Fluorination – A Novel Pretreatment for Wool to Impart Chrink Resistance

The use of gaseous fluorination as a pretreatment for wool has been assessed and compared with corona discharge. Mechanical and shrinkage properties have been examined both before and after the application of two commercial shrinkproofing polymers. Fluorination reduces fabric shrinkage during washing, and the subsequent application of low levels of Basolan MW imparts machine washability with no impairment of fabric handle