Question

Which of the following finishes are used for cotton fabric preparation?
A. Carbonizing
B. Scouring
C. Crabbing
D. Singeing
E. Mercerizing
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A, B and C only
• B. B, C and D only
• C. A, D and E only
• D. B, D and E only

Hint:

Cotton pre-treatment: Singeing $\rightarrow$ Desizing $\rightarrow$ Scouring $\rightarrow$ Bleaching $\rightarrow$ Mercerizing.
Wool pre-treatment: Scouring $\rightarrow$ Carbonizing $\rightarrow$ Crabbing $\rightarrow$ Fulling.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Question:
Fabric preparation (Pre-treatment) is necessary to remove impurities and prepare the fiber for dyeing and printing.
Different fibers (Cotton vs. Wool) have specific pre-treatments.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

• Singeing (D): Burning off protruding hair-like fibers to make the cotton surface smooth.

• Scouring (B): Boiling cotton in an alkaline solution (Caustic Soda) to remove natural waxes, oils, and pectins.

• Mercerizing (E): Treating cotton with strong caustic soda under tension. This makes the fiber swell, increases its luster, and improves its dye affinity.

• Exclusion: Carbonizing (A) is a process used for wool to remove vegetable matter using acid. Crabbing (C) is also a wool finish used to set the fabric width and prevent shrinking.

Step 3: Final Answer:
The processes specific to cotton preparation are Scouring, Singeing, and Mercerizing.
Therefore, the correct answer is D.