Jeanologia calls for PP spray ban
Technology provider Jeanologia has called for a ban on potassium permanganate spray, warning about its impact on worker health, operational safety and the environment.
PP has been included in ZDHC Chemical Watchlist Version 1.0, a list of 1,700 chemicals that “might pose a risk to human health”, as reported by Inside Denim last Tuesday.
The inclusion on the list confirms an industry shift that Jeanologia anticipated more than a decade ago, it said.
PP spray is commonly used to create localized vintage effects in denim, but it exposes operators to chemical micro-particles and presents occupational risks. Despite growing awareness and available alternatives, this practice continues to be used in parts of the industry. According to Jeanologia, millions of workers globally are still affected by this process.
This is reinforced by Jeanologia’s Environmental Impact Measuring (EIM) platform. In its Innovations and Challenges in Denim Finishing 2024 Report, EIM identifies potassium permanganate as one of the remaining high-risk processes in garment finishing and highlights the need for safer technologies, reinforcing laser-based solutions as a low-impact alternative.
Jeanologia’s global marketing director Carmen Silla said: “PP spray belongs to the past. This is not about compliance; it’s about protecting people and transforming the way denim is made. The tools to eliminate PP already exist and are fully scalable. What the industry needs now is courage to move forward. It’s time to ban PP spray and embrace a cleaner, safer future for denim.”
ZDHC stressed the Chemical Watchlist is not the ZDHC Manufacturing Restricted Substances List (MRSL). It does not introduce new restrictions, does not mandate testing and does not create compliance obligations. It is an informational and reporting-focused instrument.
