Opinion: The great jean debate: Freeze ‘em or wash ‘em? | CNN

Denim jeans -- or trousers, waist overalls or dungarees -- started out as work-wear for hard labor in mines, factories and fields, as seen on <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-965233">two fruit pickers</a> in British Columbia in 1942.

Blue jeans through the years —

Denim jeans -- or trousers, waist overalls or dungarees -- started out as work-wear for hard labor in mines, factories and fields, as seen on two fruit pickers in British Columbia in 1942.

Courtesy Barb Mayer

By the '50s, denim had become popular with everyday Americans, children included. The grandmother of <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-965623">these twin boys</a> "thought it was time they looked like little boys instead of babies," said iReporter Janie Lambert, whose husband, right, was about 3 years old in this 1952 photo. The pants were a deep blue denim (no prewash in those days).

Blue jeans through the years —

By the '50s, denim had become popular with everyday Americans, children included. The grandmother of these twin boys "thought it was time they looked like little boys instead of babies," said iReporter Janie Lambert, whose husband, right, was about 3 years old in this 1952 photo. The pants were a deep blue denim (no prewash in those days).

Courtesy Janie Lambert

Blue jeans through the years —

In the '60s and '70s, people began experimenting with flares, bell-bottoms and extensions to personalize their jeans and get a few extra years out of them. As a teenager in 1972, Jim Heston was growing faster than his jeans were wearing out, so his mom sewed on the red extensions.

Courtesy Jim Heston

Not all those looks were successful, especially early renditions of what's now known as the Canadian tuxedo. Patricia Alfano <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-964521">sewed this ill-fitting outfit</a> for her husband, which he wore quite a bit until "I had to admit to him it was a 'fail'." All that denim, plus the large blocks of contrast "made him look like a hippie Smurf."

Blue jeans through the years —

Not all those looks were successful, especially early renditions of what's now known as the Canadian tuxedo. Patricia Alfano sewed this ill-fitting outfit for her husband, which he wore quite a bit until "I had to admit to him it was a 'fail'." All that denim, plus the large blocks of contrast "made him look like a hippie Smurf."

Courtesy Patricia Alfano

Blue jeans through the years —

Clothing became another way for young people to challenge norms and minimize the gender gap, paving the way for the mainstreaming of jeans across all spectrums of society. Shown here in 1975, Jim Heston wore the belt buckle on the side of his waist.

Courtesy Jim Heston

Men were historically the ones promoting denim fashions, until <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-965235">cutoff denim shorts</a> came along. Barb Mayer, second from left, in 1974, says she would be embarrassed to wear such short shorts today.

Blue jeans through the years —

Men were historically the ones promoting denim fashions, until cutoff denim shorts came along. Barb Mayer, second from left, in 1974, says she would be embarrassed to wear such short shorts today.

Courtesy Barb Mayer

The '80s saw the development of more <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-965234">prewashed denims</a>, stone washing and other techniques to achieve a worn-out look. Jeans really were for everyone by then, from children to Brooke Shields, who famously proclaimed: "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YK2VZgJ4AoM" target="_blank" target="_blank">You wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing."</a>

Blue jeans through the years —

The '80s saw the development of more prewashed denims, stone washing and other techniques to achieve a worn-out look. Jeans really were for everyone by then, from children to Brooke Shields, who famously proclaimed: "You wanna know what comes between me and my Calvins? Nothing."

Courtesy Barb Mayer

<a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-973440">Acid-washed</a>, severely bleached and ripped jeans were trendy in the mid- to late '80s, thanks to punk and heavy-metal rockers who popularized the style.

Blue jeans through the years —

Acid-washed, severely bleached and ripped jeans were trendy in the mid- to late '80s, thanks to punk and heavy-metal rockers who popularized the style.

Courtesy Brittanie Shey

Just about every '80s kid in America <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-966292">had a jean jacket</a>, preferably with patches, pins or rhinestones. In 1983, when Beth Barret was 13, her mom bought her this jacket and her grandmother sewed the patches. Barret's daughter, shown here in May, often wears it now.

Blue jeans through the years —

Just about every '80s kid in America had a jean jacket, preferably with patches, pins or rhinestones. In 1983, when Beth Barret was 13, her mom bought her this jacket and her grandmother sewed the patches. Barret's daughter, shown here in May, often wears it now.

Courtesy Beth Barret

In the 1990s, denim fell out of high fashion as other fabrics and styles overtook style trends in casual wear, like khakis and cargo pants. But the <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-964620">high-waisted</a> and grunge styles of the decade are coming back.

Blue jeans through the years —

In the 1990s, denim fell out of high fashion as other fabrics and styles overtook style trends in casual wear, like khakis and cargo pants. But the high-waisted and grunge styles of the decade are coming back.

