Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Versace says no to sandblasting

What does it mean to wear clean clothes? Take them out of the closet freshly laundered, of course. But above all be sure that the boss does not cost the life or health to those who have packed in Italy or the world. Yes, because many processes that are used for the treatment of the fabrics are chemical in nature or require manual processing that, in some cases may be harmful and cause damage to the health of workers.


This is the case of sand, used by many brands to give the denim used and aged so well loved that aspect jeans addicted. To get the effect you spray with a compressor in the sand on the fabric by hand, risking, if not properly protected, of inhalation. The risk is the same as the infamous miners with silicosis.

Since there are no guarantees to ensure that they comply with safety standards in all countries where production is outsourced (India, Bangladesh, China, Pakistan) is only one solution, forgo treatment. He did Versace, announcing that "following an audit, which confirmed that no vendor uses the technique of sanding the jeans, Versace has decided to act in a more proactive, joining industry leaders who support the elimination of blasting as a practice of working.

" The decision came after the fierce attacks of clean clothes, the Italian branch of the Clean Clothes Campaign active in 15 European countries and in contact with 225 associations working in the relocation of the hot countries, from South America to Southeast Asia. The activists had acted mainly via the web, focusing interventions on the official Facebook page of the Italian brand jeans with many accusing him of producing the technique of sandblasting (not to be confused with the stone wash, the aging process that allows the jeans through the use of stones that "treat" the tissue, as opposed to eco brands Marithé + François Girbaud for the great waste of water involved), and forcing them to turn off the external posting on the page.

Versace is not the first to join the lawsuit filed by Clean Clothes: before him had also joined Benetton, Burberry, Carrera, Charles Vögele, Esprit, Gucci, H & M, Levi's, Mango, Pepe Jeans and Replay. But there are still big names in Italian fashion that deny dialogue. And check out the companies is not easy, as pointed out by Deborah Lucchetti, national coordinator of the Clean Clothes: "You can not have 100% guarantee that the commitments are respected by all.

Checks must be made within a year or more, but our strength lies in the extensive network of correspondents in the producing countries, we report the problems and give voice to workers who otherwise nobody would listen. Indeed, even that would be able to talk. " The main problem for consumers is that it is virtually impossible to determine whether a pair of jeans has been treated with sand blasting or if the vintage effect was obtained with the much more expensive but necessary alternatives.

There would probably need a certification that, as with diamonds, make sure that the boss is, in fact, clean. In all senses.

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