Stone Wash:
Denim is the most fashionable and preferred dress among the young generation. To modify the denim appearance, comfort ability, outlook and fashion of the dress various types of washing are done on denim garments. Stone wash is one of the most common and popular wash on denim garments.
Stone wash is done on the garments made from heavy fabric like denim and jeans. Stone washing of denim fabric gives ‘used’ or ‘vintage’ look on the garments. This is due to the varying degree of abrasion in the garment. Pumice stones are the key elements of stone washing. To get the desired washed effect, the stone should be of proper hardness, shape and size. Because the fabric is washed along with pumice stones. For heavy weight denim fabric, large and hard stones are suitable and also last longer. Similarly, smaller and softer stones are suitable for lightweight denim fabrics. During stone washing process, these stones scrap off dye particles from the surface of the yarn of the denim fabric which shows a faded, worn out and brilliance effect in the denim fabric.
Stonewashed denim gained popularity in the 1960s and remains popular to this day. This type of denim is characterized by a lightly distressed, vintage look. The name comes from the fact that the original processing method involved rubbing pumice stones over the denim to wear down the fabric.
Purposes of Stone Washing:
- To get irregular fading or old looking affect on garments.
- To increase softness feeling of the denim cloth.
- To achieve the buyer washing standard.
- To produced correct size.
- Wash look appearance is developed.
- To remove dust, oil spot, impurities from the garments.
Instruments of Stone Washing:
- Washing machine
- Hydro-extractor
- Tumble dryer
- Iron
- Packing machine
Flowchart of Stone Wash:
Garment loading with stone
↓
Desizing
↓
Rinsing
↓
Stone wash
↓
Rinsing
↓
Softening
↓
Tumble dry
↓
Unload the garments
↓
Extract/Delivery
Procedure of Stone Wash on Denim Garments:
Stone wash is done in six steps. All steps are given below:
Step-1:
Before stone wash, denim garments need pre-treatment. For pretreatment, a batch of X kg denim trouser is considered.
- Load the machine with X kg garments.
- Add water @ 1:5 i.e. 500L
- Start machine running.
- Add desizing agent @1:5 i.e. 1.5Kg
- Start steam supply to raise liquor temperature at 60ºC.
- Continue treatment for 20 mins.
- Drop the liquor.
Step-2:
- Again, load the machine with water @ 1:5 i.e. 500L
- Continue treatment for 5 mins.
- Drop the liquor.
Step-3:
=> Add water @ 1:5 i.e. 500L
=> Start machine running.
=> Then add:
- Bleaching powder @ 40%—-4 kg
- Soda ash @ 8%———–8 kg
- Pumice stone ———–50% volume of the garments
- Enzyme —————– 2 g/L
- M:L ——————–1:10
- Temperature ——- 40-60ºC
- Time —————- 30-40 mins.
=> Continue treatment for 30-40 mins.
=> Then drop the liquor.
Step-4:
- Again add water in the washing m/c @ 1:5 i.e. 500L
- Then add detergent @1% i.e. 1L
- Raise liquor temperature at 40ºC
- Continue treatment for 5 min.
- Drop the liquor.
Step-5:
- Again add water in the m/c @ 1:5 i.e. 500L
- Add acetic acid @1% i.e. 1L
- Continue treatment for 5 min.
- Then drop the liquor.
Step-6:
- Add water @ 1:5 i.e. 500L
- Softener @ 0.5% i.e. 1/2 Kg
- FBA/FWA @ 0.5% i.e. 1/2 Kg
- Continue treatment for 10 min.
- Drop the liquor.
At last,
Unload the garments.
Hydro-extractor the garments.
Drying the sample.
Conclusion:
Stone wash is done to get fading effect on the denim garments. This practical gave us way to know how to wash with stone wash. This may be helpful in our professional life.
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Editor of Fashion2Apparel. She is a fashion designer and ex-lecturer in Fashion Designing. She wants to spread fashion knowledge throughout the world.
