Faculty of Engineering

Department of Textile Engineering

PRODUCTION OF DENIM
FABRICS USING SHEET
DYEING AND ROPE DYEING
METHODS: A COMPARATIVE
STUDY
Submitted By
Yousuf Ali
103-23-2102
Md. Nasir Uddin
103-23-2207
Md. Abu Owaheduzzaman
093-23-1785

What is denim fabric?

According to Textile Terms and Definition
Denim is traditionally a 3/1 warp face twill
fabric made from yarn dyed warp and undyed weft yarn

3/1
RHT

3/1 LHT

The History Of Denim

The word denim probably came from the

name of France, serge de nimes serge (a

kind of material/fabric) from Nimes (a town in
France) at 17th century.
Leob Strauss started a wholesale business of
denim at the first of 18th century in America
by the name of Levi.
Cowboys who often wore denim in the
movies became very popular at around
1930 which lead to an increased interest in
the rugged trousers.

Fewer jeans were made during the World War

2 at 1943 for American soldiers. After the war,

rival companies, like Wrangler and Lee, began
to compete with Levis for a share of the
international market.
Denim became very popular with young
people in the 1950s. Some schools in the US
went so far as to ban students from wearing
denim at that time.
Manufacturers started to make different styles
of denim to match the 1960s fashions.
Denim become fashionable cloth at around
1990s.
And now denim is the most usable cloth for
men and women for all ages.

Types Of Denim
Slasher Denim: Dyeing and sizing are done in

form of sheet/ slasher simultaneously and

that is why the process is also called sheet
dyeing and the denim is sheet denim.

Rope Denim: Warping and dyeing are done in

the form of rope and dyeing sizing is done

separately.

Flowchart Slasher Dyeing

Photo of Slasher Dyeing

Flowchart of Rope Dyeing

Dyeing (10 bath)

Photo of Rope Dyeing

Raw materials
100% cotton or polyester blend yarn is used

where count range is 7OE to 40OE for slasher

and up to 20OE for rope.
Steel for zipper, snaps and buttons.
Leather, plastic for level.

Dyes used in denim

Indigo vat dye: it is natural organic dye

achieved from plant. But now several
thousand tons of indigo produced each year
is synthetic.

Dyes used in denim

Sulphur Dye: These dyes are so called

because they contain sulphur atoms in their

molecules.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Floor space is

Required floor space

Man power

Count

comparatively
higher for rope
denim
production

Comparison between Sheet & Rope

Denim
Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Less man

Required floor space

Man power

Count

power required
for slasher
denim
production.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope

Denim
Criteria
Criteria

Required floor space

Man power

Count

Comparison

Higher count is

used for slasher

denim.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Lapper

Lapper tendency

Dye bath capacity

Shade variation.

tendency is
higher in rope
dyeing than
slasher dyeing.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Dye bath

Lapper tendency

Dye bath capacity

Shade variation.

capacity of
slasher is lower
than rope
dyeing machine
.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Lapper tendency

Dye bath capacity

Shade variation.

Comparison

Lower shade

variation in rope
dyeing process.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Production of

Production

breakage rate

Wastage

rope denim is
about 50%
higher than
slasher denim.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Breakage rate

Production

Breakage rate

Wastage

of Slasher is
higher than
rope method.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Wastage of

Production

breakage rate

Wastage

Slasher is
higher than
rope method.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Stripe fabric

Production of Stripe fabric

LCB process

warping.

can be
produced only
by rope
method. Not
possible for
slasher.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

No need of LCB

Production of Stripe fabric

LCB process

warping.

process for
slasher method.
For rope, it is
need to do rebeaming.

Comparison between Sheet & Rope Denim

Criteria
Criteria

Comparison

Direct warping

Production of Stripe fabric

LCB process

warping.

is done for
slasher while,
ball warping for
rope method.

Sales prices of denim

Denim type

Weight (oz/sq.
yd)

Sheet denim
(price)

Rope
denim(price)

Regular

6-14

1.55 to 2.1 $

1.75 to 2.25 $

Multi count

6-14

1.75 to 2.15 $

1.9 to 2.35 $

Slub

6-14

1.8 to 2.25 $

1.95 to 2.45 $

Stretch(regular)

10-12

2.15 to 2.65 $

2.35 to 2.85 $

Stretch(multi
count)

10-12

2.40 to 2.80 $

2.55 to 3.0 $

Stretch(slub)

10-12

2.40 to 2.90$

2.60 to 3.10 $

Sales prices of denim

Sales price of denim is about 1.5 $ to

3.0 $ per oz.

Price of slasher denim per oz is about
1.5 $ to 2.9 $.
Rope denim price is about 1.75 $ to
3.0 $ per oz.
Sales price of rope denim is 7 to
9.3% higher than slasher denim.

Discussion of Results
Count: slasher-7 to 40 Ne. rope

up to 20 Ne.
Breakage rate: higher at slasher.
Man power: higher at rope.

Discussion of Results
Lapper tendency: higher at rope.
Production rate: higher for rope.
Shade variation: frequently seen at

slasher.
Wastage: higher at slasher.

Discussion of Results
Stripe fabric: possible at rope

method for LCB.

Tensile strength: higher at rope
denim.
Color fastness: better for rope

denim.