Versace bans sandblasting jeans to protect workers’ health

The Italian fashion house is the latest brand to join the campaign against the practice of sandblasting. 

The ‘pre-worn’ jeans look may be fashionable, but designers say they aren’t worth making at the cost of a life.

Versace are the latest fashion brand to join the campaign against the process of sandblasting denim – a technique that gives jeans that faded look - in order to protect the health of factory workers.

[See also: The hot colour of denim this summer]

Using the social action platform change.org, Versace were pressured by The Clean Clothes Campaign (The CCC) – a coalition of non-governmental organisations and trade unions aimed at improving work conditions in the textile industry – to stop the controversial technique with the support of thousands of other protesters around the world.

To give denim jeans the demolished design, sand is blasted at a high pressure, producing silica dust, which, when inhaled, can cause respiratory problems, swollen lungs, and sometimes even death.

A spokesperson for The CCC said: “After many months of silence, Versace now say they agree that the sandblasting operators who make the finishings on the jeans run unacceptable health risks. Previously they had refused to join the call.”

In a letter to Change.org Versace's Tomaso Galli said: “Following recent CCC comments on Versace's practices, the company decided to study the issue in depth again and concluded, in agreement with CCC, that it is appropriate to take a proactive stance, and stand against the practice of sandblasting.”

Leading brands including Benetton, Burberry, Gucci, Levi-Strauss, Pepe Jeans and Replay have already joined the campaign; high street retailers Next, Primark and H&M have also taken a stance against sandblasting and are encouraging other producers to do the same.

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