If you've ever gone through the process of breaking in a pair of raw denim, you'll know that it's no easy task. Some people even try to expedite the process by soaking them in water or wearing them while doing squats, among other desperate measures. Huit, a British denim company, knows how painful the process can be, which is why it has hired people to do it for you. Yup, people actually get paid to break in your jeans.
First, the "breakers" sign up and pay a $120 deposit. They then wear the jeans for six months (sometimes everyday) before handing them back to Huit, broken in and ready for their new owner. Huit will then auction off the goods, and as compensation the breaker will receive 20 percent of the final sale price.
David and Clare Hieatt founded Hiut two-and-a-half years ago as a mission to get hundreds of people their jobs back. The town in which they are based was once home to the largest denim factory in Britain and employed 400 locals. When the company decided to outsource production to Morocco, the factory closed, and left 10 percent of locals on welfare practically overnight. While the breakers are doing the consumers a service by creating a pair of weathered, distressed denim that's ready for wear, there's a huge environmental advantage to Huit's process as well, as 80 percent of the environmental impact of jeans come from washing and ironing.
If you're interested in learning more or copping your own pair of pre-broken jeans, visit Huit's website. However if you want jeans that are faded and fit just for you, you might want to stick to breaking them in yourself.
[via The Guardian]
