Sizing Recipes and Compound Selection
topic
Sizing compound selection for cotton warps uses native or modified maize, potato, or wheat starch at 6 to 14 percent concentration as the primary film former providing adhesion to cotton fibres, supplemented by polyvinyl alcohol for film strength and flexibility, polyacrylate for surface smoothness, wax for softness and anti-static effect, and lubricant for friction reduction, with recipe optimisation targeting the minimum add-on of 8 to 14 percent on cotton weight that achieves the weavability improvement required for each fabric construction and loom type.
Role
Determines the fundamental protection mechanism and cost of sizing through compound selection that must achieve adequate weavability improvement at minimum add-on to reduce sizing chemical cost, desizing water and effluent burden, and the size waste that represents both a raw material cost and an environmental disposal challenge, with recipe development requiring systematic optimisation through weaving performance evaluation rather than formula standardisation that ignores specific yarn and fabric construction requirements.