Definition
Size is a mostly starch-based substance applied as a protective film to warp yarns in weaving. It protects the yarns from mechanical stress and makes them significantly stronger and more resistant. The removal of size is called desizing. After desizing, the woven fabric is more permeable to dyes.
Use in the textile industry
Desizing is a mandatory preparatory step in textile finishing and is carried out before woven fabrics are dyed, bleached, or treated with finishing agents. Commonly used methods include enzymatic desizing with amylases and oxidative desizing; the choice of method depends on the type of size used and the requirements of subsequent processes. Incomplete desizing results in uneven dye uptake and quality defects in the finished textile.
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