Denim product manufacturing methods
The method combines abrasive stirring, laser irradiation, and ozone treatment to recreate denim fading patterns efficiently, addressing water usage and environmental concerns in denim manufacturing.
Patent Information
- Authority / Receiving Office
- JP · JP
- Patent Type
- Patents
- Current Assignee / Owner
- HOWA MACHINERY LTD
- Filing Date
- 2021-10-11
- Publication Date
- 2026-05-11
AI Technical Summary
Existing denim manufacturing methods fail to adequately reproduce fading patterns, particularly at edges and seams, while minimizing water usage and environmental impact.
A method involving abrasive stirring with water, laser irradiation, and ozone treatment to recreate localized and overall fading patterns, reducing water usage by minimizing friction-induced decolorization and bleaching processes.
Reproduces the faded look of used denim products with reduced water consumption and minimal environmental impact, achieving comparable decolorization to conventional methods.
Smart Images
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Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing denim products subjected to used processing.
Background Art
[0002] Denim products such as denim pants, denim jackets, and denim shirts are made of fabrics using yarns with a white core and dyed with indigo dye on the outside. In denim products, parts that are easily exposed to friction are more likely to be decolorized than parts that are less likely to be exposed to friction. Therefore, in denim products, the whiteness of parts that are easily exposed to friction becomes stronger, and the color of indigo dye tends to remain in parts that are less likely to be exposed to friction.
[0003] In denim products, by repeatedly wearing and washing, they are exposed to friction, and a gradation of shades is formed, giving rise to a characteristic texture in the denim products.
[0004] Denim products have the characteristic that their appearance changes as described above with use. For users, denim products that reproduce the appearance change during use in a new, unused state are widely accepted.
[0005] Patent Document 1 below discloses a method for imparting a used feeling to denim fabric by performing, in the described order, a step of irradiating the denim fabric with a laser beam, a step of exposing the denim fabric irradiated with the laser beam to ozone gas under drying conditions, a step of spraying water onto the denim fabric exposed to ozone gas, a step of stirring the denim fabric sprayed with water together with Scotch-Brite and artificial stone, a step of drying the stirred denim fabric, a step of drying the dried denim fabric by contacting it with ozone gas, and a step of softening the denim fabric contacted with ozone gas.
Prior Art Documents
Patent Documents
[0006]
Patent Document 1
[0007] In the method described in Patent Document 1, the denim fabric is moistened with a spray, and then the denim fabric is agitated with Scotch-Brite or the like. When bringing the denim fabric into contact with Scotch-Brite or the like, only enough water is used to moisten the denim fabric, thus reducing the amount of water used. However, in the method described in Patent Document 1, because the amount of water used when agitating the denim fabric with Scotch-Brite or the like is extremely small, the fading of the denim fabric as a whole is not progressing. Also, because the amount of water used is extremely small, discoloration and wear of the fabric are not progressing at the edges of the fabric that make up the denim product and at the seams of the fabric that make up the denim product, and these parts do not fade sufficiently. Fundamentally, the method described in Patent Document 1 brings unsewn denim fabric into contact with Scotch-Brite or the like by agitation. In this method, the denim fabric itself is decolorized, so it is not possible to reproduce the fading at the edges of the fabric that make up the denim product and at the seams of the fabric that make up the denim product.
[0008] In the method described in Patent Document 1, ozone gas is brought into contact with the dry denim fabric a total of two times. In this method, because the denim fabric is dry, the ozone gas is hardly able to decolorize the denim fabric. Therefore, the ozone gas cannot compensate for the insufficient decolorization in the above stonewash process.
[0009] Thus, while the method described in Patent Document 1 is excellent in that it reduces water usage with consideration for the environment, it does not effectively decolorize the entire denim fabric. Furthermore, it was difficult to adequately reproduce fading patterns that are difficult to reproduce with laser irradiation, such as fading at the edges of the fabric constituting the denim product or at the seams of the fabric constituting the denim product.
