Garment Washing and Finishing

The following garment washing and garment finishing processes are available in the Higg Product Module. Most processes are measured in cycles, unless otherwise noted. One cycle is considered one application of the unit process.

Embroidery should be selected when stitched embroidery is added to the product. The unit of embroidery is “per cm2” and the embroidered area (in square centimeters) should be entered as the amount. This embroidery process includes using an industrial automatic embroidery machine to apply yarn according to an average design. 0.0000023 kg of 100 denier cotton thread per cm2 is included in the process. The amount of thread needed is based on assumptions for a simple embroidery pattern. As the impact of embroidery is predominantly dependent on the energy consumption, the embroidered area is the key determinant for this process. This means this embroidery process is also well applicable to embroidery processes using different yarn counts, other thread materials, or technology types. It is therefore not necessary to add the embroidery materials to the bill materials of the product, except when special embroidery operations are performed (e.g. silk threads). In this case, these materials are to be added to the bill of materials in the MSI. Embroidery is also available in the Product Assembly processes; ensure each embroidered area is only accounted for once to avoid double counting. The exact area of complex shapes may be difficult to measure;simple geometric representations (e.g. length x width) are suitable to approximate the total area.
Laser Etching should be selected when a laser is used to etch or engrave designs onto a product (usually leather or denim). The unit of laser etching is “per cm2” and the total etched or engraved area (in square centimeters) should be entered as the amount. Garment washing (water-only wash process with detergent added) to remove char is included, as well as water extraction and drying. The exact area of complex shapes may be difficult to measure; simple geometric representations (e.g. length x width) are suitable to approximate the total area.
Acid Wash should be selected when a product is washed using acid and pumice stones to create an aged look. This process includes pre-treatment (desizing (in 60°C water), preparation of pumice stones in a chemical solution), chemical wash (adding the soaked stones), wash for cleaning (in 50°C water), neutralization (in 50°C water), water extraction, and drying. Hand PP (potassium permanganate) spraying was not considered.
Boarding should be selected when products are pressed using heat and pressure into a flat, two-dimensional shape in preparation for packing. This process includes electricity consumption (which delivers the required heat and steam).
Desizing and Enzyme Wash should be selected when the product is washed using enzymes to create an aged look and/or to create a softer, polished hand feel. This process includes desizing as a preparation step. The following activities are included in this process: Washing with enzymes, Desizing, Softening, Water extraction and Drying.
Flocking should be selected when a product is decorated using flock (very short fibers) that is attached using an adhesive. This process includes the electricity consumption required to perform the flocking process. The flock itself is not included. The user is expected to add the flocking material and its weight to the Bill of Materials in the MSI separately if the weight is significant (i.e. >1%). To add the flocking material, select raw material and leave the rest of the processes empty (ie. Spinning, textile formation, etc.).
Foam or Spray-Dry should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using foamed air and a liquid finishing solution. After application, the product is dried but does not involve a (higher temperature) curing step. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes the chemical, water, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If a product is known to use a chemical finish but the specific method is unknown, then the Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure process should be used. If the product is known to use a Foam or Spray-Dry process but it is unknown if there is a curing step, then the Foam-Dry-Cure or Spray-Dry-Cure process should be used.
Foam-Dry-Cure or Spray-Dry-Cure should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using foamed air and a liquid finishing solution. After application, the product is cured at an elevated temperature to give a durable finish as part of the drying process. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes the chemical, water, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If a product is known to use a chemical finish but the specific method is unknown, then the Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure process should be used. If the product is known to use a Foam or Spray-Dry process but there is no curing step, then the Foam or Spray-Dry process should be used.
Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using a solution bath and rollers to control the wet pick-up rate. After application, the product is dried but does not involve a (higher temperature) curing step. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes water, chemical, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If the product is known to use a Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry process but it is unknown if there is a curing step, then the Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure process should be used.
Pad-Dry-Cure or Exhaust-Dry-Cure should be selected when a chemical finish (such as water repellency, stain release, softeners, odor management, or antibacterial treatments) is added to the product using a solution bath and rollers to control the wet pick-up rate. After application, the product is cured at an elevated temperature to give a durable finish as part of the drying process. If multiple chemical finishes are applied at the same time, this process is still applicable as the process accounts for the possibility of multiple finishes being applied in the solution bath. This process includes water, chemical, and energy inputs. This process is only applicable when the chemical finish is added to the final product, not to a material (processes applied to materials should be captured in the Higg MSI). If the product is known to use a Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry process but there is no curing step, then the Pad-Dry or Exhaust-Dry process should be used.
Sueding/Sanding should be selected when the surface of a product is sanded to raise some fibers to create a soft and smooth surface (peaching) or to create localized abrasion patterns (sand blasting). The process includes rolling energy and electricity consumption.
Water Only Wash should be selected when the product is washed in water to help clean it or lightly age it. Rinsing with water (50°C for 5 minutes), water extraction and drying are included. The process includes electricity consumption, steam, tap water, and heat. No softener is included. Washing processes that don’t include acids or enzymes should select Water Only Wash as the most representative process.
Weighting or hand building, apparel should be selected when the product is modified to add fullness (bulk or weight) and/or increased stiffness. This is typically done through the addition of hand-building substances, such as starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), vinyl-acetate polymers, polyurethane, thermoset resins, or acrylic co-polymers. Note that the process model for weighting or hand-building currently only captures the impacts associated with mechanical processing and care should be taken when interpreting the impacts of this process. The hand-building substances and their weights are to be added to the Bill of Materials in the MSI separately when their weight is significant (i.e. >1%).
