Enzymatic Functionalization of Wool for Felting Shrink-Resistance

Abstract

Felting shrink-resistance is an inherent limitation of wool that affects serviceability of woolen textiles by altering fit and aesthetic after repeated launderings. Eco-friendly protein hydrolysis of scales of wool via enzymatic processing bears “slow nature of enzyme action” and “excessive weight/tensile strength loss” as major constraints. Chemical & enzymatic pre-treatments used to increase wettability of wool for easier adsorption of enzymes on surface are mentioned. Developments to control tensile/weight loss via different pre-treatments, engineering of enzymes bigger than corresponding native enzymes, immobilized enzymes, post-treatment with cross-linking enzymes, enzymes with optimum efficiency in acidic conditions are reviewed.