Washing jeans seems to be the final step to produce high quality jeans and the purpose of washing jeans is to soften the fabric and create different colors, patterns of wear, fraying or tearing depending on the type of jeans. depending on the wishes of the manufacturers. However, they have advantages - Limitations that need to be kept in mind during the washing process. So what are the advantages and limitations? Let's find out with The Blue Cotton wear in the article below.
Advantages of washing pants:
Removes glue or starch in the fabric to make the fabric softer. In addition, people can also add fabric softeners to increase the softness of jeans.
Remove dirt such as dust and impurities mixed into pants during the production process.
For jeans products made from stretchy fabric, the washing process also causes these jeans to shrink as much as possible. And these pants will not shrink any further during use.
For washed jeans, customers can buy them and wear them immediately, without having to wash them again.
The types of worn, frayed, and torn jeans are very diverse, making jeans models rich. This is the highlight that makes jeans different from other types of fabric pants.
Limitations of washing jeans:
Effect on fabric, thread and quality of pants: Because the glue is completely removed during the washing process, jeans after washing will have less durability than raw denim. Depending on how the jeans are washed, the degree of impact on the fabric and seams is different. Jeans can be washed in large industrial washing machines with temperatures up to about 80 degrees Celsius.
In addition, to create a worn and torn effect, people add stones to wash together. The stones rub against the jeans creating a fraying effect, a process that also causes the jeans' stitching to break down. In addition, for jeans with a large amount of shrinkage, when the pants shrink and the thread does not shrink accordingly (usually the thread does not have the ability to stretch), the seam will not be straight.
There are many ways and technologies used to wash jeans and are divided into two main categories: chemical washing and physical washing.
The washing process uses chemical methods
The chemical washing method for jeans is the most popular washing method in the world and is chosen by most jeans manufacturers.
Color removal
In this process, people use strong oxidizing detergents (for example, KMnO4) to wash jeans. This washing method is based on the original color of the jeans. Manufacturers use bleach to remove part of the original color of the jeans.
denim fabric to produce the desired color result. This washing method depends on the level of detergent, washing time and washing temperature.
Usually people use strong detergents and short wash times in this method. Below are the 5 main steps in the color wash process.
Step 1: Remove glue
Put jeans into the washing machine (about 100kg of jeans/load)
Add water to the washing machine according to the ratio (maybe 1:5 - 5 liters of water for 1kg of jeans) and let the washing machine spin at 12-15 rpm.
Add catalyst (about 3kg)
Add detergent (about 1kg)
Adjust the temperature so that the water reaches about 60 degrees Celsius
Maintain the washing process for about 20 minutes and then drain
Wash again with hot water (40-50 degrees Celsius) for 5 minutes
Step 2: Remove color
Add water to the washing machine at a ratio of 1:5
Turn on the machine (rotation speed 12-15 rpm) and add soda water (about 2kg Na2CO3) into the machine
Add alkaline (NaOH) to the washing machine (2kg of alkaline)
Add bleach (H2O2) at a ratio of 5ml of bleach per liter of water
Add stabilizer at a rate of 2ml per liter of water
Adjust the temperature in the washing machine to 70-80 degrees Celsius
Keep this going for about 60-70 minutes and drain
Wash again with hot water (about 50 degrees Celsius)
Step 3: Neutralize chemicals
Add water to the washing machine according to the ratio above
Run the machine at a speed of 12-15 rpm
Add acetic acid (CH3COOH) at a rate of 1-2ml per liter of water
Maintain the spinning process for about 10-15 minutes and then drain the water
