Brickspace Dictionary: The Fades

The Fades (n.) (The_Fades)
Usually used to describe minifigure heads, 'the fades' is a condition where most of the detail on a brick has faded off due to rough play.

The fades can affect any brick with printing on, such as minifigure torsos and old bricks with graphics. The fades usually takes several decades of play to be seen, but scratching or rubbing the pieces can quicken the rate of fading.

Some fading can also be achieved by Free Radicals - the Lego community's name for the big brick-fading device in the sky: the sun. If a brick is left on a windowsill, its colour can fade. White and blue bricks are the worst affected by free radicals.