Method for enzymatic treatment of wool

US6258129A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Novozymes A/S · DK

Inventors

• Lone Dybdal · Vejle, DK
• Elisabeth Heine · Aachen, DE
• Hartwig Hocker · Eckersdorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 6, 1997
• Grant date: Jul 10, 2001
• Expiry date: Jun 6, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC D): Textiles; Paper
• CPC primary: D06M2200/50
• WIPO field: Textile and paper machines
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods of producing wool or animal hair material with improved properties such as shrink-proofed (anti-felting tendency), increased whiteness, improved dyeability, increased softness and/or reduced pilling tendency, the method comprising the steps of treating wool, wool fibers or animal hair material in a process selected from the group consisting of plasma treatment processes and the Delhey process, and subjecting the wool or animal hair material to a treatment with a proteolytic enzyme (a protease), preferably a serine protease, more preferably a subtilisin, in an amount effective for improving the properties.