There are six major enzyme preparations used in textile printing and dyeing: cellulase, amylase, pectinase, lipase, peroxidase, laccase/glucose oxidase.

1. Cellulase:

Cellulase (β-1, 4-glucan-4-glucan hydrolase) is the general name of a group of enzymes that degrade cellulose and produce glucose. It is not a monomer enzyme, but a multi-component enzyme system that plays a synergistic role. It is a complex enzyme, mainly composed of exo-β-glucanase, endo-β-glucanase and β-glucosidase, as well as a highly active xylanase. Acts on cellulose and products derived from cellulose.

Cellulase is commonly known as hair removal agent, polishing enzyme, hair removal agent, hair eating agent, etc.

2. Pectinase:

Pectinase is also a class of complex enzymes, which refers to a variety of enzymes that decompose pectin. Pectinase mainly consists of pectinase, pectinesterase, polygalacturonase and pectinate lyase. Pectinase is now mainly used in the pre-treatment refining of cotton and hemp fibers, and is mixed with other enzymes, called refining enzymes.

3. Lipase:

Lipase can hydrolyze fat into glycerol and fatty acids, which can be further oxidized to produce sugars.

Lipase is mainly used in textile industry for degreasing and improving properties of textile raw materials. Lipase is mainly used to treat wool fibers, remove some lipid substances in wool, make wool fibers undergo physical and chemical changes, and improve the quality of wool.

PS: Another protease is also used in wool, mainly as a shrink resistant finish for wool fabrics.

4. Catalase:

Catalase, the enzyme that catalyzes the breakdown of hydrogen peroxide into oxygen and water, is present in the peroxides of cells. Catalase is the hallmark enzyme of peroxisome, accounting for about 40% of the total peroxisome enzymes. Catalase is present in various tissues of all known animals, especially in high concentrations in the liver.

Catalase in the printing and dyeing industry commonly known as deoxyenzyme, deoxygenase, deoxygenase, etc., there are two main types of catalase used now: animal liver catalase and plant catalase, the latter performance is better!

5. Amylase:

Amylase is the general name of enzymes that hydrolyze starch and glycogen. Usually, amylase catalyzes the hydrolysis of starch slurry on fabrics. Due to the high efficiency and specificity of amylase, enzyme desizing has a high desizing rate, fast desizing, less pollution, and the product is softer than acid and alkali methods, and does not damage the fiber.

Amylase is commonly known as desizing enzyme in printing and dyeing industry, which is divided into normal temperature desizing enzyme, medium temperature desizing enzyme, high temperature desizing enzyme, wide temperature desizing enzyme, etc.

6. Laccase/Glucose oxidase:

Laccase is a kind of REDOX enzyme, through the gene modified Aspergillus Niger laccase, can carry out the imitation of denim clothing finishing process, the obtained fabric feel thick, smooth surface, bright color, elegant. Glucose oxidase is mainly used to bleach fabrics. This enzyme treatment is very effective in the production of hydrogen peroxide. The treatment does not need to add hydrogen peroxide stabilizer, and the fabric feels soft and plump after treatment.

PS: The combination of laccase and glucose oxidase can be used as a bleaching enzyme for pre-treatment, but it has not been widely promoted due to cost problems.