FASHION INDUSTRY DICTIONARY

Define Stone Washing.

Stone washing, acid washing and cellulase are garment finishing processes primarily used for denim and similar items to make them appear worn and partially faded. Stone washing transforms new, unworn garments into used-looking, faded garments. These items are softer and more comfortable to wear, and they have a more casual appearance than traditional stiff and boardly new denim.

The process is a mass-production laundering procedure. (Production ranges from 50 to 3,000 garments per hour, depending on machine type and size.) Pumice stones, which are lightweight and porous, are added to the laundry mix to provide the abrasion for the worn look, hence the term stone wash.