[0010] On the other hand, one method for giving denim products a used look is to rub the areas known as "whiskers" with an abrasive, or to recreate the faded patterns that appear on the wearer's thighs by shaving, as shown in Figure 6. This is followed by decolorization with a reducing agent and then with sodium hypochlorite. While this method can recreate the same texture as a genuinely worn second-hand denim product, it has the problem of discharging a large amount of water during the process.
[0011] The present invention aims to provide a method for manufacturing denim products that reduces water usage, reproduces the fading patterns in areas of used denim products that are easily exposed to localized friction, and reproduces the overall faded look of used denim products. [Means for solving the problem]
[0012] A method for manufacturing a distressed denim product, comprising: a first step of stirring the denim product with one or more abrasives selected from the group consisting of pumice, whetstones, and artificial abrasives, and a liquid containing water to fade the denim product overall and reproduce the fading caused by friction at least one of the edges of the fabric constituting the denim product and the seams of the fabric constituting the denim product; and a second step of irradiating the dried denim product with a laser beam to reproduce the whiskers that appear on the wearer's thighs or knees, the whiskers that appear behind the wearer's knees, the faded areas of the pockets on the front of the garment, the extensive faded areas that appear from the wearer's knees to the thighs, and the whiskers that appear on the wearer's buttocks. The above problem is solved by a method for manufacturing a distressed denim product, which includes a second step of reproducing fading caused by friction in one or more areas selected from the group consisting of a wide area of fading, a yoke located between the waist and the back, a hem, a wearer's elbow, a wide area of fading appearing on the wearer's forearm, whiskers appearing on the wearer's forearm, a fading appearing on the cuff, and a fading appearing on the wearer's back, and a third step of wetting the denim product and bringing the wet denim product into contact with ozone gas to fade the denim product as a whole, wherein the first, second, and third steps are performed in any order.
[0013] In the above method, in the first step, the abrasive material, a liquid containing water, and the denim product are stirred together to fade the denim product overall. In the third step, ozone gas is used to fade the denim product overall. This reproduces the overall fading of a used denim product. The friction from the abrasive material in the first step and the laser irradiation in the second step reproduce the fading pattern in areas of the denim product that are easily exposed to friction. No water is used in the second step, and only a small amount of water is used in the third step, just enough to moisten the denim product. This reduces the amount of water discharged.
[0014] In the first step of the above-described method for manufacturing denim products, the denim product, the abrasive, and the liquid may be stirred for 150 to 300 minutes. This makes it possible to achieve a level of decolorization comparable to that of denim products that have undergone a conventional chemical wash decolorization process using a decolorizing agent.
[0015] In the above-described method for manufacturing denim products, when reproducing fading in one or more areas selected from the group consisting of whiskers appearing on the wearer's thighs or knees, whiskers appearing behind the wearer's knees, faded areas on the pockets of the front body, extensive faded areas appearing from the wearer's knees to thighs, extensive faded areas appearing on the wearer's buttocks, faded areas on the yoke located between the waist and the back body, faded areas at the hem, faded areas on the wearer's elbows, extensive faded areas appearing on the wearer's forearms, whiskers appearing on the wearer's forearms, faded areas appearing on the cuffs, and faded areas appearing on the wearer's back, it is preferable to avoid performing partial fading with an abrasive material and a washing process to remove abrasive debris. This reduces the working time required by using abrasive materials such as sandpaper and sandblasting sand, and makes it possible to avoid using water which is necessary to wash away abrasive debris and sand that adheres to the denim product.
[0016] In the above-described method for manufacturing denim products, when fading the denim product as a whole, the bleaching process using a bleaching agent and the washing process to remove the bleaching agent may be omitted. By omitting the use of a bleaching agent, the amount of water used can be further reduced.
[0017] In the method for manufacturing the above-mentioned denim product, it is preferable that the first step or the second step is carried out prior to the third step, and the third step is carried out after carrying out the first step and the second step. By doing so, the contamination of the fabric constituting the denim product generated in the first step or the second step can be removed by the ozone gas used in the third step.
Effects of the Invention
[0018] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for manufacturing a denim product that reduces the amount of water used, reproduces the fading pattern at a site that is locally prone to friction in a used denim product, and reproduces the color fading feeling of the entire used denim product.
