Whisker Making Process on Jeans in Denim Washing Industry

by Kazi Md. Rashedul Islam · November 7, 2026

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Introduction

Whisker is one of the most popular dry processes in the denim washing industry. It creates faded lines on jeans. This article will brief 2 whisker making process in simple language. Generally, whisker lines are found around the thigh, hip, and knee areas of denim garments. It also gives a fashionable appearance. Hence, this dry process is popular among the young generation. The design of whisker or intensity of whiskers totally depend on buyer’s standard or buyer’s requirement. There are two types of whisker making processes used in the denim industry. Which whisker making process will be used depends on the buyer’s standard sample.

You may read: Denim Destroy Pattern Making Process: 3 Easy Steps

Whisker Making Process

There are two types of whisker used in the denim washing industry. There are:

2D whisker
3D whisker

Now, let’s learn whisker making process on jeans one by one.

1. 2D Whisker

2D whisker creates flat faded lines on jeans. It is created by removing some surface color from selected areas of denim garments. Hence, faded lines appear flat on the denim garments. There are three common methods of 2D whisker making process used in washing industry. They are:

Whisker making by manual hand scraping
Whisker making using a pattern
Whisker making using a laser machine

Whisker making by manual hand scraping

Manual hand scraping is another common method of creating 2D whiskers. It is a simple process. But it depends on the operator’s skill as well as experience.

First, draw the required whisker lines on jeans according to the standard.
After drawing the lines, place the denim garments on a dummy.
Now, rub the marked lines carefully using emery paper.
Then, garments is washed and visible the whisker lines.

Whisker making using a pattern

This method is common methods. It is used to reproduce the whisker design from a buyer’s standard sample. The following are some steps for making a whisker pattern.

Initially, whisker design is traced from standard sample on rubber board using tracing wheel.
After tracing the design, carefully cut the rubber board along the marked lines. Theis prepares the whisker pattern.
Subsequently, insert the whisker pattern into the denim garments.
Then, rub the jeans over the pattern using emery paper. This creates the whisker line on the denim pants.

Whisker making using a laser machine

Laser technology is another method to create 2D whiskers on jeans. The following are the steps of the laser whisker making process:

For the first, whisker is prepared using Adobe Photoshop or other image-editing software. Then design is saved as Bitmap image format.
The next step, transfer the whisker design to the laser machine.
Now, set the required laser parameters according to the denim fabric, construction, and desired fading effect.
Then, position the denim garment on the honeycomb bed of the laser machine.
Now, laser light is applied to the selected area of the garment. The laser interacts with indigo dye. Hence, some color is removed from the laser-imprinted area.
The final whisker effect will be visible after the garment is washed.

2. 3D Whisker Making Process

Unlike 2D whiskers, 3D whiskers create raised crease-like lines on jeans. The following steps are followed for 3D whisker making on jeans:

At first, the whisker design is drawn on the jeans according the buyer’s requirement or standard sample.
Next, resin solution is applied to the marked whisker areas.
After applying the resin, 3D effect is created according to the whisker line.
Subsequently, apply heat to the shaped 3D lines for 1 min.
After the initial heat application, place the jeans in the oven for curing at 60–80°C for 5 min. Curing time and temperature depend on the resin supplier’s technical data.
After curing, 3D areas become hard and retain their raised shape.
Now, rub the raised whisker lines with emery paper. Hence, some color is removed from the surfaces of the 3D areas.
Sometimes, potassium permanganate (PP) is applied to selected 3D whisker areas to create an additional fading effect.
Finally, wash the jeans according to the required washing recipe.
After washing and drying, 3D lines are recreated according to the whisker lines again.

Conclusion

Whiskering is an important dry process. It gives faded effect and vintage looking of jeans. There are mainly two types of whiskers: 2D whiskers and 3D whiskers. This article try to best to brief 2D whiskers and 3D whisker making process easy way. However, if you have any questions about whisker making process, let me know in the comments box below.

FAQs

What are the main types of whiskers in denim washing?
- There are two main types of whiskers used in the denim washing industry. There are 2D whiskers and 3D whiskers. 2D whiskers create flat faded lines on jeans. On the contrary, 3D whiskers produce a 3-dimensional effect on whisker lines.
What are the common methods of making 2D whiskers?
- There are several methods for making 2D whiskers. But the following three methods of making 2D whiskers is popular. They are:
  - Using a rubber pattern
  - Manual hand scraping with emery paper
  - Using a laser machine.
How is a whisker pattern made?
- Initially, a rubber board inside the standard sample. Now, trace the whisker lines using a tracing wheel. Now, the rubber board is cut according to the tracing line. This is how the whisker pattern is made.
How are whiskers made using laser technology?
- The whisker design is prepared using Adobe Photoshop or other image editing software according to the buyer’s standard sample. Then, the design is saved as a bitmap image format. Next, design is input in laser machine. Subsequently, set the laser intensity and DIP. Finally, laser light is applied to the denim garments.
Why is resin used in 3D whisker making?
- A suitable resin solution is applied on whisker area. Resin helps the denim fabric retain the 3D effect on denim garments.

Whisker Making Process on Jeans in Denim Washing Industry

Introduction