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Folded jeans in a stack

Enabling full potential of laser denim finishing

5 Aug 2025

A conversation with Carmen Silla, marketing director at Spain-based machinery manufacturer Jeanologia, about revolutionary laser denim finishing technologies, a new showcase at Kingpins Amsterdam, and enabling further scaling and adoption of laser tech.

Reading time: 5 minutes

Laser technologies have revolutionised denim finishing by fundamentally transforming traditional dry processes, says Silla. “Before laser,” she says, “the industry heavily relied on manual labour and harmful techniques such as sandblasting (now prohibited), manual sanding and potassium permanganate spraying, all damaging to workers’ health and the environment. Our laser technology eliminates these hazardous methods, making sustainable, safe and ethical denim production possible.”

In recent years, what started as a disruptive alternative to hazardous material techniques has evolved, somewhat, into a global standard. Their benefits are clear: not only can lasers replicate a wide variety of effects, or eliminate harmful practices, but they reduce environmental impact.

Laser technologies also allow brands to digitalise and control the finishing process, which Silla says allows “for faster lead times, design accuracy and scalability across different production volumes”. This appeals to mass-market retailers and luxury brands alike, she says, who seek both efficiency and uniqueness.

“And there’s a clear demand [from consumers] for jeans that not only look great but are produced responsibly,” says Silla, “without harmful chemicals or unsafe working conditions. They expect brands to be transparent, ethical and environmentally responsible without sacrificing style. This shift in consumer mindset is a key driver behind the growing adoption of laser technology.”

Jeans jacket and pants
Jeanologia showcased its laser technologies at Kingpins Amsterdam in April 2025

Elevating denim into a new creative territory

Most recently, Jeanologia showcased its laser technologies at Kingpins Amsterdam in April 2025. This concept exhibition, titled ‘One Technology, All Possibilities’, focused on laser “not only as an in industrial efficiency solution but as a powerful tool for creative expression”, says Silla.

At the Jeanologia exhibit, a capsule collection focused on three distinct concepts. The first, Pure Vintage, replicated authentic vintage looks, capturing the natural wear and aging effects historically achieved by damaging techniques, but now produced sustainably and safely. The second, Creative Possibilities, showcased the “unlimited artistic potential of laser”, enabling designs that include complex imagery, intricate textures, detailed graphics and hyper-realistic visual effects achieved digitally “and transferred onto denim in seconds”. The last, titled Denim Métiers, “bridged industrial scalability with haute couture sophistication”, demonstrating how laser technology elevates denim into a refined, conceptual and fashion-forward medium suitable for all types of brands, from mass-market to luxury labels, explains Silla.

These effects are “powered by the company’s advanced laser systems, supported by extensive research in photonics, robotics, software development and textile innovation”. Designers create digital files with their desired visuals, and Jeanologia’s laser systems transfer these digital designs onto garments, which Silla says “offers unmatched accuracy, speed and consistency, making sustainability scalable and creativity limitless”.

According to Silla, the collection elevates denim into a new creative territory, “bridging the technical and the artistic, the industrial and the emotional”. Silla tells: “These are not just garments. They are conceptual pieces that explore denim as an expressive medium. They reflect how laser can break both technical and aesthetic boundaries, redefining what’s possible with one single technology.”

Jeanologia’s marketing director explains that luxury brands like Chanel and Balenciaga have already adopted Jeanologia laser to explore new creative possibilities, while global retailers use it to ensure scalable, consistent and sustainable production. “Laser today is not defined by market segment,” says Silla. “It’s defined by its power to transform how denim is imagined, designed and produced.”

The capsule collection
Jeanologia says the capsule collection focused on three distinct concepts: Pure Vintage, Creative Possibilities and Denim Métiers

Scaling laser even further

Jeanologia claims more than 70% of denim manufacturers have adopted its laser technologies within their finishing processes. “This is a strong indicator of how far the industry has evolved,” says Silla, “However, many still combine laser with traditional techniques such as manual scraping or chemical spraying, often due to legacy processes or specific stylistic choices. We are actively working to eliminate these outdated methods completely. Our goal is to fully replace harmful techniques and ensure the finishing process is aligned with the fabric from the very beginning, connecting the fabric selection with the desired final effect through a smarter, more integrated workflow. We believe that only by closing this gap can the industry truly achieve clean, consistent and scalable production that respects both people and the planet.”

To increase adoption rates – and encourage the culling of harmful techniques – the company is working closely with brands and their suppliers to drive a full transition toward laser-based finishing. Silla explains: “Our approach combines technological innovation with awareness and education, helping industry players understand the environmental, social and economic value of eliminating traditional, harmful techniques.”

“We continuously improve our laser systems, focusing on quality, speed, productivity and automation to meet the real needs of industrial production. By making our technology more intuitive, adaptable, and efficient, we empower manufacturers to make the switch with confidence and achieve consistent results at scale.”

Sales room with goods
Jeanologia says laser technologies offer limitless creativity

Additionally, and importantly, the Denim Métiers collection sees the company reaffirm its laser technologies are a creative tool, not just an industrial solution, says Jeanologia press material. The company’s laser technologies are “used across the entire denim industry, from affordable retail and premium and luxury fashion”, says Silla, and can deliver “both industrial efficiency and high-fashion sophistication, making it relevant for any brand, regardless of its positioning”. This mindset, then – the idea that laser technologies have applications beyond the factory floor in high fashion such as haute couture – will be essential to scaling these technologies even further, says Silla.

“Shifting the perception of laser from a from a purely industrial tool to a creative enabler is key to unlocking its full potential. At Jeanologia, we’ve always believed that laser is not just about efficiency or automation – it’s about expression, storytelling and design freedom. When designers and brands see laser as a creative instrument, they begin to integrate it from the earliest stages of the design process, not just as a finishing method. This leads to more intentional and innovative garments, and ultimately, greater industry-wide adoption.”

“Laser becomes part of the creative DNA and that’s what will continue driving its growth.”

Silla says this mindset is already taking shape: “More and more brands are discovering the emotional and artistic possibilities of Jeanologia laser from hyper-realistic vintage effects to unique textures and rich visual narratives and realising it allows them to create collections that are not only sustainable, but also visually original and culturally meaningful.”

Author: Otis Robinson, WTiN

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