- Stone washing is a process done with stone, most commonly pumice, on tough material like jeans. This process is done mostly in the fashion industry for clothing made out of jean material by many manufacturers including Levi, Wrangler, Ryder and many others. Stone washing jeans gives the jeans a worn-out look because it literally wears out the fabric quickly. By this process the jean products are easier to wear as they are already broken in, have a worn look to them and are more comfortable to wear for longer periods of time. Some products you may find with the stone washed process include jean pants, jean jackets and also jean purses.
- Large pumice stones mixed in with jean fabric materials get washed together 2-3 times in an industrial sized washing machine. This process allows the stones to rub and pound the material so it gets the stone washed look. This wears out the cloth which leaves white spots and worn out areas of cloth onto the jean fabric. Using this process instead of washing clothing over and over to get the worn out look saves time and appeals to consumers because it is already broken in to wear. Stone washing also makes the jean material more supple so that it fits comfortably instead of being stiff and needing lots of wear and washing to get the same effect. Once the fabric is washed with the pumice stones, it will go through several rinsing cycles. This gets rid of the stones that break apart and get caught into the material. Pumice is used in this process because it is a lightweight, abrasive stone that gives the jean material it is washed with that "stone washed look." Industrial-sized washing machines are equipped to deal with the large pumice stones placed inside of it where normal household washing machines can be damaged very easily.
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Although stone washed materials offer consumers comfort for immediate wear, you should always check the fabric you are buying, especially stone washed items. As the materials are washed in large industrial sized washing machines with large rocks of pumice, problems can arise. These problems include rips, tears and fraying, and they are often marketed to consumers as a new fad or trend in the fashion industry. The process of stone washing causes the fabric to be worn out much more quickly than normal wearing, would which means the clothing does not last as long. Stone washing should never be done in a regular washing machine, as the stones can break apart and get caught inside the machines, and the large stones can cause major damage.
A new type of stone washing recently created is done by using enzymes. This process acts as a chemical wash which gives jean fabric the same look as stone washed but without the wear that the stones actually give it.
