This report, by the Swedish Fair Trade Centre in cooperation with the Clean Clothes Campaign, offers a report on sandblasted denim.

Treating denim to make the fabric look worn or faded is common within the clothing industry. Different methods can be used to create the desired finish­ ng effect.

One such method is sandblasting, which can be extremely damaging to workers’ health if performed without suitable protective equipment. The large amounts of silica dust generated during the process can cause silicosis, a potentially lethal pulmonary disease, as workers inhale of tiny particles of silica.

In 2009, Turkey prohibited manual sandblasting with silica, something that resulted in a major decline of the practice throughout the country. Until that time, manual sandblast­ing had been commonplace, especially within the informal sector. Sandblasting has often been performed by migrant workers during long work shifts, in cramped, unhygienic treatment rooms without ventilation or safety equipment. In some cases workers even slept on site.

You can read and print the document online from googledocs or view a preview of it below.