Mercerisation

Mercerisation is a textile finishing treatment for cellulose fabric and yarn, mainly cotton and flax, which improves dye uptake and tear strength, reduces fabric shrinkage, and imparts a silk-like luster.

The process was devised in 1844 by John Mercer,[1] who treated cotton with solutions of 20–30% sodium hydroxide followed by washing.

Mercer observed that the treatment shrank the fabric and increased its tensile strength and affinity for dyes.

Mercer regarded the increased affinity for dyes as the most important technical aspect.

[2] The silk-like lustre now commonly associated with mercerising is produced by tension and was discovered by Horace Lowe in 1889.