People starch jeans to give them a crisp, clean look and to help the jeans keep their shape. Applying starch to jeans is a practice that dates back to the early 1900s with cowboys and American farmers. The starch helps stiffen the fabric and prevents it from wrinkling or stretching out. Starching also gives a cleaner look to the jeans once they have been washed and dried. Aside from practical use, it also adds more flare to the style of the jeans, giving them a more fashionable, tailored look. It is important to note that starching can also wear down the quality of the fabric overtime, so some people prefer to only starch jeans for a special occasion.