Brief Description of the Drawings
[0019] [Figure 1] It is a front view showing a portion to be faded in the first step or the second step with respect to denim pants. [Figure 2] It is a rear view showing a portion to be faded in the first step or the second step with respect to denim pants. [Figure 3] It is a front view showing a portion to be faded in the first step or the second step with respect to a denim jacket. [Figure 4] It is a rear view showing a portion to be faded in the first step or the second step with respect to a denim jacket. [Figure 5] It is a table showing the procedure, working time, and amount of water used in the method for manufacturing a denim product according to Example 1. [Figure 6] It is a table showing the procedure, working time, and amount of water used in the method for manufacturing a denim product according to Comparative Example 1.
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
[0020] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the method for manufacturing a denim product of the present invention will be described.
[0021] The present invention is a method for manufacturing a used-processed denim product. The manufacturing method includes the following first step, second step, and third step. The first step, the second step, and the third step may be carried out in any order, and the order of implementation is not particularly limited.
[0022] The above denim product may be any product sewn from denim fabric. For example, clothing made of denim fabric can be mentioned. Examples of clothing made of denim fabric include denim pants, denim jackets, denim shirts, denim vests, denim overalls, denim patchwork clothing, or denim skirts.
[0023] In the first step, a denim product, one or more abrasives selected from the group consisting of pumice, grindstones, and artificial abrasives, and a liquid component containing water are stirred together to fade the denim product as a whole, and as shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, reproduce the fading due to friction in at least one of the edge 31 of the fabric constituting the denim product and the stitching portion 32 of the fabric constituting the denim product.
[0024] As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the edge 31 of the fabric constituting the denim product includes the edge of the hem, the edge of the pocket opening, the edge of the fly, the edge of the waist, the belt loop, the edge of the collar, the edge of the collar opening, the edge of the pocket lid, the edge of the placket, the adjuster for adjusting the size of the waist portion, and the end of the pleat or tack. Thus, the end of the fabric constituting the denim product includes a portion where the fabric itself or the end of the fabric protrudes.
[0025] The seams 32 of the fabric that make up the denim product include the seams between the front and back panels, the selvage formed by folding the edges of the front and back panels inward, the seams between the pockets and the body, the seams between the left and right panels, the seams between the yoke and the waist, the seams between the yoke and the back panel, the seams between the cuff and the sleeve, the seams between the body and the sleeve, the seams between the waist and the body, the seams between the front shoulder yoke and the front panel, the seams between the back shoulder yoke and the back panel, and the seams between the front shoulder yoke and the back shoulder yoke. Thus, the seams of the fabric that make up the denim product include the seams of each individual fabric that makes up the denim product.
[0026] In the first step, during the stirring process, the abrasive comes into contact with the edges and seams of the denim fabric, causing discoloration and damage due to friction. At the same time, the abrasive comes into contact with the entire denim product, causing the entire product to discolor. The indigo dye leaches into the water-containing liquid, accelerating the decolorization process.
[0027] The pockets mentioned above include a coin pocket, a pocket on the front of the garment, and a pocket on the back of the garment.
[0028] As the pumice or whetstone mentioned above, natural minerals can be suitably used, for example. As the artificial abrasive, for example, an artificial stone or a scrubbing brush made of synthetic resin fibers can be used. As the artificial stone, for example, a lump of ceramics such as alumina, or a fired product of clay minerals can be used.
[0029] The abrasive material and the denim product are mixed together with a liquid containing water and stirred to randomly bring the denim product and the abrasive material into contact. The water can be tap water or industrial water. The liquid may be water with other components such as processing aids added, or it may be water alone.
[0030] In the first step, after continuing to stir for a certain period, the liquid containing water may be replaced. This liquid replacement process may be carried out multiple times. By replacing the liquid, abrasive materials that have been crushed or broken during the stirring process can be removed, and indigo dye that has leaked into the liquid can also be removed. By removing contamination from the liquid, the denim product can be decolorized as intended in the first step.
