01-08-2025
AGI Denim's New Concept Delivers Superior Chip-off Effects
Making denim is often referred to as an art but achieving the perfect fade is a science.
Artistic Garment Industries (AGI Denim) uses both approaches in a new concept called Ceramic Blue. The shade uses Chip-off Technology, AGI's new proprietary yarn dyeing process that 'pushes denim fading to its most expressive limits' and introduces a sharper contrast between highs and lows in abrasion.
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The contrast is akin to chip-off character, a term widely used in the denim industry to describe how indigo dye wears away from the raised parts of a garment, such as seams, yarn slubs and puckered zones, where friction is most concentrated, according to Henry Wong, VP product development and marketing at AGI Denim.
'These high-contact areas fade faster, revealing lighter tones beneath the surface. The result is a strong visual contrast between worn peaks and protected valleys that gives denim its distinctive character,' he added.
AGI mimics this fading effect by leaning into indigo's qualities as a fugitive dye; specifically, how top regions of jeans tend to fade faster with wear than lower areas. Chip-off amplifies this behavior by design, resulting in directional fading with greater depth and clarity, the mill stated.
One of the key breakthroughs in Ceramic Blue is the prominence of its ring dye effect, Wong noted. The contrast between the dyed surface and white cotton core is clearly visible. Even with a lighter indigo base, AGI said Ceramic Blue delivers a rich, vintage-style contrast usually reserved for darker shades and it achieves this using less dye and fewer resources.
AGI is in the process of verifying data to support specific impact claims. That said, Wong pointed out that repeated wash testing of Ceramic Blue has already shown significantly improved chip-off behavior compared to conventional dyeing. 'This opens up promising opportunities to start with less dye and potentially reduce abrasion time during wet processing, all while achieving the desired vintage effect,' he said.
The Ceramic Blue shade is available across a focused range of core non-stretch and comfort stretch fabrics. Wong said these constructions were chosen based on a scan of key fits and silhouettes in the market, particularly in volume-driven programs where dry process and authentic abrasion effects are essential to the design.
'We've prioritized bases that support strong highs and lows during washing, with enough versatility to work across classic five-pocket fits, looser straight legs, and relaxed modern shapes,' he said. 'The fiber content spans 100 percent cotton and cotton-rich blends with minimal stretch for that true vintage hand and recovery. Fabric weights range from 11 to 13 oz., keeping the structure substantial enough for visible chip-off character and still comfortable enough for denim lovers to keep breaking them in daily as their favorite pair of jeans.'
Wong added that the fabrics work well with most industrial finishing techniques and are especially well-suited for stone-free enzyme washes and laser marking technologies.
AGI Denim will present Ceramic Blue at Kingpins New York July 23-24.
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