans together. Doing damage to the stitching will shorten the life of your jeans.

Rubbing vigorously will create a more distressed look than rubbing softly. If you want a damaged look, rub until you begin to create holes or tears.