[0031] A pretreatment may be performed before the first step. One example of a pretreatment is pinning, which involves intentionally creating wrinkles in the denim fabric by inserting pins into it. By performing pinning, it is possible to reproduce the pleated faded areas 33 that appear at the joint between the front and back panels, as shown in Figure 1. Alternatively, pins may be inserted to close the pocket openings, making it difficult for the abrasive material to penetrate inside the pockets. Note that the faded areas 33 may be formed not by the abrasive material in the first step, but by irradiation with a laser beam in the second step.
[0032] One example of a pre-treatment performed before the first step is closing the opening at the waist of the denim pants. Abrasive material can penetrate the inside of the denim pants and damage the denim fabric. To prevent this, the opening at the waist is closed with a band called a lock, which prevents a large amount of abrasive material from entering the inside of the denim pants.
[0033] One pretreatment performed before the first step is hot water washing. By washing the denim products with heated water, the starch is removed from the denim products.
[0034] Post-processing may be performed after the first step. Examples of post-processing include soaping, in which the denim products are selected with water containing a surfactant; washing with heated water or room temperature water; and drying the washed denim products.
[0035] In the second step, a laser beam is irradiated onto the denim product to reproduce the fading caused by friction in one or more areas selected from the group consisting of whiskers 11 appearing on the wearer's thigh or knee, whiskers 12 appearing behind the wearer's knee, faded areas 13 on the pocket area of the front body, extensive faded areas 14 appearing from the wearer's knee to thigh, extensive faded areas 15 appearing on the wearer's buttocks, faded areas 16 on the yoke located between the waist and the back body, faded areas 17 at the hem, faded areas 18 on the wearer's elbow, extensive faded areas 19 appearing on the wearer's forearm, whiskers 20 appearing on the wearer's forearm, faded areas 21 appearing on the cuff, and faded areas 22 appearing on the wearer's back, as shown in Figures 1 to 4.
[0036] In the second step, areas of the denim product that are prone to fading due to localized friction are reproduced. Localized fading can be reproduced by irradiating the surface of the denim product with a laser beam to burn the surface. Alternatively, the laser beam can be used to burn the fabric that makes up the denim product to reproduce damage such as holes or fraying of the fabric.
[0037] In the third step, the denim product is moistened, and then ozone gas is applied to the moistened denim product to fade it overall. For example, if ozone gas is applied to a denim product soaked in water, the indigo dye will decompose excessively, resulting in a denim product that is extremely white in areas with high moisture content. By moistening the denim product just enough to dampen it, such extreme whitening can be prevented, and the entire denim product can be bleached to a natural, worn-in look. In the third step, only enough water to dampen the denim product is used, thus reducing the amount of water used.
[0038] Post-treatment may be performed after the third step. Examples of post-treatment include ozone neutralization, washing with a surfactant, and washing with heated water or room temperature water.
[0039] The first and third steps are similar in that they both involve bleaching the entire denim product. The third step differs from the first step in that it does not involve friction. By combining the third step with the first step, it is possible to avoid excessive damage to the denim fabric during the bleaching process.
[0040] By turning a water-containing liquid into a mist and bringing the mist into contact with the denim product, the denim product can be appropriately moistened. This can be done, for example, by atomizing a water-containing liquid using ultrasound or by atomizing a water-containing liquid from a spray nozzle.
[0041] The moisture content of the denim product in the third step is not particularly limited, but is preferably 1.0 to 20.0% by mass. The concentration of ozone gas is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 0.1 to 30 ppm. The contact time with ozone gas is not particularly limited, but can be, for example, 5 to 60 minutes. The moisture content is calculated using the following formula, where A is the mass of the moistened denim product and B is the mass of the denim product before moistening. Moisture content (%)=(AB)÷A×100
[0042] In the above manufacturing method, it is preferable to carry out the third step after carrying out the first and second steps. In the first step, during the process of stirring the abrasive and water-containing liquid with the denim product, the indigo dye may adhere to the back of the fabric constituting the denim product, staining the denim product. Also, in the second step, during the process of irradiating the denim product with a laser beam, charring may adhere to the surface of the denim product, staining the denim product. By carrying out the third step after the first and second steps, the denim product can be decolorized with ozone gas and the stains removed from the denim fabric. Note that the first and second steps may be carried out in any order.
