Mineral Wash
Magic white mineral wash is called differently by customers, Sponge Mineral Wash, Snow White Wash, Acid Wash, Extreme Sponge Acid Wash, etc.
Magic white mineral wash is a textile manufacturing process used to give a newly manufactured cloth garment a worn-in (or worn-out, hi-low and uneven effect) appearance.
The garments are placed in a tumble dryer that is also filled with sponges. As the wash cylinder rotates, the cloth fibers are repeatedly pounded and beaten as the tumbling sponges ride up the paddles inside the drum and fall back down onto the fabric.
Particular sponge shape will create different effect on garments; rectangular, triangular, round, etc.
Process
01
1. Stitching
02
2. DRY
03
3. PREPARE SPONGE
04
4. SPRAY CHEMICAL
04
5. PUT GARMENTS
01
6. COOL TUMBLE
02
7. HOT DRY
03
8. CURING
04
9. SOAPING
04
10. ENZYME
01
11. SOFTENER
02
12. EXTRACTION
14. FINISHED GARMENT
13. DRY
Why shade can't be controlled?
1. A mineral wash is various depending on many reasons; such as temperature, time moisture ratio, the concentration of a chemical, types of sponges, workers’ handling, etc.
2. Laundry workers follow standardized recipes for machine settings. However, a slight difference in the above factors will affect shade variation.
3. The quantity of 1 batch is only 15 pcs. Shade could be various as only a small quantity can proceed for this type of wash.
4. As shading is the most concerning point in bleaching wash, blanket & shade segregation are essential before wash.
5. Preparation for wash, such as using strings inside garments to prevent inside out or stitching on
bottom hem is preceded before wash.
Preparing for Bulk
1. It is very important to use fabric without softener or hydrophilic softener in the fabric mill.
Some softener blocks dyestuffs on the fabric surface and dyestuffs will not be absorbed. Usually, it appears uneven dye effects like dye spot.
2. It is also very important to conduct a blanket test before cutting the fabrics.
To learn blanket procedures, click here.
3. Fabric, style construction, accessory, and graphics are very important in garment wash and dye.
4. For the cost, the garment weight is important because the recipe is based on O.W.G. (on the weight of goods).
5. If there’s a zipper, you have to wrap the zipper with the same fabric. If you wrap zipper, there will be some undyed area, which needs tolerance for garment dyeing & washing.
6. It is easy to get needle hole issue especially fabric is too thin. To learn more about the needle hole issue, click here
7. Mineral Wash is the heaviest wash above all. It requires a wide Shadeband for color shade and wash effects.
8. Stitching on the bottom hem or any opening area is required in order to prevent garments from turning inside out.
9. The size of the garment is important. A big garment would not be suitable for a mineral wash.
10. Hood-style would not be suitable for a mineral wash.
11. There must be some cotton side dyeing in the fabric for a mineral wash.
12. If there’s a lot of trim or accessory parts, they are not suitable for a mineral wash.
13. If it’s long sleeve style, there are wash effects along the line. It’s inevitable.
14. The numbering stickers need to be removed before wash.
15. Shade control is impossible for dark color ground as it's related to dye route.
Pictures
1. Shadeband
2. Numbering Mark
3. Spot
4. line Effect
5. Uneven Effect
6. Uneven Effect
7. Shading Issue
8. Spot