In the last 3 blogs, we have seen various approval chapters like Colour, Print, and Embroidery approvals. In this blog, we will talk about washing approval.

In reality, washing approval is a subjective matter in the whole apparel production process. Every human will find the hand feel to be different and even the same person may change his observation about the same fabric after a few days. One person may say a fabric or garment is slightly rough and the other person may say the same fabric or garment is slightly soft.

Garment washing is a process in garment manufacturing that is followed by a factory if a buyer/designer has specifically asked for it. Basically garment washing is done to avoid a fresh look and to get a washed look on the garment. Also required handfeel like soft touch, soapy touch, or dry touch is given to the garment. This process not only gives a washed look but also stabilize the garment from shrinkage. If precautionary measures were not followed properly and if the garment washing is done, there is a very high chance of uneven shrinkage in the garments and it may go to the level of rejection.

A washed look can also be a fashion element in the garment like acid wash, sprays, etc.

Sometimes, to remove the smell of printing chemicals (discharge), garment washing is done. Denim without washes is not actually liked by the customers. Some kind of faded effects in few parts of the garment, wash effects in the seams, tints, induced wrinkles, torn in some places, etc. are very much liked in the denim market now.

Garment washing is done normally after sewing the garment. After the washing process, mostly the garments will go to the finishing department and will get checked, ironed/steamed, and packed.
Few regular garment washes done are Water / Rinse wash, Softener Wash, Enzyme Wash, Vintage Wash, Stone Wash, Acid Wash, Scrapping, Spray(s), etc. Woven / Knitted fabrics have their own level of complications during washing. Industrial washing machines, hydro-extractor, and tumble dryers are the commonly used machines in the washing process. As a practice, in denim, leg mocks, shirts, sleeve mocks, and in knits, either whole garment or mocks are submitted for washing approval during the development stage and/or after the bulk fabric is inhouse.

Designer’s View & Comments :

• Expects the garment hand feel and look to come correct as per their expectations
• Why can’t a factory follow the same standard given last season for hand feel? and why should I give the same every time?
• I have given an A4 size swatch for hand feel purpose but still, the factory is asking for a bigger cutting?
• The fabric surface was clean earlier and after washing, it has become hairy.
• The garment is looking fresh, the factory didn’t do garment wash at all.
• I have asked for a vintage wash, but over-washing has been done and the garment looks very old.
• The Colour got too faded, I need my color but the garment should have a washed look.
• The print is completely gone, not acceptable.
• Embroidery thread color got changed in washing, I need embroidery to be fresh, do embroidery after washing.
• Too much puckering on the seams, reduce wash level but need a good washed look.
• Collar edges in the polo t-shirt got rubbed heavily and look hairy, remove the hairy fibers.
• Trims and accessories should not get tinted or damaged in washing.
• The garment is smelling foul, the factory should have used recycled water for washing.
• Take approval in mocks before proceeding with bulk washing.
• I have asked to remove the discharge chemical smell but this factory has washed and faded out the colors too.

Factory Merchant’s View & Comments :

• Sample washes are done in a small machine with more water level but bulk washing was done in big machines with the same recipe, there will be little variation between both, why this buyer is not understanding?
• I have taken hand feels approval from the buyer QA, still, the designer is rejecting it and commenting as hand feel not ok.
• I have shown the wash to many people here, everybody is ok except the buyer.
• The swatch received from the buyer is very small, how can I match the hand feel?
• Many people have touched the standard and it has become very old & hand feel has changed, but the buyer is asking to follow the last season's swatch.
• We have done panel wash properly before cutting, but the garment shrunk in garment washing, what to do?
• How will the effect of acid wash be the same in all the garments?
• The buyer is insisting to wash in the sampling washing unit which is in another city, this will affect my cost, lead time, etc. for which the buyer is not ready to pay, they only want their washing to be perfect, what about the factory?
• The buyer is rejecting the hand feel or effect, I have submitted more than 4 times, every time I need to wash at least 5 to 10 garments in sampling, more than 50 garments will get wasted in 1000 pcs order, how will I fulfill the order quantity?
• PP sample got rejected due to wash, the buyer wants to see the revised PP with all artworks and trims again for wash approval, why can’t I submit a revised PP without artworks and trims which I can make it faster and save time?
• Washing discharge printed garment will fade the print colors a little, the buyer needs the same clarity of print & colors which was before washing.

Above are very few comments and views from designers and factory merchants. Another person in the chain is the washing unit/washing technician. He uses different varieties of chemicals and processes for the same softener wash.

A basic understanding of garment washing is very much needed between the buyer/designer, factory merchant, and the washing unit. It is very subjective. Here, we can only reduce the level of subjective results and we need to move forward with the approval.

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