[0043] In the above manufacturing method, it is preferable to agitate the denim product, the abrasive, and the liquid for 150 to 300 minutes in the first step. This makes it possible to achieve a level of decolorization comparable to that of denim products that have undergone a conventional chemical wash decolorization process using a decolorizing agent. Furthermore, as described above, by increasing the intensity of friction caused by the abrasive, it is possible to sufficiently reproduce friction-induced damage at the edges of the fabric constituting the denim product, such as the hem, pocket edges, waist edges, belt loops, and the seams between the pockets and the body fabric, without performing separate distressing.
[0044] In the above manufacturing method, it is preferable to avoid the partial fading process using an abrasive and the subsequent washing process to remove abrasive debris, in order to reproduce partial discoloration. The abrasive refers to materials that remove the surface of the denim product by friction, such as sandpaper, sand, ceramic abrasives, and grinders, and particularly refers to dry abrasives. By eliminating the partial fading process using an abrasive and the subsequent washing process to remove abrasive debris, the working time can be shortened and the amount of wastewater can be reduced.
[0045] In the above manufacturing method, it is preferable to avoid performing decolorization with a decolorizing agent and a washing step to remove the decolorizing agent, for the purpose of overall decolorization. Examples of decolorizing agents include sodium hypochlorite or reducing agents such as glucose. [Examples]
[0046] The following describes preferred embodiments of the method for manufacturing denim products according to the present invention. The following examples are only limited examples, and the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the examples shown.
[0047] [Example 1] 100 pairs of denim pants were subjected to a distressed finish through the following three steps. Figure 5 summarizes the working time and water usage (wastewater) for each step.
[0048] As a pre-treatment for the first step, pleats were created in the fabric at the seam between the front and back panels of the denim pants and pinned. In addition, to prevent abrasive material from entering the pockets and damaging the pocket lining, pins were driven into the edges of the pockets to close the pocket openings. Eight pins were used per pair of denim pants.
[0049] Next, the 100 pairs of denim pants that had been pinned were manually fitted with ribs. The denim pants with the ribs attached were then washed in 720 liters of water heated to 60°C for 5 minutes while being agitated.
[0050] In the first step, 100 pairs of denim jeans that had been pre-washed with hot water, 500 liters of water, and natural pumice stones were placed in a drum-type washer and agitated for 30 minutes. All the water was drained, and 500 liters of fresh water was added to the washer for a second agitation. This process was repeated for a total of six agitations. After the sixth agitation, all 500 liters of water was drained, and the 100 pairs of denim jeans were removed from the washer.
[0051] The 100 pairs of denim pants were placed in 960 liters of water containing a surfactant and stirred for 10 minutes. After stirring, all the water was drained, and 720 liters of 60°C water was added and the pants were washed with hot water while stirring for 5 minutes. All the water from the hot water wash was then drained, and the process of washing with 720 liters of water while stirring for 3 minutes and then draining was repeated twice. All the water from the final wash was drained, and the 100 pairs of denim pants were dried in a dryer.
[0052] In the second step, 100 dried denim pants were sequentially placed in a laser processing machine, and a laser beam was sequentially shone onto the denim pants according to a pre-programmed pattern. The laser beam shone to reproduce the whiskers that appear on the wearer's thighs and knees, the whiskers that appear behind the wearer's knees, the faded areas on the front pockets, the extensive faded areas that appear from the wearer's knees to thighs, the extensive faded areas that appear on the wearer's buttocks, the faded areas on the yoke located between the waist and back, and the faded areas at the hems of the pants.
[0053] Next, the third step was carried out as follows. First, 100 pairs of denim pants that had been irradiated with a laser beam were placed into a rotating chamber. While the denim pants were being stirred in the sealed chamber, room temperature mist of water was supplied into the chamber until the moisture content of the denim pants reached 7%.
