When we started Polar Skate Co. around 15 years ago, we had a vision — but certainly not the expectation — that one day we’d have a complete denim collection with a wide range of fits and styles. From the Big Boy Jeans, probably our most iconic and baggiest denim style, to the 89 Pants, one of the newer and slimmer additions to our lineup, we’ve come a long way.
Today, our denim range offers something for nearly every preference and body type. But with that variety, we often get messages like, “How does the 93 Pant fit compared to the Big Boys?” to “I want my jeans to fit like this — which model should I buy?” or “How should I wash my Polar Denim Pants?”
To answer those questions, we created the Polar Skate Co. Denim Guide — an editorial overview that compares all our denim fits, shares insights into our design process, and includes frequently asked questions answered by Pontus Alv, who designed the Big Boy; Krzysztof, Head of Denim Production; and Caroline, responsible for Denim Design.
When Polar Skate Co. founder Pontus Alv started developing what would become the Big Boy Pant, it wasn’t about fashion trends — it was about reconnecting with the essence of skateboarding style. He had been watching old ’90s skate clips again — seeing skaters like Javonte Turner, Drake Jones, Mike Carroll, and Henry Sanchez — and noticed how the movement of fabric amplified their flow.
At a time when skate fashion was dominated by slim chinos, Pontus wanted to bring back looser, more expressive silhouettes that reflected the culture he grew up with. Together with the Head of Design, Mathilda, and the Instagram collector Big Bag of Jesus, Pontus started to explore what the perfect baggy pant could be:
“There was this Instagram account called Big Bag of Jesus that was posting and collecting all the vintage baggy pants. We were having conversations about what is the perfect baggy. He even sent me a few reference pants that I could work from.”
Even if people weren't into it in the beginning, we kept them in the line-up, because Pontus and the team really liked them. Today it’s our most recognized pant model that built the foundation for our denim range.
You might have expected that answer, but there isn’t necessarily the right model for you. Our denim designer Caroline can give you some guidance:
“If you like wearing baggy clothes, you’ll probably love the Big Boys. If you want a cleaner, more fitted pant, go for the 89.”
For example: the 91s — our latest style — were introduced to fill a gap between tapered and slim fits — high-waisted, straight-legged, and timeless. The 92, 93 & Big Boys are generally designed for a low waist, but people are free to wear them however they like.
Caroline describes the creative process as a mix of technical precision and gut feeling. New designs are not tied to seasonal cycles but evolve naturally when something feels “missing” in the Polar world: “It’s not season-based. It’s more about what we want in the wardrobe — what’s missing, what would last.”
From first sketches to production can take over a year and a half. Each sample is tested, fitted, adjusted, and even worn by local skaters for real-life feedback.
Polar uses its own exclusive fabrics — unique in yarn, indigo tone, and wash effects. The denim is made from 100 % cotton, and each roll of fabric behaves slightly differently — some shrink more, others stretch more — a natural variation. Krzysztof, our Head of Pants Production in Poland, mentions that’s why all the fabric is pre-washed: “We check every roll for shrinkage and adjust production, but still, it’s just cotton.”
Still, it can happen that the same model in the same size fits slightly differently. Price differences between colours or washes are purely due to production time and complexity: “A dark wash might take 20 minutes, while a light blue one takes hours — several washes, re-dyeing, finishing. That’s why one pair costs more than another.”
One of our claims regarding denim design is that we want to create stuff that can become vintage at some point. Quality is only one side — care and treatment is the other. That’s why Krzysztof summed up the main mistakes — the no-go when it comes to taking care of denim products.
“First, many people wash them on the wrong side. This, in combination with an overly full washing machine, produces white lines or holes in the fabric. Always wash the products on the left side and don’t overload the washing machine.” Also, he laughs about an old myth regarding putting pants in a freezer: “Putting jeans in the freezer is for raw selvage denim. Not ours.”
The 92, 93 & Big Boy
The questions we receive most: “Why did you change the embroidery logo? Why did you get rid of the old Big Boy logo?” Pontus gives a clear answer:
“The Big Boy guy just became too big for his own good & for the company. People sometimes didn’t even know that there is a brand called Polar behind it. I wanted to simplify the pant models, make them more tone-in-tone, a bit more mature. The most significant aspects of our pants still are the quality, cut and the unique washes.”
But the Big Boy character remains part of Polar’s DNA: “Keep your eyes open — he pops up, he’s still around, we still love him.”
