Fashion Victims: The other side of sandblasting

What do the gold miners of the West, and celebrities such asTom Cruise, Jessica Simpson, Nick Lachey and many others have in common? Jeansof course! What so ever, jeans remains one of the most preferred wardrobe itemsfor both men and women, regardless of age. Manufacturers put their focus andthe creativity of the designers to create unique patterns, and style so maketheir product, the most sought after, in the market. To get a vanguard, varioustechniques are followed in the finishing processes to give them a moreappealing look. One such method is 'Sand blasting'.

Sandblasting is one of the most popular finishing techniquesused to give a worn look to denim fabrics. It is a mechanical and abrasiveprocess where sand particles are forced at denim fabrics under controlledpressure settings. This technique is used to give the fabric a faded look, andis more in style. It is very profitable, and increases the price of the garmentin proportion to the amount of sandblasting done, even by 50%.

The other side of this process is darker, and includeshealth related concerns. While the rest of the world is obsessed with theappeal of this finishing, lungs of the sandblasting workers meet a slow and agonizingdeath. Meticulous work practices must be followed, while adopting this process,so as to protect the workers from serious health hazards resulting from theexposure to silica, an element present in sand. In Turkey, approximately 4000workers are affected with the lung disease; silicosis caused by inhaling thesilica power and crystals present in sand. Many apparel companies involved inthe making of counterfeit apparels do not follow any safeguards, therebyputting the workers lives at risk. Most of these workers are even unaware ofthe latent health hazards awaiting them. In a documentary titled 'Silicosis',revealing the working conditions of Turkish labors, a worker quotes, "Ouremployer told us that there is no health risk with this job. We were workingmore than 12 hours a day in rooms filled with dust and sand so that we couldnot even see the jeans we were sanding." (Source: hurriyetdailynews).

Companies need to adopt strict standards and monitoringprograms. It should be done in an environment using proper ventilation, airsupply for oxygen, and wearing protective clothing. Despite all theprecautionary measures, threat of this respiratory disease is still a reality. Furthermore,it is not always possible to ensure that suppliers and subcontractors complywith the standards. Automated sandblasting machines are available in themarket, but subcontractors choose to exploit young and inexpensive labor. Alternativeways to achieve a worn finish can also be contemplated. But, some industrypeople have the opinion that even if chemicals and lasers can be used as asubstitute for sandblasting, it will only give a change in the color of thefabric, whereas, sandblasting method gives a worn out finishing to the fabricwhich is much preferred by many people.

As a sign of turning towards health and safety, banning thesandblasting process itself completely can also be considered. Pioneering themove, Levi Strauss, along with H&M, announced plans on bringing a globalban on sandblasting on all their product lines. A few more have made deals withtheir subcontractors in Egypt, Pakistan, and Syria prohibiting the practice.