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Why should cotton knitted fabrics be mercerized?


In the dyeing and finishing of cotton and its blended knitted fabrics, mercerizing process is a very important link. How to choose a suitable mercerizing method directly affects the quality of products and the consumption of dyed materials, and also plays an important role in improving the wearability of products and reducing costs.
Why should cotton and its blended knitted fabrics be mercerized?
The development of some varieties, the improvement of quality and the upgrade of grade of cotton and its blended knitted fabrics need mercerizing treatment and reasonable selection of mercerizing methods.
For example, cotton and its blended knitted coat fabrics, such as T-shirts, button-down shirts, jackets and skirts, are obviously different between mercerized and non-mercerized products. From the appearance, the mercerized product presents a kind of cotton-like, non-cotton, silk-like and non-silk texture, which is soft, cool and comfortable to the touch, full in color and attractive in luster, revealing a unique beauty and having a unique style. Mercerized products give people the overall feeling that the products are of high grade. If mercerized products are used as fabrics, plus new styles and fashionable colors, the price of a T-shirt can reach several hundred yuan in China and several hundred dollars in foreign high-end markets. This is several times higher than ordinary products.
Most cotton knitted fabrics are dyed or printed by reactive technology. After mercerizing, the cotton fiber undergoes physical and chemical changes, which can greatly increase the color yield of reactive dyes and save 20-30% of dyed materials. In the production of medium and dark color products, especially black, dark blue, dark green, coffee, etc., mercerization must be selected to produce high-quality products. After mercerizing, the hygroscopicity and elasticity of knitted fabric are obviously increased, and it is the first choice for sportswear such as vests and sweatshirts.