TODAY’S PATENT – TREATMENT OF FABRICS

Today’s process was invented by Henrik Lund, Thomas Erik Nilsson and Tom Pickard which is assigned to Novozymes AS. The invention was patented by USPTO on 20^th June, 2000 bearing patent No. US6077316A.

The invention relates to a process for treating fabrics. The process comprises of treating the fabrics at high temperatures in the presence of thermostable lipolytic enzyme.

This treatment is required as yarns are coated with sized starch in order to increase their tensile strength and prevent breaking before it is weaved. Desizing is the act of removing size from textiles. The process improves the finishing quality, including softness, color distribution/uniformity, stone-wash quality, etc., and which reduces the need for after-painting of the finished clothes.

The invention provides a process for enzymatic removal of hydrophobic esters from fabrics, which process comprises treating the fabric with an effective amount of a thermostable lipolytic enzyme at an elevated temperature, i.e. a temperature that exceeds the melting point of the lubricant applied to the fabric.