Enzyme washing

Enzyme washing or "bio stoning" is a textile manufacturing technique in which cellulase enzymes are applied to denim. As with traditional stone washing, the intended effect is a faded appearance and softer feel. Because the technique relies on biotechnology, enzyme washing is considered an example of textile bio-processing.

Technique

Mechanism

In the enzyme wash process, cellulases act on exposed cellulose on the cotton fibers, freeing indigo dye from the fabric.

Comparison to other techniques

Advantages

Enzyme washing is considered more sustainable than stone washing or acid washing because it is more water efficient. Residual pumice fragments from stone washing demand a lot of water to be eliminated, and acid washing involves multiple wash cycles to produce the desired effect. The substrate-specificity of enzymes also makes the technique more refined than other methods of processing denim.

Disadvantages

In enzyme washing, dye released by enzymatic activity has a tendency to redeposit on the textile ("back staining"). Wash specialists Arianna Bolzoni and Troy Strebe have criticized the quality of enzyme-washed denim compared to stone-washed denim but agree that the difference would not be detected by the average consumer.

History

In the mid-1980s, enzyme washing was developed as a sustainable alternative to the stone wash denim treatment. The technique has been a subject of more intense scientific study since the late 1990s.

See also

• Sustainable fashion

References

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