Distressing and the tools we use to distress a piece of clothing

There is no clear winner when comparing these two methods, because each of them is used to fulfill a specific type of order, and in many cases we use both techniques on one garment.

The setup cost is lower in the case of hand-sanding, and therefore it is more appropriate for small-size runs or individual placements. No programming is required until the first unit of garment is processed. The downside of this method lies in consistency at a big scale: even an experienced operator produces slight differences between garments, which is one of the characteristics of artisan-made items. That is why it takes more time to match a pattern at a run of 2000 units.

The process of laser distressing is quite the opposite. The setup takes time – a pattern should be developed in software and programmed to the machine before the production begins – but the output will be the same for all units and will not be dependent on the operator's actions. No abrasive dust will be produced during the process. The disadvantage of this method lies in the fact that setup takes time; for the buyer who requires an exact repetition of the whisker pattern at big size runs, this method may be more effective.

In many of our orders, we use laser processing to achieve the repeating whisker pattern and hand processing to create more organic details – fraying of the edges, for example. If you indicate the necessary level of consistency for each element of your design at the order stage, we will use appropriate methods of processing.

There was a time when sandblasting, which involved blowing pressurized sand at the fabric to quickly break it down, was the method of choice for rapid distressing. However, besides being fairly quick, this process is known to cause silicosis, a fatal disease that affects the lungs due to inhalation of silica dust, and the workers employed in such an environment were often affected. All Western brands abandoned the process long ago, while OSHA continues to monitor crystalline silica exposure as a significant occupational health issue.

We do not conduct sandblasting on our floor. Manual sanding, grinding, and laser distressing enable us to achieve the same variety of results without having someone operate the pressurized silica stream. This trade-off is quite easy to make and is a valid question for potential customers.

It should also be noted that abandonment of sandblasting does not result in an inability to reproduce any specific look. All features that people tend to associate with sandblasted denim – intense fading across a large area, worn-out knees, abraded surface – are within the reach of manual sanding or laser treatment.

If you have manual decoration, we make the stencil based on a buyer's reference sample or tech pack sketch, and then sand according to the stencil throughout the entire production run; that is how we ensure proper placement across all sizes, as opposed to having placement vary piece by piece. If you have laser decoration, your reference is made into the laser file one time, and each piece after that goes through the same design pattern.

Before the batch progresses to the next phase, each item is inspected according to the authorized reference for placement, size of the hole, and length of the fray, and then goes through our regular AQL 2.5/4.0 inspection along with the other order items. Garments with incorrect distressing location do not ship with an indication; instead, they are returned for corrections or replacement.

The length of the fray and the edges of the holes are measured relative to a tolerance range, and not to a particular number, since hand distressing orders will inevitably have some variation from item to item – the objective of hand distressing is to achieve consistency within a realistic range, and not exact replication, which would be a laser job.