[0054] The water supply was stopped when the amount of mist water supplied to the denim pants was sufficient to reduce their moisture content to 7%. Next, ozone gas was supplied to the chamber. The ozone gas was supplied to the chamber for 25 minutes while the denim pants were agitated at room temperature, so that the ozone gas concentration in the chamber was maintained at 10 ppm. After the 25 minutes of ozone treatment, the ozone in the chamber was discharged, and an aqueous sodium thiosulfate solution was supplied to the chamber and agitated at 50°C for 10 minutes to neutralize the denim pants.
[0055] After neutralization, 960L of water containing a 70°C surfactant was supplied to the chamber, and the denim pants were soaped for 10 minutes while being agitated. Then, 720L of 60°C water was supplied to the chamber, and the denim pants were washed for 5 minutes while being agitated. Next, 720L of room temperature water was supplied to the chamber, and the denim pants were washed for 5 minutes while being agitated. The washed denim pants were dried with warm air, completing the entire process.
[0056] [Comparative Example 1] As shown in Figure 6, 100 pairs of denim pants were subjected to a distressed finish through steps 1 through 4. Figure 6 also summarizes the working time and water usage (wastewater) for each step.
[0057] In the first step, the bleached pattern was manually reproduced on the surface of 100 pairs of denim pants. The method in Comparative Example 1 reproduced the whiskers that appear on the wearer's thighs and knees, the whiskers that appear behind the wearer's knees, the faded areas on the front pockets, the extensive faded areas that appear from the wearer's knees to thighs, the extensive faded areas that appear on the wearer's buttocks, the faded areas on the yoke located between the waist and back, and the faded areas at the hems of the trousers.
[0058] In the first step, the surface of the denim pants was abraded with a brush fitted with ceramic abrasive material to recreate extensive fading. Fine, streaky fading, known as whiskers, was recreated using sandpaper. After that, the denim pants were washed under the same conditions as the first step of Example 1 described above.
[0059] In the second step, 100 pairs of denim pants that had been washed with hot water were agitated under the same conditions as the stone wash in the first step of Example 1 described above. However, the agitation was performed twice. After that, the 100 pairs of denim pants were removed from the washer and washed in 720L of water for 3 minutes.
[0060] In the third step, 100 pairs of denim pants were placed in 960 L of reducing bleach solution and bleached at 90°C for 20 minutes while stirring. The reducing bleach solution contained sodium hydroxide, D-glucose, and a surfactant. After 20 minutes, 2880 L of water was added to the reducing bleach solution, and blow-drainage was performed to remove the diluted reducing bleach solution. Subsequently, the 100 pairs of denim pants were washed in 720 L of 60°C water for 5 minutes while stirring, the water was drained, and then they were washed again in 720 L of water for 3 minutes while stirring.
[0061] 100 pairs of denim pants that had undergone the above washing process were immersed in 1200L of a decolorizing solution containing sodium hypochlorite and decolorized for 30 minutes while stirring. After that, they were washed with 720L of water for 3 minutes while stirring. The washed denim pants were then placed in 960L of a 50°C sodium thiosulfate aqueous solution and neutralized for 10 minutes while stirring.
[0062] The neutralized denim pants were subjected to soaping, hot water washing, water washing, and drying in the same manner as the post-treatment in the third step of Example 1.
[0063] One hundred pairs of dried denim pants were individually distressed by hand. The distressing process involved using a grinder to create friction damage to the edges of the denim fabric, such as the hems, waistbands, and pockets. After the distressing process, the denim pants were washed twice in 720 liters of water while being agitated, and then dried to complete the entire process.
[0064] [evaluation] In the method of Example 1 described above, the time required to process 100 pairs of denim pants was 1234 minutes, and the amount of water (wastewater) required for processing 100 pairs of denim pants was 10200 L. On the other hand, in the method of Comparative Example 1 described above, the time required to process 100 pairs of denim pants was 1878 minutes, and the amount of water (wastewater) required for processing 100 pairs of denim pants was 14440 L. In the method of Example 1, the time required to process one pair of denim pants was shortened, making it possible to manufacture denim pants at a low cost. Furthermore, in the method of Example 1, the amount of water required to process one pair of denim pants was reduced, making it possible to reduce the environmental burden caused by the manufacture of denim pants.
