Easy 10 Differences Between Hand Sanding and Sand Blasting in Garments washing

Introduction

The dry process is an important factor in case of garments washing. The dry process of garments washing creates old-looking of garments. Hand sanding and sand blasting is an important dry process of garment washing. In this article, I will present, 10 most important differences between hand sanding and sand blasting . I think, this article is going to be interesting. At first, we will gather basic knowledge about hand sanding and sand blasting.

Hand Sanding Process

Hand sand is a step which is generally being done in a rigid form of the garment to get a distress look. Location can be front thigh back seat or it can be overall application as per standard. Emery paper is being used to scrape the garment in particular placement according the standard sample. Emery paper comes in different number generally starting from 40 till 1000. The higher the number finer the emery paper and lower the number coarser the emery paper. For heavy denim fabric or high GSM fabric, we used a lower number of emery paper. But in case of, light denim fabric or low GSM fabric, we used higher number of emery paper. Sometimes hand sanding is called hand scraping or brushing.

Material required for hand sanding Process

Below materials are required for hand sanding process in garments washing plant.

Emery paper
Hand sand dummy
Foam sheet ( 5mm)
Chalk for marking.

Hand sanding procedure:

At first, marking the hand sanding area in the garments according to standard.
Then, put the garments into the hand sand dummy.
Now, scrapping the garments at the specific area by using emery paper.
Finally, check the hand sanding quality and compare to standard.
If ok, then send to next process.

Sand blasting Process

Sand blasting is the process of scrubbing off the garments by blowing high speed air mixed with very fine particles of sand. This was a very successful and most widely used process in garment washing industry. But due to health issue, this dry process is banned. But sand blasting process provides a very uniform result which cannot be achieved with its alternates. Its specialty is the merging effect that is blended with such a beauty that it has no differences with natural effect. There are two methods of sand blasting are commonly used in garments washing industry.

Mechanical method
Manual method

Mechanical method of sand blasting : in the mechanical method, sand is mixed in a chamber with pressurized air and sprayed on the garments to rub off the color of the denim fabric from the sprayed area. Chambers prevent sprayed sand from spreading and polluting the environment.
Manual method of sand blasting: in the manual of sand blasting, sand paper is used to create the effect. A wooden block is attached to the sand paper, which is rubbed on the garment’s surface. This process is labor intensive and two persons are required to create the effect on one garment.

Materials need for sand blasting

Sand blasting machine.
Sand without containing iron.
Pattern board
Compressor for air pressure.
N95 mask and ear plug for safety equipment.
Marking chalk.

Procedure of sand blasting

At first, sand blasting area is marking on the garments.
Air compressor started and pressure to be maintained between 3-4 kg/cm².
Air compressor then stores air in the machine cylinder. Aluminum sand or silicon sand, is then taken in the chamber of the blasting machine.
Sand and compressed air are then sprayed over the garments at specific points at 10-20⁰ angle by hand spray pipe.
Sands pass into the machine by regulating system.
The machine comprises a blasting regulator and a hand regulator to control the amount of sand and compressed air respectively.
The faded garments are cleaned by shaking manually and then washed.

Why sand blasting is banned?

Now-a-day, sand blasting dry process in garments washing is banned. There some limitation of sand blasting. Due to this limitation of sand blasting is banned. I will mention this limitation of sand blasting below:

Disadvantage of sand blasting

Sand blasting process is health hazardous. It impacts on worker health.
Sand blasting process also impact on environment. Its pollutions the environment.
Handling of sand blasting gun is risky.
Metal can be found sometimes.

These are the disadvantage of sand blasting or limitation of sand blasting. That’s why, sand blasting is banned now a day.

Differences Between Hand Sanding and Sand Blasting

Here, I present easy 10 differences between hand sanding and sand blasting.

S/N	Hand sanding	Sand blasting
1.	Hand sanding is done by manually with help of emery paper.	Sand blasting process is done by gun with the help of air flow.
2.	In this process, inside indigo stay, so that slap is increase.	In this process, total indigo is out, so slap is down.
3.	No possibilities to found metal part.	Metal can be found sometimes.
4.	Effect is in depth of surface	Effect is on top of surface
5.	Hand sanding process is lengthy	Sand blasting process is faster.
6.	Production is low compare to sand blasting.	Production is high compare to hand sanding
7.	Sometimes, final out look of garment is uneven.	But final out look of garment is even.
8.	Friction is occurred by emery paper.	Frication is occurred by the friction of sand.
9.	Effect occurs at the surface of garments.	Effect sprayed into whole texture of garments.
10.	Less environmental and health hazardous. So, buyer recommended this process.	Sand blasting pollute environment and it also health hazardous. Buyer don’t recommended process.

Table 1 : Differences between hand sanding and sand blasting

Conclusion:

These are the differences between hand sanding and sand blasting. Now-a-day, sand blasting is banned due to health hazards. Buyer always recommended hand sanding or hand scraping process. Though production rate of hand sanding is low.

References

Hossain, M. F. (2015). Practice of Textile Coloration, Volume-I. Dhaka: Books Fair Publications.
Jalil, P. D. (2018). Denim and Washing Technology. Dhaka: Granthanir Prokashoni.
Kabir, D. S. (2016). Chemistry of Dyes & Pigments. Dhaka: Books Fair Publications.
Rahman, E. M. (n.d.). Practical Hand Book of Washing and Dyeing. University campus.

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