The final chemical treatments of the fabric which are carried out to impart special characteristics e.g. softening, stiffening, crease resisting, flame retarding, soil release effect etc. is known as textile finishing. The aim of the finishing is to improve the outward appearance and the quality of the fabric, and impart its specific properties.
Cycle of Finishing Process
The whole cycle of finishing consists of mechanical and chemical processes, which are used depending on the kinds and end uses of the fabric. Mechanical processes include drying, calendaring, schreinering, embossing, sueding, raisingetc and chemical processes include in the application of special substances on the fabric, impregnation with size, starch, dextrin and other polymeric substances. Plain fabrics (bleached, dyed and printed) are subjected to finishing and other kinds of treatment. For instance white printed fabrics with a white ground are passed through a padder containing a solution of optical whitening agents for imparting glassy effect to the fabrics to be printed.
Mechanical treatments
- Drying
- Steaming
- Tentering
- Sanforizing
- Raising
- Calendaring/Schereinering/Embossing
- Perforating and slitting
- Shearing
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Chemical Treatments
Temporary chemical treatments:
- Hardening
- Softening with non-fabric reactive finishes
Permanent chemical treatments:
- Anti-crease finish
- Anti stats
- Antimicrobials
- Lubricants
- UV absorbers add polymer stabilizers
- Thermoplastic binders, resins and emulsion polymers
- Thermosetting resins and crosslinking agents
- Softening with reactive polymer
- Durable flame retarding
- Durable water repelling etc.