Grading used denim shorts
Grading used denim shorts separates intended distressing from real wear. Frayed cut hems are usually by design, so the grade weighs whether fraying and fading are as-made, then leads with inner-thigh abrasion, the crotch seam, and pocket-corner stress — the structural points that fail beneath the fashionable distressing.
What to check
- Intended raw or frayed hems and fading vs. incidental wear
- Inner-thigh abrasion and thinning
- Crotch-seam and pocket-corner stress
- Waistband, fly, and hardware function
How to grade it, step by step
- 1
Read the distressing
Decide whether frayed hems, fading, and rips are the design. As-made distressing isn't penalized; incidental thinning and blowouts are.
- 2
Check the structure
Inspect the inner thighs and crotch seam for thinning heading toward a blowout — the flaw that leads the grade.
- 3
Test the hardware
Work the fly, button, and rivets and check the pocket corners for stress and holes.
Graded examples
| Grade | Why |
|---|---|
| 9 (NWOT) | Deadstock, crisp with intended fraying, hardware perfect. |
| 7 (Very Good) | As-made distressing, thighs sound, fly works. |
| 3 (Poor) | Blown-out inner thigh beyond the intended rips. |
Every grade sits on the GradeThread 1.0–10.0 scale.
Flaws to watch on this garment
Frequently asked
- How do you grade intentionally distressed denim shorts?
- Against their intended, as-made state. Factory fraying, rips, and fading are the design and don't lower the grade. What counts is unintended damage on top — a crotch blowout, thinning that's about to become a hole where none was designed, or a broken fly — which does move the grade down.
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