@Johnboy1 thanks for reaching out and for including a picture of the shorts! Are you able to visit your local REI store and chat with our Customer Service team? If yes, we'd definitely recommend this, as it's hard to tell exactly what's happening with the shorts from your picture. From what you've described, since these are new shorts and you've only just washed them once, this doesn't seem like normal wear and tear and may therefore be covered by our return policy. Ultimately, our store team will make the final decision once they've chatted with you and seen the shorts; hope this helps!
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