Chintz glazed finish (detail)
Also known as: Glazed chintz, Wax chintz, Calendered chintz
The characteristic gloss of chintz is created by calendering with wax, resin or starch under high pressure — smooth, dirt-repellent, but sensitive to washing.
Description
The characteristic gloss of chintz — usually a printed cotton poplin — is added in a finishing step called glazing. The fabric passes between heated, mirror-polished calender rolls at pressures of several hundred kilonewton per metre and is additionally coated with wax, paraffin or synthetic resin. The fibres are flattened and aligned parallel — the result is the mirror-smooth, silky sheen.
Traditionally the finish was done with beeswax or rice starch and was lost after a few washes; modern reactive resins (based on melamine or silicone) make the gloss more wash-resistant. „Wash-resistant chintz" still loses its sheen faster than pure wax finishing preserves it; for apparel chintz hand wash or a gentle cycle is recommended.
- Process: friction or super-calender at 60–120 °C
- Coating: wax, paraffin, starch, synthetic resin (melamine, silicone)
- Benefit: dirt-repellent, crease-resistant, luxurious look
- Drawback: gloss diminishes with each wash
Properties
| Process | Calendering with wax or resin |
|---|---|
| Base fabric | Cotton poplin, usually printed |
| Care | Hand wash or gentle cycle |
| Look | Mirror-smooth gloss, dense surface |
Related product categories
Sources & references
2- Wikipedia: Chintz Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chintz
- Wikipedia: Calendering (textiles) Wikipedia — Freie Enzyklopädie https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calendering_(textiles)