Pressing (ironing) should be selected when steam and pressure are used to remove unwanted creases or wrinkles from products and/or to shape them when desired. The process includes thermal energy use. The unit of measurement for pressing (ironing) is “minute” (the length of time, in minutes, that the product is pressed or ironed).
Heat Transfer Foils (large) should be selected when a heat transfer foil is applied to a product and the area of the heat transfer is over 900 square centimeters (30cm x 30cm). Paper, foil, and electricity are included in this process. This process scales with the number of transfers applied (i.e. the number of transfers is the unit of measurement). All types of heat transfer foils and papers, including metallic, gloss pigment, matte pigment, and holographic papers should use this as the most representative process.
Heat Transfer Foils (medium) should be selected when a heat transfer foil is applied to a product and the area of the heat transfer is between 225 (15cm x 15cm) and 900 square centimeters (30cm x 30cm). Paper, foil, and electricity are included in this process. This process scales with the number of transfers applied (i.e. the number of transfers is the unit of measurement). All types of heat transfer foils and papers, including metallic, gloss pigment, matte pigment, and holographic papers should use this as the most representative process.
Heat Transfer Foils (small) should be selected when a heat transfer foil is applied to a product and the area of the heat transfer is under 225 square centimeters (15cm x 15cm). Paper, foil, and electricity are included in this process. This process scales with the number of transfers applied (i.e. the number of transfers is the unit of measurement). All types of heat transfer foils and papers, including metallic, gloss pigment, matte pigment, and holographic papers should use this as the most representative process.
Manual scraping + Stone wash + pp blasting should be selected when the process to imitate the natural aging of raw denim garments. The process includes the following dry and manual operations: scraping and grinding for localized color fade down, potassium permanganate (to enhance whiteness of local area), industrial washes done in rotary washing machines, desizing process, abrasion process using stone wash to further reduce color, enhancing highs and lows in seam areas, neutralization of the oxidized area where potassium permanganate was sprayed, water extraction, and tumble drying.
Alternative to pp blasting should be selected when local spray application of a potassium permanganate alternative discoloration agent is used to imitate natural local discolorations on specific areas of a garment. This process includes: Chemical blasting and blasting neutralization, Washing, Water extraction, and Tumble drying.
Tinted should be selected when a soft coloration is done using a small percentage of direct dyestuff to give a “dirty” look. This process includes: Tinting, Fixing, Softening, and Water extraction.
Stone Wash step should be selected when the abrasion subprocess is conducted using pumice stones. The stone wash step is always combined with a preparation process done before the stones or a cleaning process done after the stone step. This process applies the latter option, and therefore includes the following processes: Stone wash, Destoning, Soaping, Washing, and Water extraction. If the stone wash includes desizing and softening, the Stone Wash process is to be selected (not Stone Wash step).
Enzyme wash should be selected when an abrasion subprocess using cellulase enzymes is conducted. This process is always combined with a preparation process done before the enzyme wash, or a cleaning process done after the enzyme bath. This process applies the latter option, and therefore includes the following processes: Enzyme wash, Washing, and Water extraction. If desizing and softening are also part of the Enzyme wash, the Desizing and Enzyme wash process should be selected. If a rinse wash is part of the Enzyme wash, the Rinse + Enzyme wash process should be selected.
Enzyme wash + Tinted should be selected when an abrasion wash using cellulase enzyme and tinted process to give a “dirty look” are combined. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Tinting, Fixing, Softening, and Water extraction.
Laser marking cycle is a localized effect and should be selected when a laser pattern is marked in a garment. This process includes 1 cycle of this laser marking process that takes 45 seconds and covers the area of a typical whiskers design: 60 x 20 cm (per each front leg) and 30 x 30 cm (per each back leg).
Enzyme wash + pp blasting should be selected when an abrasion process with cellulase enzymes and a spray of potassium permanganate are combined. The enzyme wash will produce an overall color fade down, while the potassium permanganate spray will produce further wash down in specific areas of the garment. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Water extraction, Drying, PP Spraying and PP neutralization, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
Enzyme Wash & Ozone bleaching Intensive color fade down process that should be selected when an enzyme wash using cellulase enzymes to produce overall color fade down, is combined with an ozone process that further fades the garment to obtain medium / light denim shades. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Water extraction, Ozone Bleaching, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
Enzyme wash & Chlorine Bleaching Intensive color fade down process that should be selected when an enzyme wash using cellulase enzymes to produce overall color fade down, is combined with a sodium hypochlorite bleaching process. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Hypochlorite bleaching and bleach neutralization, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
Stone Wash this process should be selected when an abrasion process to imitate natural aging/discoloration of a raw denim garment is performed. Includes a preparation (desizing) and a cleaning process done using a neutral detergent. This process therefore includes: Desizing, Washing, Stone Wash and de-stoning, Washing, Soaping, Softening, and Water extraction. If the stone wash does not include desizing and softening, the Stone Wash step process is to be selected.
Rinse + Enzyme wash should be selected when a soft abrasion process to eliminate unfixed color using a cellulase enzyme and a rinse bath are combined. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Enzyme wash, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.
Rinse wash should be selected when a soft wash process to remove only unfixed dye (keeping the garment a dark denim shade) is applied. This process includes: Desizing, Washing, Softening, and Water extraction.