Anticrease Finishing

–Easy-Care –Durable press

–Minimum care –Easy to iron
–No-iron –Wash and wear
–Crease resistant –Permanent press
–Shrink proof –Wrinkle resistant
–Wrinkle free
The most technically correct description would be
“Cellulosic anti-swelling” or “Cellulosic cross
linking“ finishes.
 Easy care finishes are expected to impart
the following desirable properties to the
fabric :

• Minimum wrinkling when dry or wet

• Fast drying
• No ironing necessary
• Good soil-repellency and easy removal of soil by
washing
• Full retention of all creases and pleats
• Good retention of dimensions and shape
• Wearer comfort in different climates
• Adequate resistance to wear and tear.
Cotton is mainly selected for apparel purposes because of
their durability, ability to withstand the rough laundering
treatment especially under alkaline conditions, good
perspiration absorption characteristics, comfort during wear
and ability to take up a wide range of dye stuffs.

But the main limitation with the cotton fabric is crease

formation during washing, laundering and in use.

As formation of crease is an undesirable property for apparel,

the material has to be made either crease resistant or crease
recoverable.
The object of resin finish is to keep the fabric
flat and smooth and free from undesirable
creases. So the finish is referred as

“Anti crease or Anti crush or Crease

Resistant or Crease Recovery finish or Resin
finish since resins are used for this finish”.
Resin finishing was originally developed in the mid1920s to
improve the crease recovery problems associated with
cellulosic materials and to give them a recovery similar to
that of wool.

It was found that urea and formaldehyde would react with

the hydroxyl groups in cellulose to form a bond which gave
the product both good recovery from creasing and
improved dimensional stability.

Usually Cotton, Linen, Viscose and

Cuprammonium rayon are finished with resin.
Resins
are the chemical group applied as wet finishes and
used in many of the finishes.

For example, they are the principal chemical ingredients in

many crease-resistant, wash and wear and also for durable
press finishes and are used primarily on cellulosic and
cellulosic-blend fabrics.

Definition Of Resin
Synthetic resins are complex organic products of high
molecular weight. Resin results when a number of simple
molecular of low molecular weight become jointed together
and to end to form much longer molecules which may be
linear or linear molecules cross-linked.
There are several types of resins, but most
belong to the urea formaldehyde or related
groups of organic compounds.

These formaldehyde components have been

suspected of being carcinogenic (cancer
causing) materials.

Another group of resins, used less extensively

due to their relatively high cost and limited
effectiveness, are the dimethyl urea glyoxalin
compounds which are non-formaldehyde
producing.
The cellulose molecules will get cross linked by resin.

The resin plus a catalyst, softener and wetting agent would

be padded on to the fabric at 6-8%, dried at 1200C to a
residual Moisture of 8%, cured at 1600C for three minutes,
washed to remove any catalyst and unreacted resin and
finally heat set to width and dried.

Resin finishing improved the dimensional stability of the

fabric to washing. So, a fabric in the untreated state would
have a wash shrinkage of 8% would have a wash shrinkage
of less than 3% after resin finishing.

The major causes for shrinkage of cotton are relaxation

shrinkage and fibre swelling, which in turn swell the yarn.
Resins prevent fibre swelling as it renders fibre non
absorbent.
MECHANISM OF CREASE FORMATION:
Structure of cellulose chain:
Cotton cellulose chain contains –OH groups in both
amorphous and crystalline region.

When a cotton fabric is folded and pressed being a

weak bond of force the Hydrogen bonds formed
between the –OH group of adjacent cellulose chain in
the crystalline region are broken and the formation of
new hydrogen bonds in the amorphous region
causes the formation of creases.
The resins crosslink cellulose chains and they do
so in the amorphous regions of the structure where
the spacing between fibre molecules is relatively
open.

The effect of this is to give a more crystalline

character to the fibre, so that if the fibre gets
distorted it will have a greater tendency to spring
back to its original position.

This pseudo crystalline character due to the resin

treatment makes the fabric stiffer.

No one treatment will maximize all fibre

properties, it is a case of prioritizing according
Change in shade towards yellow end of the
spectrum occurs with all crease resistant finishes

There is a possibility that the formaldehyde

liberated at the time of curing resins can get
retained by the fabric

Control over the levels of formaldehyde exist, as

they are permitted only in Certain garments and
not for children’s clothes.
 TYPES OF RESINS
Resins mainly fall into two groups
1. Deposition type of resins
2. Cross linking type of resins

Deposition type of resins:

No reaction takes place between the fibre and the resin

They include: Phenol formaldehyde Resins, Alkyd

Resins: Condensation

Mostly used: Ketone Resins, Vinyl Resins

Deposition type of finishes
are applied in soluble form on the surface of the
cotton fabric using padding mangle with an acid
catalyst and dried.

The same finish if cured will become a cross-

linking type of resin.

Deposition type of resins give stiffness to the

fabric and some extent of crease recovery, which
is lower than cross-linking type
.
Cross-linking type of resins chemically react with the fibre
substance and cross-link with the fibre molecules

These are much durable and better than deposition type

They are also known as N-Methylol compounds

Though these compounds are referred as resins, only calling

them as resin precondensates is correct. The resin
precondensates are further polymerised to form resins

Cross-linking type of resins used for crease resistant

finishes:
DMU –Dimethylol Urea
DMEU-Dimethylol Ethylene Urea
DMDHEU-Dimethylol dihydroxy ethylene urea
TMM-Trimethylol melamine
PROBLEMS WITH RESIN PRECONDENSATES
CONTAINING –NH GROUPS (DMU, TMM)
NH groups are susceptible [affected] to hypochlorite
solution.

