Introduction:

Enzyme wash is done on the garments made from heavy fabrics like jeans
and denim. Cellulase enzyme is used for this type of wash. These cellulasse
enzymes hydrolyses the projecting hairy cotton fibres of the garments fabric
surfaces and also removes colour. Use of stone make brushing action on the
garment fabric surface; as a result irregular colour fading affect is produced
and also contributes to removal of projecting hairy cotton fibres. Liquor ph,
and liquor temperature depends on type of cellulase enzyme used. For
neutral cellulase enzyme liquor ph should be between6 to 7 and for acetic
cellulase exzyme ph should be between 4.5 to 5.5. If liquor ph is between
4.5 to 5.5 then the possibility of back stain increases. Use of enzyme varies
from 2 to4gr/litter if enzyme activity is not interrupted for any reason. If
exzyme wash is done without pumic stone, fading affect will be in regular
pattern. Before enzyme wash, the garments should be pre-treated. Enzyme
wash is more expensive than acid wash or stone wash, due to more
consumption of chemicals and more processing time is required. In the ready
made garments sector garments washing is a new technology. After making
garments from solid color dyed or pigment printed fabrics, the garments are
washed. By garments washing, color and outlook of the garments are
modified. As a result new outlook of the garments are modified. As a result
new outlook and appearance is produced in the garments, which is not
possible in any other method. Moreover due to washing, starch materials
present in the garments are removed, as a result washed garments could be
wear after purchase directly from the store or shop. Some garments shrinks
after wash. Hence washed garments could be purchased as per required size.
Normally garments washing means cleaning of dirty garments with soap or
detergent. But it is not that garments washing. Industrial garments washing
is a technology. The technology which is used to modify the outlook,
appearance, comfortability and design of the ready made garments made
from solid color dyed or pigment printed fabric is called garments washing.

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Objects:
a) Starch materials present in the new fabrics of the new garments are
removed. hence feels soft during use.

b) Softness Feeling of garments could be further increased.

c) Dirts and spots if present in the garments are removed.

d) Shrinkage occurs in the garments during washing. hence no possibility of

further shrinkage.

e) Washed garments could be wear directly after purchase from store.

f) Fading affect is produced in the garments in regular or irregular pattern.

g) Fading affect could be produced in the specific are of the garment as per
specific design.

h) Different outlook of garments could be produced in the garments by

different washing techniques.

i) Similar outlook can be produced in the garments by different washing

techniques.

j) Initial investment cost to set-up a garments washing plant is comparatively

lower.

Recipe :

Step-1 (Desizing):

Liquor ratio………………………………..1:4 to 1:10

Wetting agent……………………………..0.2 to 0.5 gr/Litter
Alpha amylase base desizing agent. 0.5to 0.2 %
PH …………………………. 6 to 8

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 Temperature…………………….500 C to 700 C
Time……………10 to 15 minutes

Step-2 (Bio-Abrasion):

Liquor ratio ……………..1:3 to1:10

Pumic stone…………………………20% to150%
Enzyme………………………………0.6% to2.0%
PH …………………………. 6.5 to 7.0
Time……………40 to 90 minutes

step-3 (Back wash ) :

Liquor ratio………………………………..1:6 to 1:10

Reagent……………………………...1 to 3%
Soda ash………………………... 0.5to 0.2 % gr/Litter
PH …………………………. 9 to 10
Temperature…………………….600 C to 800 C
Time……………5 to 10 minutes

Step-4(Additional Bleaching):

Liquor ratio………………………………..1:6 to 1:10

sodium hypochlorite………………………10 to 15 gr/Litter
or

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 Calcium hypochlorite (15%)………………………... 0.5 to 5.0
gr/Litter
PH …………………………. 9 to 10
Temperature…………………….200 C to 600 C
Time……………10 to 20 minutes

Sample of Enzyme Washing :

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Process:
processing time is required. Enzyme wash is done in four steps. which are
discussed briefly.

Step-1 (Desizing): Desizing process of 100 kg cotton garments made from

heavy denim fabric can be done with following recipe.

