The Art of Stone Washing
Blood+Bone creative artistry has always been inspired by Bali and the beauty in its nature, culture, and people. Therefore, our designer handpicks every detail to reflect the island’s charm and vintage atmosphere in our local fashion products. To achieve such feats, we work with local garment manufacturers in applying particular garment wash techniques.
One of Blood+Bone signature garment wash techniques is called Stone Wash. It is the one responsible for our local fashion products’ vintage looks and dramatic flairs. Besides, stone washing also carries a story from Bali’s exotic nature into our clothes.
Stone Wash Process
Stone Wash is a textile manufacturing process to give a new cloth a worn-in appearance with enhanced softness and flexibility. The process requires specific, large stones and special chemicals to roughen up the fabrics. While getting immersed completely in the water, the stones and the chemicals are in good contact to pound and grind the fabrics. After some time, the fabrics will achieve washed effects that look as if they have faded or been damaged.
The stone washing effect might make some clothes have minuscule holes due to the contact with the stone and the special chemicals. However, this process also helps to increase the stretchability and softness of thicker fabrics. The more rigid the fabric, the better the outcome of the washing technique.
Stone Wash & The Stories of Bali
In Blood+Bone, we always find a way to preserve stories from Bali into our local fashion products. The Stone Wash process brings out the old tales that remind us of the island’s community and natural force — in this case, surfers and volcanoes. For that reason, we make Stone Wash one of our signature washes.
The Stone Wash technique first gained popularity among the ranks of surfers in the 1960s. California surfers invented the technique to create an authentic lived-in appearance that would soon become their identity. The bleached-by-salt-water look eventually traveled across the globe as surfers started exploring the most exotic beaches in the world before they stumble across Bali.
Normally, stone washing is done using pumice stones or other volcanic rocks with highly rough textures. Those types of stones are abundantly available across Bali as byproducts of volcanic eruptions from the bygone era. They become a reminder of how critical volcanoes — including the sacred Mount Agung, the island’s most active volcano — is to life in Bali ecologically and culturally.
Those stories from this side of paradise inspire Blood+Bone to make stone washing a signature technique for our fashion products.
Featured Products
T.S.O.P. Tee. Our regular fit short-sleeved tee is made of cotton in a vintage soft wash to achieve a mild worn-out appearance. The light faded effect perfectly blends in with its black or lilac color.
Zulu Top. This cut-n-sew crop top from our women collection is made of rayon fabrication processed in a vintage wash. A normal stone-wash process with special chemicals produces solid black acid and lilac acid colors.
Lullaby Dress. Our loose silhouette dress is made of a rayon fabrication in a heavy vintage wash. A longer and stronger technique is used to achieve its heavily faded appearance that looks even more stunning in peach color.
