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Biofinishing of Cotton Fabrics with Cellulases
Start date:1995-12-01
End date:1998-11-30
Project Acronym:
Project status:Completed
Coordinator
| Organization name:CENTRO TECNOLOGICO DAS INDUSTRIAS TEXTILE E DO VESTUARIO DE PORTUGAL | |
| Administrative contact | Address |
|
Name:Luis Manuel |
P.O. BOX 263 2785,Quinta da Maia - Rua Fernanco Mesquita, 2785 4760-034 VILA NOVA DE FAMALICAO PORTUGAL Region:CONTINENTE NORTE Cávado |
| Tel:+351-52300300 | |
| Fax:+351-5276748 | |
| E-mail: | |
| URL: | Organization Type:Research |
Description
Objective:
Achievements:
General information:
Objectives and content
The finishing of cotton textiles using cellulolytic enzymes provides environmentally acceptable routes to achieving certain fashionable and desirable effects such as the stone-washed appearance of denims and the defuzzing and softening of other cotton fabrics. The cellulases that are currently used, however, are crude mixtures which tend to cause unacceptable levels of fabric strength loss. Furthermore the processing methods being applied are difficult to control. The results are not sufficiently predictable and reproducible for quality conscious customers.
Advances in biotechnology have permitted isolation of the individual enzyme components and the development of recombinant DNA techniques has made it possible to manipulate the genes of cellulase secreting fungi. Using these techniques new strains can be developed enabling industrial production of novel cellulase compositions. These may provide the opportunity for achieving radically new cellulase finishing effects, as well as improving the existing ones.
The objectives of this project are therefore:
- To elucidate the mechanisms of cellulolytic hydrolysis of cotton textiles in sufficient detail to enable the development and production of new, tailor-made cellulase compositions which will deliver specific finishing effects on specific fabric constructions.
- To use cellulase compositions from i) to achieve currently applied cellulase finishing effects (such as the ageing of denims and the de-fuzzing of cotton garments) with a greater degree of control and reproducibility, and with a significant reduction in fabric strength loss.
- To develop new processing methodology suited to achieving cellulase finishing effects on a wider range of cotton fabric constructions and using a wider variety of textile processing machinery.
- To develop a cellulase based finishing process which achieves significant improvements in the dimensional stability of knitted cotton fabrics. - To improve the objective measurement methodologies required for monitoring the effects of cellulolytic treatments on cotton textiles.
In order to achieve these objectives the consortium combines the expertise of an enzyme producer (PRIMALCO), a biotechnology research institute (VTT), a textile research institute (CITEVE), a company specialising in the development and marketing of textile chemicals and processes (PPT) and a textile finisher (TAS).
PRIMALCO and VTT will produce and isolate individual cellulase components. VTT and CITEVE will investigate mechanisms of cellulolytic hydrolysis of cotton on the micro, small and medium scale. PPT and TAS will develop textile processing methodology on semi-scale and full-sized machinery.
Project Details
Start date:1995-12-01
End date:1998-11-30
Duration:36 months
Project Reference:BRPR950009
Project cost:
Project Funding:
Programme Acronym:
FP4-BRITE/EURAM 3
Programme type:Fourth Framework Programme
Subprogramme Area:Materials engineering
Contract type:Cost-sharing contracts
URL:
Subject index:Industrial Manufacture, Materials Technology
Results for this Project
| Biofinishing of Cotton Fabrics with Cellulases | 09/07/2001 |
Other participants
| Organization name:TECHNICAL RESEARCH CENTRE OF FINLAND | |
| Administrative contact | Address |
|
Name:Johanna |
BIOTECHNOLOGY P.O. Box 1606 Tietotie 2 02044 ESPOO SUOMI/FINLAND Region:MANNER-SUOMI UUSIMAA |
| Tel:+358-04565146 | |
| Fax:+358-04552028 | |
| E-mail: | |
| URL: | Organization Type:Research,Other |
| Organization name:CV Apparel Ltd. (Trading as Precision Processes Textiles) | |
| Administrative contact | Address |
|
Name:John |
Chemicals Division Research and Technology PO Box 31 Ambergate DE56 2EY Belper UNITED KINGDOM Region:EAST MIDLANDS DERBYSHIRE, NOTTINGHAMSHIRE Derbyshire |
| Tel:+44-1773852391 | |
| Fax:+44-1773857263 | |
| E-mail: | |
| URL: | Organization Type:Industry |
| Organization name:Primalco Ltd. | |
| Administrative contact | Address |
|
Name:Arja |
Valta-Akseli 05200 Rajamäki SUOMI/FINLAND Region:MANNER-SUOMI Uusimaa (maakunta) |
| Tel:+358-01333212 | |
| Fax:+358-01333346 | |
| E-mail: | |
| URL: | Organization Type:Industry |
| Organization name:TEXTIL ALBERTO DE SOUSA SA | |
| Administrative contact | Address |
|
Name:Francisco |
PO Box 233 Lugar da Bouca 4801 GUIMARAES PORTUGAL Region:CONTINENTE NORTE Cávado |
| Tel:+351-53574040 | |
| Fax:+351-53575151 | |
| E-mail: | |
| URL: | Organization Type:Other |
Record control number:30934
