Wool without

compromises
Enzymes stop felting
of wool

Properties of wool

Wool has been a precious raw material for people for a long time. Yarns
have been spun out of wool fibres for several millenniums. As the
range of available fibres was limited in the past, wool used to be a very
valuable commodity.
Today we are able to select between a huge variety of fibres with varying properties, but nevertheless, the percentage of wool in fibre
production all over the world averaged out 2% in 2005. This corresponds
to around 1.2 million tons of wool every year of which about 75% is used in
the clothing industry.
The continuing use of wool in spite of the competition with other
natural fibres and new synthetic fibres for suits, coats and pullovers can
be attributed to the unique properties of wool:
- thermal regulative due to high amounts of air embedded in the fibre
- high absorption of moisture
- low tendency to creasing
- low flammability
However, wool has not just got properties which offer high wearing comfort. A big disadvantage, which emerges during washing, is the felting tendency.

Knitwear made of unfinished wool prior to and after washing

Why does wool

felt?

Under the influence of warm, alkaline water, the scales surrounding the
wool fibres rise. If the wool fibres are additionally moved, the fibres wedge
with each other more and more since they can only glide in one direction
due to the scales. The fabric shrinks and gets tighter.
easy movement
heavy movement
rough

towards the
end

towards
the root
smooth

easy movement
heavy movement

Methods for Antifelt

Finishing

To prevent felting of wool and to make wool washable in normal household

washing machines, several methods have been developed:
- softening/removing of scales by chemical modifications (oxidation)
- covering of scales by application of a resin
- combination of oxidation and enzymes
- plasma treatment
- combination of removal and covering
(so called Chlor-Hercosett-process)
- Petry-Lanazym-process
In contrast to the less effective single treatments, the combination of
oxidation and enzyme as well as the technically demanding plasma
treatment, the Chlor-Hercosett-process has a very good cost-value
ratio.
However, if the antifelt properties are sufficient for a washing with a wool
wash programme at 40C , the Petry-Lanazym-process is an interesting,
ecological alternative for Chlor-Hercosett-process.

Chlor-Hercosettprocess

In this process, the first step is to remove the scales of the wool fibres surface using a strongly acid chlorine and subsequent sulphite treatment. In
the second step, a polymer resin is applied. Both processes lead to a strong
smoothening of the fibre surface in which the fibres are able to glide off
each other and the felting tendency is strongly decreased.

REM photo of an untreated wool fibre

REM photo of a chlorinated wool fibre

Due to its various advantages, the Chlor-Hercosett-treatment is the most

frequently used process in industry today:
- excellent antifelt effects and super-wash achievable
- low damaging of wool and little loss of weight
- improved dyeability
- improved pilling behaviour
Nevertheless, there are also some disadvantages to the Chlor-Hercosettprocess:
Textile aspects
- loss of natural wool character
- synthetic handle
- yellowing of wool
Ecological aspects
- AOX pollution of waste water
- biodegradability of fabric is affected
With the Chlor-Hercosett-process, a very good antifelt effect can be achieved. On the other hand, significant environmental influences are also
involved.

Petry-Lanazym-process

With the single-step Petry-Lanazym-process, the scales of the wool are

partially degraded as in Chlor-Hercosett-process. The result is a
smoother surface structure which facilitates the sliding of wool fibres in
both directions and decreases felting tendency that way.

REM photo of a wool fibre after Petry-Lanazym-process

The Petry-Lanazym-finishing offers the following advantages:

Textile aspects
- wool can be washed with wool washing programme up to 40C
- maintaining of natural wool character
- low yellowing
- increased dyeability (similar to Chlor-Hercosett-process)
- improved pilling behaviour
Ecological aspects
- no chlorine
- no heavy chemistry
- no problems with disposal of fabrics
- compatible with Oeko-Tex and GOTS guidelines
Of course, there are limits to the Lanazym treatment as far as the antifelt effects are concerned. This can especially be seen in the case of high
stressing of the fabric. In comparison to wool treated by Chlor-Hercosettprocess, the shrinkage of enzymatically treated wool is distinctly higher
when it is washed under strong mechanical stress (for example DIN EN
26330-5A). However, if the fabric is washed with a wool washing programme as customers usually do the shrinkage of chlorinated wool and wool
treated in the eco-friendly Lanazym-process is comparable.
The Petry-Lanazym-treatment can be processed in normal finishing machines and has already been used for antifelt finishing of wool yarns in
discontinuous processes since 1998.
If you are interested in further information or concrete product proposals
for our Petry-Lanazym-process, just let us know.

The above indications are based on the latest state of our knowledge. Due to different operational conditions and requirements these are guidelines only. A legally binding
assurance cannot be drawn from our indications. Our technical staff will always be at your disposal to support you in testing our auxiliaries and to answer further technical
questions.
05/2008

Textilchemie Dr. Petry GmbH

Ferdinand-Lassalle-Strae 57
72770 Reutlingen
Germany
Telefon +49 7121 9589-0
Telefax +49 7121 9589-33
E-Mail office@drpetry.de
Internet www.drpetry.de