Applications of Enzymes in the

Cloth/Textile Industry

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• Enzymes are protein catalysts produced by living cells that
catalyze specific chemical or biochemical reactions.

• The use of enzymes in textile processes has gained

increased interest due to the advantages of enzymes being
non-toxic, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly.

• Enzymes can be safely used in textile wet processing like

desizing, scouring, bleaching, dyeing, and finishing.

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• A number of enzymes are being used in the textile
industry because of their
– Non-toxic
– Environmentally friendly nature

• Increasingly important requirement for textile

manufacturers is to reduce pollution in textile
production

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• Today enzymes have become an integral part of the
textile processing

• There are two well-established enzyme

applications in the textile industry
– Firstly, in the preparatory finishing area amylases are
commonly used for desizing process (decreasing the
size of larger molecules used in the textile industry) and
– Secondly, in the finishing area cellulases are used for
• Softening,
• Bio-stoning (biowashing, to give faded colors to the
clothes, jeans) and
• Reducing pilling propensity for cotton goods
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Pilling means the formations of bubbles on the clothes,
and enzymes are used to reduce the formation of
these bubbles

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Use of enzymes for the process of biostoning, removal of
color from certain parts and cloth washing to give a
faded look in jeans etc.
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• However, there is little known about potential enzyme
usage in other textile areas

• At present, applications of
– Amylases
– Pectinases
– Lipases
– Proteases
– Catalases
– Xylanases etc., are used in textile processing

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• There are various applications which entail
enzymes included
– Fading of denim and non-denim
– Bio-scouring
– Bio-polishing
– Wool finishing
– Peroxide removal
– Decolourization of dyestuff, etc

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• Research and development in this sector is
primarily concentrating on

– Optimizing and making routine the use of technical

enzymes in processes that are already established
in the textile industry today

– Replacing established conventional processes with

the aid of new types of enzymes, particularly from
extremophile micro-organisms, under stringent
conditions

– Preparing enzyme-compatible dyestuff formulations

and chemical mixtures 12
• The silent features of enzymes application in textile
processing:
• Extremely specific nature of reaction involved, with practically no side effect.

• Low energy requirement, mild condition of use safe to handle, non-corrosive in their applications.

• On account of lesser quantities of chemical used in process as well as ease of biodegradability of

enzymes result in reduced loads on ETP plants.

• Enzymes under unfavorable condition of pH or temperature, chemically remain in same form but
their physical configuration may get altered i.e. they get “denature” and lose their activity, for this
reason live steam must never be injected in a bath containing enzyme bath must done in pre-
diluted form.

• Compatibility with ionic surfactant is limited and must be checked before use. Nonionic wetting
agents with appropriate cloud point must be selected for high working efficiency as well as for
uniformity of end result.

• High sensitivity to pH, heavy metal contamination and also to effective temperature rang. Intense
cautions are required in use.

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 Hydrolyzing enzymes or hydrolases
• Most of the textile enzymes are those that catalyze
the digestion or hydrolysis of certain large organic
molecules like
– Starch
– Cellulose
– Protein and
– Pectin
• The enzymes actually attack these complex
molecules, accelerating their digestion and yielding
simpler substances

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The hydrolyzing enzymes include
1. Amylases, which catalyze the digestion of starch into
small segments of multiple sugars and into individual
soluble sugars

2. Proteases or proteinase, which split up proteins into

their component amino acid building blocks

3. Lipases, which split up animal and vegetable fats and oils

into their component part glycerol and fatty acids

4. Cellulases (of various types) which break down the

complex molecule of cellulose into more digestible
components of single and multiple sugars
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5. Beta-glucanase or gumase which digests one type
,

of vegetable gum into sugars and / or dextrins

6. Pectinase which digests pectin and similar

carbohydrates of plant origin

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 Amylases
• They are used to remove starch-based size for improved and
uniform wet processing.
• Alpha-amylase catalyzes the endo-hydrolysis of 1,4 a-D-
glycosidic linkages in polysaccharides containing three or
more 1,4 a linked glucose units.
• The enzyme acts on the starches, glycogen and
oligosaccharides in a random manner, liberating reducing
groups.
• All amylases are glycoside hydrolases and act on α-1, 4-
glycosidic bonds that hydrolyse starch down into sugar.

• Amylase is present in human saliva; the pancreas also makes

amylase. Plants and some bacteria also produce amylase.

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• The α-amylases (EC 3.2.1.2) are calcium
metalloenzymes, completely unable to function in
the absence of calcium

• α-amylase tends to be faster-acting than β-amylase

as it can act anywhere on the substrate
• Alpha-amylases are characterized by attacking the
starch polymer in an endo fashion, randomly cleaving
internal a-1,4 bonds to yield shorter, water soluble
dextrins.
• It boosts overall detergent performance at lower
wash temperatures and with milder detergent
chemical systems.
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• β-amylase (EC 3.2.1.2) is also synthesized by
bacteria, fungi, and plants
• Working from the non-reducing end
– β-amylase catalyzes the hydrolysis of the second
α-1, 4 glycosidic bond, cleaving off two glucose
units (maltose) at a time

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• In addition to cleaving the last α-1, 4 glycosidic
linkages at the nonreducing end of amylose and
amylopectin, yielding glucose.

– γ- amylase (EC 3.2.1.3) cleaves α-1, 6 glycosidic

linkages

– Unlike the other forms of amylase, γ-amylase is

most efficient in acidic environments and has an
optimum pH of 3

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