Liquor ratio………………………………..1:4 to 1:10

Wetting agent……………………………..0.2 to 0.5 gr/Litter
Alpha amylase base desizing agent. 0.5to 0.2 %
PH …………………………. 6 to 8
Temperature…………………….500 C to 700 C
Time……………10 to 15 minutes
Due to the affect of desizing agent, starch materials present in the garment
fabric surface is decomposed, hence size materials are removed from the
garment fabrics.

Step-2 (Bio-Abrasion): In this step, mechanical and chemical action on

garments to be maintained carefully. After loading the machine with
required quantity of water, temperature of water and ph of water should be
adjusted first. Amount of use of exzyme depends on garment typd, amount
of stone used and processing time. Use of stone may vary from 20% to
150% of the weight of garments. Machine rotation that is R.P.M should be
adjusted between20 to 30 per minute.

Liquor ratio ……………..1:3 to1:10

Pumic stone…………………………20% to150%
Enzyme………………………………0.6% to2.0%
PH …………………………. 6.5 to 7.0

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 Time……………40 to 90 minutes

During processing with above recipe, the cellulase enzyme removes colour
and dissolves cotton fibres from the fabric surface. Due to brushing action of
stones on garment fabric, colour is removed in irregular pattern, and help in
removing projecting fibres. If Sandoclear IDS liquid @ 0.2% to 2.0% is
Used during bio-abrasion, possibility of backstain is reduced. Processing
time depends on extent of desired discolouring affect. Then drop the liquor
after sample matching. Again load the machine with fresh water and add 1%
detergent. Continue washing for 5 minutes at 60ºC to remove adhering
impurities from the garment fabric surface. After dropping the liquor, fading
affect becomes more prominent.

step-3 (Back wash ) : In this step of enzyme wash , the activity of enzyme is
stopped as well as possibility of back staining is also stopped .Back wash
can be done with following recipe:
Liquor ratio………………………………..1:6 to 1:10
Reagent……………………………...1 to 3%
Soda ash………………………... 0.5to 0.2 % gr/Litter
PH …………………………. 9 to 10
Temperature…………………….600 C to 800 C
Time……………5 to 10 minutes
Step-4(Additional Bleaching): After enzyme wash, ij more colour fading is
required then again bleached by hypochlorite bleaching agent. Bleaching
affect could be varied by the bariation of hypochlorite concentration, ph,
temperature and processing time. For step-4, the following recipe can be
used.

Liquor ratio………………………………..1:6 to 1:10

sodium hypochlorite………………………10 to 15 gr/Litter

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 or
Calcium hypochlorite (15%)………………………... 0.5 to 5.0
gr/Litter
PH …………………………. 9 to 10
Temperature…………………….200 C to 600 C
Time……………10 to 20 minutes

At the end processing, liquor should be drained-off. Then again wash the
garments for 5 minutes with only water. To remove the residual chlorine, a
neutralization wash should be done with following recipe; otherwise
yellowing affect may develop to the white portion of the garments.

Liquor ratio………………………………..1:6 to 1:10

sodium meta-bisulphite………………………1 to 2 gr/Litter
Temperature…………………….400 C to 500 C
Time……………10 to 20 minutes

Then drop the liquor and again wash the garments only with water for 5
minutes. To improve the softness feelings of the garments, the garments
could be treated with 0.5% softener for 5 minutes. Then drain-off the liquor,
unload the garments from the washing machine, hydroextruct the garments
and dry the garments completely in the garments drying machine.

Precautions:

Some precautions should be taken during washing as follows:

i) All chemicals should be measured very carefully.

ii) Temp should be increased very carefully.
iii) Water should be added very carefully.

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 iv) Time & Temp should be maintained very sincerely.
v) Mechanical action should be maintained very sincerely.
.

Remarks:

Enzyme wash is the most popular washing process in BD. It is quite

expensive. In this type of washing process freshly dyed jeans are
loaded into large washing m/c to achieve a irregular fade effect. Our
teacher is very helpful. She helps to us for learning about enzyme wash.
We learned a lot of things about enzyme wash from our teacher. And
also we saw enzyme washing process in unique washing ltd.