Objective The market value of wool is limited by the fact that consumers place increasingly high demands on machine wash ability and soft handle. Felting, which is a typical property of wool due to the configuration of the scales of the wool fibre, is a serious problem, especially during washing. Chlorination, followed by polymer deposition, is commonly used to confer shrink-resistance, but this involves major drawbacks with respect to chlorine and the environment. The main aspect of this proposal is to develop a novel enzymatic process for producing machine washable wool by limiting the enzymatic degradation of wool fibres to their cuticle scales. The novel engineered enzymes will be developed to achieve this goal. The radically new bioprocessing regimes for wool scouring and finishing processes, and commercial products will be developed. This would be a major technological breakthrough to completely replace a hazardous chemical preparation and finishing route. Fields of science natural scienceschemical sciencespolymer sciencesengineering and technologymaterials engineeringtextilesnatural scienceschemical sciencesinorganic chemistryhalogensnatural sciencesbiological sciencesbiochemistrybiomoleculesproteinsenzymes Programme(s) FP5-GROWTH - Programme for research technological development and demonstration on "Competitive and sustainable growth 1998-2002" Topic(s) 1.1.3.-1. - Key Action Innovative Products, Processes and Organisation Call for proposal Data not available Funding Scheme CSC - Cost-sharing contracts Coordinator DE MONTFORT UNIVERSITY EU contribution No data Address The Gateway LE1 9BH Leicester United Kingdom See on map Total cost No data Participants (7) Sort alphabetically Sort by EU Contribution Expand all Collapse all ALPHACHEM SPECIALITIES LTD United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Units B&C, Springvale Business Park, Water Lane BB3 2EB DARWEN See on map Total cost No data GRAZ UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY Austria EU contribution No data Address Petersgasse 12 8010 GRAZ See on map Total cost No data JAMES WEEKER SINCE 1927 Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Mercuriusplein 1 5971 LW GRUBBENVORST See on map Total cost No data JOHN GLADSTONE (DYERS AND FINISHERS) LIMITED United Kingdom EU contribution No data Address Union Mills, George Street HD3 4JD HUDDERSFIELD See on map Total cost No data NETHERLANDS ORGANISATION FOR APPLIED SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH - TNO Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Parkweg 1 7500AH ENSCHEDE See on map Total cost No data OVIS TEXLA Netherlands EU contribution No data Address Weverstraat, 38 1791AE DEN BURG See on map Total cost No data UNIVERSIDADE DO MINHO Portugal EU contribution No data Address Campus Azurem 4800-058 GUIMARAES See on map Total cost No data