After three or four days of wearing a pair of jeans, I toss them into the washing machine. I’ve been accused of washing my pants too often. I am confident, however, that I live with a minor case of obsessive-compulsive disorder. Others would argue that it is more severe than it is minor. Regardless, I wash my jeans at frequent intervals.

While walking with a friend one day, I noted his new pair of pants and commented on how they looked extra dark and heavy. He told me they were “raw denim.” Meaning the jeans weren’t washed after dyeing during production. He said he wouldn’t wash them either. In fact, his jeans had never seen soap and water, and he’d been wearing them for six months.

After voicing that I was rather appalled by his pants, he told me not to worry about hygiene because he freezes them a couple of times a year.

News that my friend’s jeans see a freezer instead of a washing machine sparked several questions from me, and I learned that he’s not alone. In fact, he started listing off our other friends who pop their pants beside their frozen pizzas.

It’s a trend that’s gaining momentum, and involves a commitment to raw denim.  So, I hit campus to find out who’s sporting unwashed pants and why. Click on the video to meet people who choose the freezer over the washing machine for their jeans.