Textiles

Textile Enzymes

Textile processing has benefited from the application of enzymes to markedly reduce environmental impact and improve product quality. The principal enzymes applied in the Textile industry are Hydrolases and Oxidoreductases. The group of Hydrolases includes Amylases, Cellulases and Pectinases. Amylases are used to remove starch-based sizes from fabrics after weaving. Cellulases have been employed to enzymatically remove fibrils and fuzz fibres, and are also used in the cotton textile industry. Esterases are also used in partial hydrolysis of synthetic fibre surfaces to improve hydrophilicity and aid further finishing steps. Catalases are also used to remove hydrogen peroxide after bleaching, which results in huge savings in water consumption.

Application of Enzymes leads to :

​

• Enhanced fabric quality

• Improved pill resistance

• Brighter luminosity of colours

• Removes pectins

• Removes wax

• Protein hydrolysis

• Starch decomposition

• Improved weaving characteristics

• Decreases yarn breakage