Jeanologia Urges Industry to Phase Out PP Spray Following ZDHC Foundation Watchlist Update

Following the inclusion of potassium permanganate on the Chemical Watchlist of the ZDHC Foundation, Jeanologia has urged the denim industry to accelerate the phase-out of PP spray in garment finishing. The company said the update confirms long-standing concerns about the chemical’s risks to worker safety and the environment.

Jeanologia has previously called for the elimination of PP spray due to its effects on worker health, operational safety and environmental impact. The company noted that, despite awareness and the availability of alternatives, PP spray remains in use in parts of the sector, exposing operators to chemical micro-particles and creating occupational risks. According to Jeanologia, millions of workers worldwide are still affected by this process.

In 2015, Jeanologia introduced a scalable industrial alternative using laser-based finishing to replace PP spray. The company currently applies its laser technology with the Light Bright tool in combination with G2 Ozone technology to achieve vintage denim effects without chemical spraying. The system provides digital process control, improved working conditions and consistent industrial performance.

Jeanologia’s Environmental Impact Measuring (EIM) platform supports this transition. In its Innovations and Challenges in Denim Finishing 2024 Report, EIM identified potassium permanganate as one of the remaining high-risk processes in garment finishing and highlighted the need for safer technologies, citing laser-based methods as a low-impact option.

“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,” said Carmen Silla, Global Marketing Director at Jeanologia.

Over the past decade, Jeanologia has replaced several hazardous denim finishing practices with alternative technologies, including the elimination of sandblasting and the development of substitutes for stone washing, manual scraping and PP spray. The company stated that its laser and G2 Ozone technologies are now implemented globally, enabling brands to obtain comparable aesthetic results while reducing chemical use, improving worker safety and lowering water consumption.

As transparency requirements, ESG reporting frameworks and chemical management standards continue to develop, Jeanologia said early adoption of safer technologies is becoming a competitive factor. The company has called on brands, laundries and manufacturers to accelerate the shift toward chemical-free finishing processes, stating that the required technology is already available at industrial scale.