The Principles of Textile Finishing

Abstract

The historical relationship between the science and the technique of textile finishing is illustrated herein by a description of the principles of indigo dyeing. This ingenious technique was developed thousands of years ago, but it has been understood only recently. The rapid progress of polymer and colloid science has reversed the situation and enabled the theory of finishing to take the lead. A need has arisen for a new systematics of finishing. The topical and the energic characterizations have been suggested for this purpose—the first is based on consideration of the site of the finish in the textile (interyarn-intrayarn, interfiber-intrafiber) ; the second on consideration of the forces acting between finish and fiber. The significance of the spatial and energic factors is discussed in relation to some finishing processes.