A sustainable desizing process for PVA-sized cotton fabric using ultraviolet C

The textile industry has an enormous demand for energy and water. The traditional desizing method requires approximately 120 L kg(-1) of water to remove size. A sustainable process has been developed using ultraviolet C for polyvinyl alcohol-based textile desizing. With the help of ultraviolet C irradiation, the cotton fabric desizing is accomplished at a lower temperature to save approximately 67% of water, 68% of time, and 83% of energy compared with conventional process without compromising the quality. The treated fabric has been characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and wide-angle X-ray diffraction and shows no significant change in the structure of the cotton. Life cycle analysis confirms the new technique is sustainable.