Natural fibres
Mercerised cotton
Also known as: Mercerized Cotton
Cotton treated with caustic soda to gain lustre, higher tensile strength and deeper colour uptake.
Description
Mercerising was invented by John Mercer in 1844 and refined by Horace Lowe in 1889. Cotton yarn or fabric is immersed under tension in caustic soda (NaOH). The fibre cross-sections swell and become evenly round; the surface becomes smoother, more lustrous and absorbs dyes far more intensely.
Mercerised cotton is stronger, more shape-retentive and less prone to colour shifts. It is used for premium polo shirts, knitwear, sewing threads (e.g. Gütermann Mara/Rasant) and percale bed linen. The hand is cool and slightly silky.
- Higher tensile strength and lustre
- Deeper, more colour-fast dyeing
- Cool, silky-smooth hand
- Standard for sewing threads and premium polos
Properties
| Process | Caustic soda treatment under tension |
|---|---|
| Property | Lustrous, strong, deep-dyed |
| Application | Polo shirts, sewing threads, percale |
| Inventor | John Mercer (1844) |
Related product categories
Sources & references
1- Wikipedia: Merzerisation Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merzerisation
