Process Flow Chart of Acid Wash

Process Flow Chart of Acid Wash

What is Acid Wash?

The acid washing process was created in Italy and patented in 1986. Garments made from heavy jeans and denim fabrics, course canvas, sweaters, and thick twill, etc. are washed by applying the acid wash technique. By applying the acid wash technique, an irregular pattern fading effect is produced in the garments, where the effects are more pronounced than stone wash. Acid wash is a very dirty process due to the widespread use of pumice stone.

Process Flow Chart of Acid Wash:

Garments loading in machine
↓
De-size
↓
Extracting the garments
↓
Drying
↓
Soaking of pumice stone
↓
Damp pumice stone
↓
Neutralization the garments
↓
Softening
↓
Extracting the garments
↓
Drying

All the above processes are discussed in the following:

1. Garments loading in the machine:
It is the first process of the acid wash. The required amount of clothing is loaded in the machine here for de-sizing the garments.

2. De-size:
The garments are de-sized here by using detergent and de-sizing agent. The required amount of de-sizing agent should be applied here by following M: L ratio. Here, sometimes needed 50-60° C temperature depends on the shade. De-size should be done at least 15-20minutes.

3. Extracting the garments:
After completing the desizing process, the garments are squeezed here by using the hydro-extractor machine and send to the drying section.

4. Drying:
Here the extracted garments are dried by using a gas dryer or steam dryer depending on the shade. It should be noted here that, the gas dryer is used for reddish shade and the steam dryer is used for bluish shade.

5. Soaking of pumice stone:
The fresh pumice stones are soaked here at room temperature for 10minutes by shuffling using Potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and Phosphoric acid (H3PO4) containing the liquor ratio 1:2. Pumice stones are naturally perforated and should pick up the solution very quickly.

6. Damp pumice stone:
After the required soaking of pumice stone, the completely dried de-sized garments are treated in the machine with damp pumice stones at room temperature for 15 minutes (depending on the shade). After completing this process, garments are unloaded from the machine and loaded in another washing machine for neutralized the garments.

7. Neutralization of the garments:
After completing the damp pumice stone process, the garments must be neutralized here by using Sodium meta-bisulfite (Na2S2O3) containing the liquor ratio (M: L) for 5minutes (depending on the shade).

8. Softening:
Here the garments are producing the too soft effect by using softening chemical containing liquor ratio (M: L). After completing this process, garments are unloaded from the machine.

9. Extracting the garments:
Here the acid-washed garments are extracted and send to the drying section.

10. Drying:
Finally, the garments are drying here by using a gas dryer or steam dryer depending on the shade.