Sizing is a critical operation in woven fabric production, as it enhances weaving efficiency by improving warp yarn performance. Conventional sizing agents include maize starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and commercial carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). In this study, a low-cost and biodegradable carboxymethyl cellulose derived from wheat straw (CMCws) was investigated as an alternative sizing agent for cotton open-end yarns with a count of Nm 12.2. The high degree of substitution (DS = 1.23) of CMCws indicates extensive carboxymethylation, which enhances the polymer’s hydrophilicity and solubility in water. This, in turn, contributes to a higher apparent viscosity (η = 903.03 cP at 300 s−1), reflecting stronger molecular chain interactions and better film-forming ability. CMCws was applied using a high-pressure squeezing technique, and its effect on yarn performance was evaluated in terms of tensile properties, film characteristics, and yarn surface morphology. The results showed that CMCws provided a tenacity gain of 28.57%, a hairiness reduction of 54.34%, and an abrasion resistance gain of 37.14%. These values fall within acceptable industrial ranges and are comparable to those obtained using conventional sizing agents. Furthermore, the optimized CMCws formulation, containing plasticizer and lubricant additives, exhibited good desizing efficiency, with effective removal achieved in hot water. The findings indicate that wheat-straw-derived CMCws is a viable, sustainable alternative to traditional sizing agents for woven fabric production.
Maatoug et al. (2026) studied this question.