Surface Whitened, Shrink Resistant Wool Cloth of Improved Lightfastness

Abstract

An aqueous treatment has been developed for fully bleached woven wool cloth that combines surface whitening with resistance to shrinkage during washing. It is based on the surface application of a low temperature curing acrylic latex containing a flu orescent whitening agent. The copolymer of the latex contains groups capable of cross- . linking or of reacting with the wool protein. Surface whitening is achieved when the latex is applied by either padding or an exhaust process, but the latex is more effective in conferring shrink resistance when applied by padding.