Bio-Stoning of Denim- An Environmental-Friendly Approach

Abstract

Enzymes have been used in textile processing since the early part of the last century to remove starch-based sizing, but only in the past two decades serious attention has been given to using enzymes for a wide range of textile applications. Jeans, manufactured from denim, are one of the world’s most popular clothing items. The “stonewash look” has been traditionally achieved by locally removing the indigo dye using a process in which pumice stone is added to the washing drum to abrade the garment. This traditional ‘stone-washed’ finish on denim fabric virtually damaged the machinery and caused pollution in waste water. The concept of biotechnology can be utilized to facilitate the removal of indigo dye from the yarn surface. The new environmental-friendly process, termed as bio-stoning, uses enzymes to wash/bio-stone denim, producing distressed appearance, without harming the machinery or the environment. The bio-stoning of denims has resulted in cost saving and improved quality and is used by many denim manufacturers