Calculating Raw Linen Greige Off-Loom Mass Loss
Off loom mass loss in linen greige averages 14 to 22 percent, requiring correction for sizing pickup, moisture regain, and non cellulosic scour extraction.
Starch Sizing
Polymeric Film Application
Starch sizing coats warp yarns with a gelatinous carbohydrate paste to reduce abrasion damage during high speed mechanical weaving in Chinese flax mills. Potato or corn derivatives are cooked into a viscous liquid that is pumped into the size box of a slashing machine, where immersion forces fluid into the core of the yarn bundle. Squeeze rollers then remove excess liquor to achieve a predetermined wet pick up rate before the material enters heated drying cylinders.
The resulting protective film binds protruding fibers to the main body, preventing filament breakage under the cyclic tension imposed by heddles and reeds. Factory supervisors record these process parameters in the batch production sheet to verify that operational settings match internal quality management manuals.
Solution Viscosity Control
Fluid thickness determines how deeply the carbohydrate mixture penetrates individual flax bundles prior to gelation on the drying surface. Viscosity is measured in centipoise units using a rotational viscometer at specific operating temperatures, because cooling causes premature thickening and uneven pickup across the warp sheet. High concentrations increase yarn stiffness beyond acceptable weaving tolerances, whereas thin mixtures leave surface fibers exposed to mechanical friction.
Laboratory technicians adjust cooker temperatures and enzyme conversion times to maintain the desired flow characteristics required for fine linen construction.
Export Acceptance Standard
Finished fabric grade specifications established by international buyers dictate the allowable limits for residual sizing materials remaining in the woven cloth. Chemical desizing removes the carbohydrate film through enzymatic hydrolysis before dyeing and finishing operations begin, ensuring that dyestuff penetration remains uniform throughout the textile. Independent inspection agencies test desized swatches using iodine staining reactions to confirm that residual starch levels fall below established commercial thresholds for export readiness.
Laboratory certificates detail these analytical results alongside physical strength metrics to satisfy contractual obligations between the mill and overseas purchasers.