Bio-Scouring Enzymes

Before cotton yarn or fabric can be dyed, it goes through a number of processes in a textile mill. One important step is scouring - the complete or partial removal of the non-cellulosic components of native cotton such as waxes, pectins, hemicelluloses and mineral salts as well as impurities such as machinery and size lubricants. Scouring gives a fabric with a high and even wettability that can be bleached and dyed successfully. Today, highly alkaline chemicals such as sodium hydroxide are used for scouring. These chemicals not only remove the impurities but also attack the cellulose, leading to a reduction in strength and loss of weight of the fabric. Furthermore, the resulting wastewater has a high COD (chemical oxygen demand), BOD (biological oxygen demand) and salt content.

In 2004, AETL introduced Addscour that reduces environmental impact and, in most cases, works out more economical to use. Unlike other commercial bioscouring enzymes available based on alkaline pectinase, Addscour is effective for batch and continous process and can be used for scouring of knit and woven fabrics and garments. The effectivity comes because of right enzymes blended in Addscour over years of research. The new process is called Bio-Preparation. It has been welcomed because rinsing water can be reduced by more than half compared with traditional processes. This is especially advantageous since hot rinsing water is used, meaning that considerable amounts of energy can be saved. Quality improves too. The enzymatic treatment leaves the cellulose structure almost intact, so it reduces weight loss and strength loss. Bio-Scouring has a number of potential advantages over traditionally prepared textiles. It reduces total water consumption by around 25%, the treated yarn/fabrics retain their strength properties, and the weight loss is much less than for processing in traditional ways. Bio-Scouring also gives softer cotton textiles.