Those odd, wavy ripples or puckered areas—especially around the inner thighs, knees, or along the seams of your jeans—usually aren’t a flaw. They’re a common byproduct of how denim is produced, how it’s washed, and how it dries. The good news is that with better care, you can reduce them and often smooth them out again.
What Causes the Ripples?
- Uneven Shrinkage (The Main Culprit)
Denim is woven from cotton yarns that are pulled and stretched during manufacturing.
When jeans are washed—especially in hot water—the fibers relax and shrink, but they don’t always shrink uniformly.
Sections under more tension, such as the crotch seams, thigh panels, and areas with double stitching, can tighten at different rates, creating puckering or “rippling.”
- Agitation in the Wash Cycle
The constant churning inside a washing machine can twist or distort denim, particularly when jeans are washed inside-out or end up bunched together.
Strong agitation plus wet cotton often leads to temporary warping in the fabric.
- Improper Drying
High-heat tumble drying can worsen uneven shrinkage.
Hanging jeans by the waistband can stretch the top while the heavy, wet denim pulls downward, which may encourage ripples along the thighs.
- Fabric Construction
Stretch denim that contains spandex or elastane is more likely to ripple because synthetic fibers respond differently to heat and moisture than cotton does.
Raw or rigid denim may ripple less as it breaks in, but it can form sharp creases when wet.