Courtesy Zeynep Rice

To this day, blue jeans remain the uniform for cowboys young and old. Here, Bruce Beasley and his grandson <a href="http://ireport.cnn.com/docs/DOC-971568">load cattle on their farm</a> in Patricia, Alberta, in May 2013.

Blue jeans through the years —

To this day, blue jeans remain the uniform for cowboys young and old. Here, Bruce Beasley and his grandson load cattle on their farm in Patricia, Alberta, in May 2013.

Courtesy Lee Gunderson

Blue jeans through the years —

Recent years have seen a revival of appreciation for untreated denim common in the days of Jacob Davis and Levi Strauss. Today, however, purists like Tyler Madden, left, and Lesli Larson (who both work in the apparel industry), favor raw denim from Japan, including their beloved 1947 Sugar Cane denim. "They are simple, unadorned, and fill the role of classic blue jean better than any other pants that can be bought today," said Madden. Larson added, "I feel like I could toss out the rest of my wardrobe and live in these pants for the next decade. "

Courtesy Mandi Garcia/Lesli Larson

Blue jeans through the years

Editor’s Note: Mel Robbins is a CNN commentator and legal analyst. Mel is the Founder of Inspire52.com, a positive news website and author of “Stop Saying You’re Fine,” about managing change. She speaks on leadership around the world and in 2014 was named Outstanding News Talk Radio Host by the Gracie Awards. Follow her on Twitter @melrobbins. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Mel Robbins.

Story highlights

Mel Robbins: Levi's CEO says save water, don't wash your jeans, freeze them to freshen

Robbins: That's gross

She says science doesn't support this, even though there's lots of online info on how to do it

Robbins: People who buy new jeans frequently could do it; for the rest of us, it's unsanitary

CNN —

The CEO of Levis Strauss, Chip Bergh, has some advice for you: Don’t wash your jeans.

As in don’t wash them … ever. Speaking at Fortune’s Brainstorm Green conference, Chip said he was sporting a pair that had “yet to see a washing machine” in over a year.

Worried about germs, you germaphobes? No problem, he says. Just stick your jeans in the freezer once a month next to the frozen waffles to kill off the bacteria. Apparently getting them icy will neutralize the sweat, coffee spills and other bodily fluids that might collect in the zipper or “seating” area. He also suggests spot cleaning with a sponge or a toothbrush.

While that could work for the stuff on the outside of your jeans, what about all the stuff your body cooked up that’s on the flip side? Once you get ‘em back up to body temperature, won’t you be warming up those germs again? Yuck.

Mel Robbins

Courtesy of Mel Robbins

Jean freezing has become quite the craze in the past few years. It even comes with its own video tutorials and folding techniques posted online by bloggers around the country. Interesting, but somehow I doubt an overnight stay in the freezer is going to silence the filth festival that accumulates on a pair of jeans over the course of wearing them for 30 days straight.

The only time I tried jean freezing was during a family fishing trip a few years ago in the Wind River Range. We “washed” a load in the river and hung a line up for our laundry to dry overnight. I woke up to unexpected frost and a pair of Carhartts that felt like plywood. If you think it’s hard to pull on your jeggings, ladies, try cracking open a pair of jeans that are frozen solid.

Bergh claims that not washing your jeans keeps them in mint condition and helps conserve water. Both noble pursuits. But what about conserving the cleanliness of your lower extremities and not subjecting your colleagues to the stench of dirty denim? Have you ever cooked bacon or mucked a stall in a pair of jeans? It’s a gift that keeps on giving.

And with this thought, it has dawned on me. He’s not talking to people like my Uncle Warren, who rise with the sun to work the Angus cattle farm that’s been in my family for generations. He’s talking to people who like to look fancy in their jeans.

The people that benefit most from not washing denim are the ones who’ll throw down what is for many Americans a monthly salary to buy something they’ll never wash, because, quite frankly, they’ll probably be worn no more than four times before their next new pair of jeans.

And listen, science says this “freezing jean” phenomena doesn’t stand up to analysis. In plain English: No, freezing your jeans will not kill all bacteria, but throwing them in the microwave just might. Stephen Craig Cary, a University of Delaware expert on frozen microbes suggests “you either raise the temperature to 121 degrees Celsius for at least 10 minutes or just wash them! The latter surely is the best alternative to save energy.”

He adds: “One might think that if the temperature drops well below the human body temperature they (bacteria) will not survive, but actually many will. Many are pre-adapted to survive low temperatures.”

Then again, since much of a CEO’s job is to drum up as much marketing buzz as possible, it’s no wonder that Bergh is making this unsanitary claim – thereby bringing Levi’s back to the forefront of a conversation. Even if it makes him smell like a farm animal.

Follow us on Twitter @CNNOpinion.

Join us on Facebook/CNNOpinion.