Soko’s Denim Pharmacy prescribes chemical cures
08/05/2024
“There are common issues that all production managers have,” explains Luca Braschi, Soko’s marketing technology manager. “We have ‘pills’ that are able to solve each issue.”
• Yellowing can occur after strong oxidising agents, such as bleach, potassium permanganate or ozone, particularly when the neutralisation isn’t done properly, says Mr Braschi. Sometimes the yellowing might appear later, even when garments are in store. SuperCast is a rich compound that cleans the garments and removes residuals of oxidizing agents, leaving a bright, rich and clean look.
• JoinSoko LY is a Lycra protector that can be applied at any stage, but normally before bleach, to protect the Lycra from aggressive chemicals such as hypochlorite
• BioClean is a cleaning agent that also removes the backstaining that might occur when indigo re-deposits on denim. “People might try to use ozone at the end of the process to clean garments, but they don’t neutralize the ozone – but this is not good practice because it may lead to yellowing, plus you are selling garments that still have ozone on, that are in contact with the skin,” says Mr Braschi. “This is just hiding the issue but not correcting it.” BioClean is applied in the bath, for the last 10 minutes, all contrasts and abrasions are cleaned, resulting in a rich look.
• Traditionally, achieving light shades on black fabrics takes a long time, weakening the fabric, and the garment could get damaged. Black Magic bleaches three times faster, resulting in less stress on the fabric and increased productivity.
• HydroGel works by “jellifying” water, enveloping the fibres in a bubble of gel. Processors can use the same bath of water from raw to bleach, protecting the garments as well as simplifying the job.
Soko is also working to expand its Projects Division, which acts as a bridge between brand and laundry, providing R&D or consultancy services. These services include suggesting solutions for issues or improving aesthetics on brands’ fabrics, providing recipes for more sustainable production, or offering inspiration for new looks, designs and processes. “We have creativity as well as deep technical knowledge,” explains Mr Braschi. The Projects Division has recently collaborated with Adriano Goldschmied’s Daily Blue brand and Italian design studio Fashion Art.
“The role of a chemical company is changing,” concluded Mr Braschi. “We could compare it to cooking: if you want to make a cake, before we were just supplying the eggs, but now we are providing the full recipe.”
Soko is also expanding its business in India, with new partners and distributors, and will be attending DenimandJeans show in India, May 15 and 16.
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