Questions About Jean Rot

[J_V]

Hello,

Over the seasons, I've heard some guys talk about jean rot on very old, reproduction woolen jean uniforms. There was a story about ruined trousers, and another had a very old shell jacket that had begun to rot in the sleeve, but the man had somehow stopped the rot from spreading by sewing around it, or so I remember.

I have four kids and can participate in this hobby only on a limited and focused basis. Obviously, I want to care for my kit as best as I can, and I certainly don't want to have to buy a new piece just because I failed to take care of my stuff.

With that in mind, I have a few questions from those experienced with this fabric and similar fabrics:

I would think that jean rot originates from a few factors like heavy usage, dirt, sweat, moisture, etc. Is this correct?

Heavy usage seems to be the theme with jean rot. I would think that brushing the uniform out after usage, letting it dry, and then storing it in a relatively air tight enclosure would be about the extent one can go to toward care in a manner conducive to authentic reenacting.

Finally, should rot happen, can one mend it so that the rot does not spread?

Thank you.

[Curt-Heinrich Schmidt]

Hallo!

I have never heard of "jean rot" per se.

However, yes, ANY fabric can suffer from sunlight, insect, wear, friction, pull/stress, and wet mold/mildew related "destruction."

Even dirt can cut or saw through the thread or yarn of fabric over time as the particles are "sharp."

And I supposed there is also the discussion as to whether a cotton garment or wool garment is "longer-wearing" or in the case of jean cloth a compromise being a blend.

In brief and to over-generalize...

Yes, allow to wet garments to air dry. Allow mud to dry and gently brush off. Repair holes and tears to prevent them from enlarging.

Carpet beetles and clothing moths, if a concern, are a more complicated matter, and I believe there might be some previous discussions still in the SEARCH realm. (I just had images of some original jean jackets and trousers pop up where the clothes moths had followed straight lines just eating up the wool yarns...)

Curt

[Vuhginyuh]

I have in my possession several pieces of uniform that are a couple of years older than I am. They have never been cleaned or laundered so to speak in all that time, but they have been cared for in the manner that Curt described. They are as good as new today, if not better.

Now, a couple of years ago I did submerge a particularly nasty pair of the britches in a vat of distilled water for about an hour and needless to say I made Jean Tea.

I can only speculate as to what jean rot is and why the folks you overheard were having the problem. It sounds more like a hygiene issue than a quality textile one.

[Spinster]

First:

What Curt said.

Then,

Its rarely a good idea to seal a textile in a plastic tub or something similar for the sake of a 'airtight' enclosure. A good closet, maybe with some cedar boards in the bottom, or a bureau drawer with a paper liner over the wood will provide adequate storage, provided the garmet is put away well brushed, dry, and aired.

If you are particular concerned about insect exposure, put it in the freezer for a few days, then allow it to air for a day before storing.

I've seen jean wool separate from wear, sweat, and the side effects of 'closet shrinkage'. The cotton warp threads tend to fail first. Once this happens, a patient person can darn the affected area to a muslin backing. For a quality pair of lined trousers, often the lining is fine, but the jean fails on the knees or seat.

Getting to this sort of thing early allows one to open the lining seams and insert patching material under the frayed area, then darn the threads back in place. The temptation is to darn the jean wool directly to the lining--bad idea, as this tends to strain the lining.

[J_V]

A big thank you Curt, Garrison, and Mrs. Lawson. Thank you very much for the excellent responses.

[Dan Wambaugh]

Jonathan,

I think Mrs. Lawson is probably closer to the original idea of "jean rot." Many of us have seen a tiny hole, or single yarn snap in a piece of jean cloth manifest itself into a major hole in a very short period of time. While jean is a relatively durable material, a small break in the "chain" can caused a major hole to form through normal use if not caught and repaired in time. This is true for all fabrics but I think most true for a material like jean cloth where it is relatively loosely woven and lightly finished.

I would say that the person who told you about this originally may have been talking about this effect, rather than any chemical reaction.

Just my two cents.


Best,

Dan

[J_V]

Thanks Dan. Much appreciated.