When resin treated fabrics are taken for laundering with

chlorine based agents, chlorine gets cross-linked with NH
groups forming –NCl and results in loss of crease
resistance. It is known as Chlorine retention

The chloramines thus formed will result in yellowing of

fabrics

Excessive cross links causes harsh feel besides reducing

tear and tensile strength
Normally cross linking agents urea formaldehyde are
applied by Pad- Dry- Cure method.

STEPS INVOLVED IN RESIN FINISHING

•Preparation of fabric for better penetration of liquor

(Scouring and Bleaching)

•Impregnation of the fabric in the prepared resin

solution by two bowl or three bowl padding mangle
with an expression of 80% at room temp.

•Drying in stenter with minimum tension at 70-80o C

• Curing at higher temp. of 120-160oC for 2-5 min
by using dry heat to polymerize the resin and cross
link to the molecular chains.

•Washing and soaping in open width or rope form

in a dilute solution of soap and soda ash to remove
the unfixed resin and also to neutralize the residual
acidity.

•Softening by rinsing the material in water

containing softening agents

•Drying on stenter
RESIN TREATMENT AND CURING
Resin treatment and curing of fabric are done by one of two
processes Pre curing or Post curing.

PRE CURING:
The most frequently used resin treatment process and involves
treating and curing the fabric in the textile finishing plant. The fabric
is sold to an apparel manufacturer in a completely finished state.

The fabric is set in a flat position and used for items that do not
require extensive shaping ex. Blouses, Shirts, Dresses, Bed sheets,
Curtains and Draperies.

Almost all pre cured fabrics are blends of cellulosic fibres and
polyester. As polyester compensates for the abrasion resistance
and strength loss, the cellulose undergoes during the resin
application.
Pre cured fabrics may sometimes be used for
shaped garments ( such as pants with a center
crease). The stitched items are then pressed with
high temperature pressing equipment called hot-
head pressers.

This equipment reaches temperatures that heat

set the polyester component of the fabric. The
results, although satisfactory are less effective
than those resulting from the Post cure method.
POST CURING:

Post curing involves curing the resin on an

already sewn and completed garment.
There are two types of post curing processes.
1. The textile finishing plant applies and dries the resin, but does not
cure it. (cotton polyester blend)

The fabric is sold to an apparel producer in an uncured but sensitized

state. It is sewn into garments and then pressed at low temp. to impart
creases in pants, sleeves, pleats and other shaping.

The entire garment is then cured as an individual item of clothing.

post cured durable press garments retain their wrinkle free and
crease retentive properties better than the pre cured type.

They may retain these properties through 40-50 launderings.

2. The process is performed on 100% cotton fabrics

Apparel products made by this process are usually

described as wrinkle-free, wrinkle-resistant, no iron, or
simply WR.

The fabrics used, the methods of application and results

obtained are different from those of the durable press
method described above.

To reduce the resin-induced loss of abrasion resistance

and tensile strength of cellulose, specially constructed
fabrics and unique finishing treatments are required.

The fabric used is of long-staple cotton, tightly

twisted yarn and tightly constructed.
The resin finish consists of following modified
post curing process.

[Link] completely sewn but untreated garments are first

immersed in, or sprayed with a resin solution and then
semidried and pressed at warm temperatures while still damp.

[Link] of the garment follows quickly after pressing

in specially constructed conveyor ovens.

This method minimizes deterioration of cellulose because

relatively low add-on of resin is required.

The resultant product has a medium-soft hand often

enhanced with silicon softeners as compared to the firm hand
and somewhat stiffer polyester-cotton precured garments.
Despite the lowered performance and higher costs
(premier grades of cotton fibres and tighter construction
of fabric), the wrinkle free types are preferred by many
consumers because of the greater comfort and softness
provided by the 100% cotton fabric.

Most 100% Cotton wrinkle-resistant fabrics are used for

casual wear and sports wear such as pants and shorts. The
process is also used for men’s dress shirts, skirts, blouses
and sleep wear.
Possible effects of Resin treatment on cotton fabric:

Property Effect on resin treatment

Crease recovery Improved
Wash shrinkage Decreased
Stiffness Increased
Abrasion Resistance Lowered
Tear strength Lowered
Handle Harsher
Effect on dyes Tends to yellow
Environment Formaldehyde
Bleach Cl retention
ADVANTAGES:

It improves the Crease Resistance and Crease

Recovery Property

It reduces the shrinkage of the fabric during laundering

It imparts a smooth and quick drying property
It improves resilience property
It improves the weight and dimensional stability
It increases the strength of Rayons in both wet and dry state
It gives resistance to degradation by light and laundering
It improves the fastness to light and washing of many
dyestuffs
It prevents the intermolecular slippage in the fibre core
It becomes partially water proof and rot proof
DISADVANTAGES:

It decreases the tensile strength and tear strength

It decreases the abrasion resistance

It gives an unpleasant odor

It gives unwanted harsh and stiff feel

It turns the fabric yellow after chlorine bleaching

Incorporation of proper softener and catalyst

in the pad bath can reduce the loss in the
above mentioned properties of the fabric