A sustainable wet processing concept developed through atmospheric pressure plasma treatment to achieve the stonewash look on denim garments

Abstract

Plasma technology, an environmentally and process friendly method, has a strong potential to offer novel functionalities in textiles without altering the bulk characteristics of polymeric materials in the composition. Specifically, atmospheric pressure plasma treatment occupies an atmospheric non-thermal plasma which can be used effectively in the continuous production process for surface modification of denim fabrics and appropriates for heat sensitive polymer materials in denim fabrics. Plasma treatment not only induces the surface functionalization by introducing new reactive polar groups but also creates the morphological changes by increasing the volume of crack and groves on the surface. These morphological changes enhance the adsorption of enzymes and induced functional groups speed up the hydrolysis of cellulose. The combined effect can accelerate the removal of indigo dye stuff from the fabric surface to create a stonewash appearance without using pumice stones. Therefore, plasma treatment can be effectively used to achieve the stonewash look of denim jeans in an economical and sustainable way and hence overcome the environmental and process related issues of the conventional biostoning method. The main objective of this research paper is to present a detailed analysis of the existing  technologies in the denim wet processing industry related to biostoning method and analyses the state of art relating to atmospheric pressure plasma technology to develop a sustainable and economical wet processing concept for achieving the stonewash look on the denim garments.

Index Terms: Atmospheric Pressure Plasma, Biostoning, Denim, Dielectric Barrier Discharge, Enzymatic Hydrolysis, Stonewash Appearance, Sustainable.