Environmental impact measurement and chromatic performance evaluation of denim washing: a comparison to conventional and sustainable approaches for cleaner production.

Abstract

Over the past few decades, several developments and innovations have made denim a "classic" in today's fashion cycle. Modern consumers today are concerned with clothing comfort, environmental sustainability, and esthetic appeal. Sustainability in denim washing is a pressing concern in the fashion industry, affecting consumers' purchasing decisions. Sustainable alternatives for denim enthusiasts now include eco-friendly alternative garment dry and wet processes through nontoxic chemicals, process optimization, and washing recipe optimization. Previous research focused solely on the physical properties of denim samples following the use of hazardous conventional denim washing techniques; yet, those did not adequately represent empirical assessments of the environmental impact measurement, chromatic values, and visual uniformity of vintage effects on vat-dyed denim. This research compares the three conventional washing techniques such as dark, medium, and light washes with their sustainable counterparts, analyzing their environmental impacts and chromatic evaluation. Sustainable washing techniques tend to be more efficient, saving at least 15.5-21.5 min per wash. While medium and dark washing save 14.44 l/kg and 19.4 l/kg of water, respectively, sustainable light washing saves 3.9 l/kg. Sustainable washes are more economical, and those techniques also consume less energy and have lower chemical and energy impact scores than conventional washes. The Environmental Impact Measurement (EIM) scoring system implies 0-33 for low impact, 34-66 for medium impact, and > 66 for high impact. EIM score of conventional washing methods (42 for light, 51 for medium, and 57 for dark wash) is greater than that of sustainable washing methods (8 for light, 13 for medium, and 17 for dark wash). Evaluations indicate a decline in color strength (K/S), chromaticity (C*), and hue angle (h) for light-washed denim of conventional and sustainable types. Conversely, the light-washed samples show higher color difference (ΔE), and CIE L*a*b* values in comparison to medium- and dark-washed denim samples of conventional and sustainable types. This research provides a comprehensive assessment using metrics like EIM score, color differences, color strength, chromaticity, and hue angle.