Story 146: sanforized and starched raw denim

Recently, I found the term "sanforized overalls" in a book. I think, I heard of it before, but I never really thought about it. So when buying raw denim overalls (or jeans) that are not sanforized they will shrink, so you have to order a larger size. And kids or teens grow, so that has to be considered as well.

I read in several books, that in history, farm boys often got one new pair of overalls on Christmas, orderd by a mail-order catalogue. And at school, they want to remain them like new as long as possible so got them washed late, maybe after 2 or 3 weeks.

If a boy has younger siblings and the bibs shrunk and are not ripped after the year, probably some brothers had to wear them. Not sure how many bibs were sanforized but none before it's invention in ~1930.

Now I read on heddels.com that some starch their denims with a spray of corn starch. I never heard of that before and only read about the smell of denim and starched dresses in a one-room schoolhouse. Nowadays, I think raw denim are rarely worn, and also in movies they are quite rarely shown, mostly faded bibs.

https://biboverallsfilms.blogspot.com/2014/11/story-82-one-room-schoolhouse.html

https://biboverallsfilms.blogspot.com/2017/10/books-68-several-story-143-walking-in.html

https://biboverallsfilms.blogspot.com/2015/06/book-47-body-measurements-of-american.html

https://biboverallsfilms.blogspot.com/2017/12/list-58-favourite-raw-denim-movies.html