Washing techniques can soften denim, make it more comfortable to wear, and give it a unique color and style. In today’s blog, I’ll walk you through 10 different denim wash methods, making you more professional when purchasing.
1. Basic wash and desizing
This is a basic mechanical wash using water at a set temperature, often with added softener to make denim feel smoother on the skin.
The process removes a layer of sizing from raw denim, which otherwise feels stiff and uncomfortable.
It’s often the first step before any other wash treatment, and also suitable for creating a clean, natural denim look.
2. Whisker
Whiskers are faded crease lines on the front thigh and crotch area, mimicking the natural folds formed from wearing.
These are manually made by brushing the surface with sandpaper or tools—like drawing cat whiskers on your jeans.
3. Stone wash
Pumice or volcanic stones are tossed into the washing machine with denim. As they tumble, they rub against the fabric to create natural-looking faded marks, giving jeans a worn, vintage vibe.
For black jeans, stone washing tones down the harsh black and gives it a more layered, muted appearance.
5. Snowflake wash
Also known as snow washing/snow dye, this wash involves pouring potassium permanganate onto dry pumice stones or rubber balls.
These are then loaded into a drum and tumbled with denim garments—much like stir-frying—spinning and flipping repeatedly. As they spin, the treated stones make contact with the fabric, causing rapid oxidation and irregular white fade spots.
After washing, the fabric is shaken to remove leftover stones. The initial reddish-purple hue (from potassium permanganate) fades through multiple rinses and drying, revealing a frosted, snowflake-like finish.
Each piece has a unique texture—just like no two snowflakes are the same.
6. PP spray (Potassium Permanganate spray)
A spray gun is used to apply potassium permanganate solution to specific areas of denim, causing controlled fading through chemical reactions.
The depth and pattern of fading depend on the spray volume and concentration.
Some factories also use soft brushes dipped in PP solution to create hand-done fading.
7. Acid wash and bleach wash
Acid wash typically involves tumbling denim with pumice stones soaked in bleach (like sodium hypochlorite), resulting in bold, irregular fade patches.
Bleach wash, on the other hand, uses bleach or hydrogen peroxide in water to lighten the entire garment more evenly, giving a softer, cleaner faded effect.
9. Destruction wash
Rips, frays, and raw edges are often created for high-fashion or streetwear denim.
- Physically, certain areas (like knees, cuffs, or seams) are pre-slashed or sanded. Then through stone wash or machine tumbling, the damage is naturally enhanced.
- Chemically, oxidizers like potassium permanganate or strong alkalis may be used to soften fibers and add a worn-out texture.
10. Laser wash
Laser wash uses precise laser beams to burn patterns directly onto the denim surface. It creates whiskers, fades, rips, and even distressed artwork using controlled heat and no chemicals.
Compared to traditional methods, laser washing is cleaner, more eco-friendly, and delivers accurate, repeatable results—though at a higher cost.
Post-washing treatment
Each of these washing techniques can be used on its own or combined to create special effects on denim fabric and garments. But no matter the method, everything needs to go through final steps like water rinsing, dehydration, and tumble drying. These steps remove leftover chemicals, loose dye, and impurities—making sure the fabric is clean and ready to wear.
A full denim washing process can cost over $1.5 per pair of jeans, including about $1 for labor and $0.5 for water and electricity.
If only 2–3 basic steps are used, the cost may drop to around $0.5 to $1 per pair.
While these techniques are mostly used for denim—especially jeans—they also work on other fabrics like cotton, cotton blends, linen, and even silk garments.
As a leading sourcing company in China, JingSourcing has helped many importers find reliable suppliers for a wide range of denim products—whether it’s fabric or finished garments with specific washing treatments.
If you’re interested in denim sourcing or customized wash effects, just reach out and send us a reference image.
We can provide the most cost-effective solution, tailored to your needs—often better than what you’ll find locally or on Alibaba.
