What does Sandblast mean?

A laundry process in which denim jeans are literally shot with guns of sand in order to achieve a worn look.  While originally done only by hand, this processing has recently become automated. Chemicals are also now used in many laundries replacing sand.

Heddels explains Sandblast

Recently, concerns have arisen about the safety of sandblasting. In December 2010, Levi’s and H&M stopped sandblasting due to the threat posed to workers of inhaling silica dust into their lungs. Many other companies have since followed suit.

Additional Resources

Sandblasting process: