Top 3 Applications of Hydroxyethyl Cellulose in the Textile Industry

Melacoll 2026-01-05

Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC) is a nonionic water-soluble cellulose ether that appears as a white powder. It is non-toxic and odorless, offering excellent thickening, film-forming, dispersing, stabilizing, and moisturizing properties. In the textile industry, HEC has become a key additive in spinning, printing, dyeing, and finishing processes due to its excellent compatibility and eco-friendly properties. It effectively addresses multiple production challenges. However, meticulous attention to detail is required during its application and procurement to ensure production efficiency and product quality.

I. Core Application Scenarios of HEC in the Textile Industry

Hydroxyethyl Cellulose applications span the entire textile production chain, with core focus on three key processes: spinning sizing, dyeing and printing, and fabric finishing. Its functional positioning varies across different scenarios.

1. Sizing Process in Spinning

As a sizing agent, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose is often blended with starch, PVA, and other additives. It is primarily used for sizing cotton, linen, synthetic fibers, and blended yarns. It adjusts the viscosity of the sizing solution to form a uniform, flexible film that coats the yarn surface, enhancing yarn performance.

2. Printing and Dyeing Process

As a core thickener and stabilizer for printing pastes, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose is widely used in printing processes involving reactive and disperse dyes, suitable for various fabrics including cotton, synthetic fibers, and blends. It also serves as a thickener for dye baths, optimizing their rheological properties.

3. Fabric finishing process

As a finishing agent component, Hydroxyethyl Cellulose can be used for fabric softening, wrinkle resistance, and functional finishing. It is particularly suitable for natural fiber fabrics such as cotton and viscose, enhancing the overall quality of the fabric.

Hydroxyethyl Cellulose in Textile sizing

II. Core Issues Addressed by HEC in the Textile Industry

In textile production, issues such as insufficient yarn strength, uneven dyeing, poor print quality, and coarse fabric handfeel frequently occur. Hydroxyethyl Cellulose precisely addresses these pain points with its unique properties while also meeting environmental requirements.

1. Solve the pain points of spinning sizing to enhance weaving stability

Traditional sizing agents suffer from issues such as unstable viscosity and poor film-forming properties, resulting in insufficient yarn cohesion, poor abrasion resistance, and high breakage rates during weaving, which negatively impacts production efficiency. The addition of Hydroxyethyl cellulose significantly enhances sizing paste viscosity stability, forming a flexible and elastic film that tightly envelops yarn fibers. This improves yarn cohesion and abrasion resistance, reducing breakage rates by over 30%. Additionally, its excellent water solubility facilitates easy rinsing during desizing, lowering pollutant loads in desizing wastewater. This addresses the challenges of difficult desizing and significant environmental pressure associated with traditional sizing pastes.

2. Optimize printing and dyeing effects to resolve color unevenness issues.

During the dyeing and printing process, dye baths are prone to sedimentation and stratification, while printing pastes often suffer from uncontrolled flow. This frequently leads to issues such as uneven dyeing, blurred printed patterns, indistinct outlines, and low color fastness. As a thickener, Hydroxyethyl cellulose precisely modulates the rheological properties of dye baths and printing pastes, preventing dye particle sedimentation and ensuring uniform dispersion. During printing, it controls paste penetration to avoid pattern bleeding, enhancing print precision and color saturation. Additionally, its excellent compatibility with dyes, crosslinking agents, and other auxiliaries promotes dye uptake, enhances fabric colorfastness, reduces dye waste, and lowers wastewater treatment costs.

3. Improve fabric hand feel and extend product lifespan

Natural fiber fabrics often exhibit issues such as coarse handfeel, poor wrinkle resistance, and susceptibility to mold growth, which diminish product value. When applied in finishing processes, Hydroxyethyl cellulose forms a breathable film on the fabric surface. This enhances fabric softness and smoothness while improving wrinkle resistance, preventing creasing and deformation after washing. Additionally, its inherent antibacterial and antifungal properties inhibit mold growth during storage and use, extending fabric lifespan and boosting product competitiveness.

Hydroxyethyl-Cellulose-in-Textile-dyeing-solution

III. Precautions for Adding HEC in Textile Production

The effectiveness of Hydroxyethyl cellulose addition is closely tied to operational standards. Improper methods may lead to issues such as caking and performance degradation, impacting production quality. Key attention should be paid to the following details:

1. Dissolution Procedure

Hydroxyethyl cellulose must be slowly sifted into room-temperature water while continuously stirring to prevent clumping from bulk addition. Stir until the solution becomes completely transparent and clear before use. Avoid vigorous stirring or high-temperature heating to accelerate dissolution, as elevated temperatures cause Hydroxyethyl cellulose degradation, compromising its thickening and stabilizing properties. The optimal dissolution temperature should not exceed 60°C.

2. Precise Dosage Control

Adjust dosage according to process requirements:
- For spinning slurries: 2%-10% of slurry weight
- For printing/dyeing slurries: 1%-5% of slurry weight
Specific ratios depend on yarn/fabric type and pattern precision.
Excessive addition increases slurry viscosity, impairing penetration; insufficient amounts fail to achieve desired performance.

3. System Environment Control

The optimal pH range for Hydroxyethyl cellulose solutions is 6–9. Excessively high or low pH levels compromise viscosity stability and performance. Avoid contact with high-concentration salts—while HEC exhibits some salt tolerance, high salinity reduces its thickening efficacy. Additionally, prevent mixing with additives containing prohibited substances like heavy metals or APEO to avoid generating harmful impurities.

4. Storage and Compatibility Requirements

Hydroxyethyl cellulose must be stored in a cool, dry, light-protected environment under sealed conditions to prevent moisture absorption and sunlight exposure. Its solution is prone to oxidative degradation upon exposure to air; therefore, it should be used promptly after preparation and not stored for extended periods. When blending with other additives, compatibility must be tested beforehand to ensure no reactions occur that could compromise performance.

5. Environmental Compliance Requirements

During production, ensure Hydroxyethyl cellulose meets ZDHC certification standards. Avoid using Hydroxyethyl cellulose containing restricted substances like ethylene oxide residues or heavy metals. Wastewater must undergo treatment before discharge. Although Hydroxyethyl cellulose is biodegradable, verify that degradation products are harmless to mitigate environmental risks.

Hydroxyethyl-Cellulose-in-Textile-dyeing

IV. Key Considerations for Textile Enterprises When Procuring HEC

When purchasing hydroxyethyl cellulose, buyers must balance factors such as quality, compliance, and cost to avoid procuring substandard products that could disrupt production. Key considerations include:

1. Define Product Specification Requirements

Determine critical Hydroxyethyl cellulose metrics based on your process requirements: Molecular weight and substitution degree must align with spinning/dyeing/finishing needs. High-viscosity grades suit printing thickening, while medium-to-low viscosity grades are suitable for spinning sizing. Require the product to be white or off-white powder, odorless, free of lumps, and highly water-soluble.

2. Rigorous Supplier Qualification Review

Prioritize reputable suppliers with valid production licenses. Request documentation including product test reports, SDS (Safety Data Sheets), and ZDHC compliance certificates. Investigate suppliers' production processes to ensure raw materials contain no prohibited substances and manufacturing adheres to environmental standards. Avoid purchasing from unlicensed small factories to mitigate quality risks.

3. Focus on Product Quality Control

Conduct sampling tests for core indicators: purity must exceed 99%, free of heavy metals, residual monomers, and other impurities. Test aqueous solution stability to ensure no lumps form after mixing and viscosity remains uniform. Verify compatibility with other additives in your production system to prevent adverse reactions.

4. Standardize Contracts and Risk Management

Contracts must clearly define product specifications, quality standards, testing methods, delivery schedules, and liability for breaches. Include return/exchange clauses for substandard products to safeguard interests. Monitor market price trends and control costs through centralized procurement and long-term partnerships while maintaining diversified supply sources to mitigate single-supplier disruption risks.

5. Focus on Storage and After-Sales Support

Confirm suppliers provide sealed, moisture-proof packaging (typically 25kg/unit) with detailed usage instructions and storage guidelines. Inquire about after-sales technical support to ensure timely solutions for operational issues. Maintain procurement records and establish supplier profiles for traceability management.

6. Selecting a Reliable Hydroxyethyl Cellulose Supplier

A top-tier hydroxyethyl cellulose supplier must not only possess a fully certified manufacturing facility but also demonstrate stable, long-term partnerships with both raw material suppliers and consistent buyers. This capability is a critical factor in determining the supplier's reliability. As a globally influential cellulose ether supplier, Mikem has established cooperative relationships with over 2,000 enterprises across 72 countries worldwide. We are confident that partnering with us will be a pivotal decision in advancing your business growth.

V. Conclusion

As an eco-friendly multifunctional additive in the textile industry, Hydroxyethyl cellulose plays an irreplaceable role in enhancing production efficiency, optimizing product quality, and reducing environmental pressure, precisely addressing multiple core pain points in spinning, printing, and finishing processes. However, strict adherence to addition protocols and meticulous control over storage and compatibility details are essential. Buyers must focus on key aspects such as specification matching, quality compliance, and supplier qualifications during procurement to fully leverage Hydroxyethyl cellulose's value and ensure production stability and product competitiveness. As environmental regulations tighten and textile technologies advance, Hydroxyethyl cellulose—with its high eco-friendliness and customizable performance—will become the mainstream choice for industry applications.