[0065] In the denim pants manufactured using the method of Example 1, even though the manual distressing process used in Comparative Example 1 was omitted, the edges of the denim fabric, such as the hems, waistband, and pockets, were distressed in the same way as those of used denim pants.
[0066] The denim pants produced by the method of Example 1, despite the omission of the use of a bleaching agent, had an overall color that was bleached to the same extent as Comparative Example 1, which used two types of chemicals, and had a texture similar to that of used denim pants.
[0067] The denim pants manufactured using the method of Example 1 reproduced the fading that is often exposed to friction in used denim products, such as the whiskers that appear on the wearer's thighs and knees, the whiskers that appear behind the wearer's knees, the faded areas on the front pockets, the extensive faded areas from the wearer's knees to thighs, the extensive faded areas on the wearer's buttocks, the faded areas on the yoke located between the waist and back, and the faded areas at the hems of the pants. The denim pants manufactured using the method of Example 1 had the same appearance as used denim pants.
[0068] The same distressed finish could also be applied to denim products other than denim pants, such as denim jackets, using the same method as in Example 1 described above. [Explanation of Symbols]
[0069] 11. Beards appearing on the wearer's thighs or knees. 12. Beards appearing behind the wearer's knees 14. Extensive discoloration appearing on the wearer's knees and thighs. 13 Faded area on the front pocket 15. Extensive discoloration appearing on the wearer's buttocks. 16. Faded area of the yoke located between the waist and back panel. 17 Faded areas at the hem 18. Discoloration on the wearer's elbows 19. Extensive discoloration appearing on the wearer's forearm. 20. Beards appearing on the wearer's forearm 21 Faded areas appearing at the cuffs 22 Faded areas appearing on the wearer's back 31. The edges of the fabric that make up denim products 32. The seams of the fabric that make up denim products.
Claims
1. A method for manufacturing denim products with a distressed finish, A first step involves stirring a denim product with one or more abrasives selected from the group consisting of pumice, whetstones, and artificial abrasives, and a liquid containing water, to fade the denim product overall and to reproduce the fading caused by friction at least at one of the edges of the fabric constituting the denim product and the seams of the fabric constituting the denim product. A second step involves irradiating a dried denim product with a laser beam to reproduce fading caused by friction in one or more areas selected from the group consisting of whiskers appearing on the wearer's thighs or knees, whiskers appearing behind the wearer's knees, faded areas on the front pockets, extensive faded areas appearing from the wearer's knees to thighs, extensive faded areas appearing on the wearer's buttocks, faded areas on the yoke located between the waist and back, faded areas at the hem, faded areas on the wearer's elbows, extensive faded areas appearing on the wearer's forearms, whiskers appearing on the wearer's forearms, faded areas appearing on the cuffs, and faded areas appearing on the wearer's back. The process includes a third step of wetting the denim product and then exposing the wet denim product to ozone gas to cause the denim product to fade overall. The first step includes a step of removing starch from the denim product as a pretreatment, The first and second steps are performed before the third step. The third step is performed after the first and second steps, and the first and second steps are performed in any order, in a method for manufacturing distressed denim products.
2. The method for manufacturing a denim product according to claim 1, wherein in the first step, the denim product, the abrasive, and the liquid are stirred for 150 to 300 minutes.
3. When reproducing fading caused by friction in one or more areas selected from the group consisting of whiskers appearing on the wearer's thighs or knees, whiskers appearing behind the wearer's knees, faded areas on the pockets of the front body, extensive faded areas appearing from the wearer's knees to the thighs, extensive faded areas appearing on the wearer's buttocks, faded areas on the yoke located between the waist and the back body, faded areas at the hem, faded areas on the wearer's elbows, extensive faded areas appearing on the wearer's forearms, whiskers appearing on the wearer's forearms, faded areas appearing on the cuffs, and faded areas appearing on the wearer's back, A method for manufacturing a distressed denim product according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the method does not involve partial fading by an abrasive material and a washing step to remove abrasive debris.
4. A method for manufacturing a distressed denim product according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein, in order to fade the denim product overall, a bleaching process using a bleaching agent and a washing process to remove the bleaching agent are not performed.