Research and application of biotechnology in textile industries in China

Textile industry is a conventional and pillar industry in China, which possesses a considerable proportion of the national economy. In recent years, special attention has been paid to the application of biotechnology in textile industries in China. As an interdiscipline between natural science and engineering science, textile biotechnology has much effect on Chinaʹs textile industry. This paper summarizes current developments and highlights those areas where biotechnology might play an increasingly important role in Chinaʹs textile industry as follows: (1) Development of new types of textile fibers and polymers, such as Bt cotton naturally colored cotton, colored silk and silk gene-sequence, spider silk non-wovens, chitin fiber and chitosan derivatives, etc. (2) Application of enzyme technology in textile wet processing, such as alkaline pectinase, PVA-degrading enzyme, cutinase and catalase used for cotton preparation, neutral cellulase for denim washing, transglutaminase for wool modification, protease for silk degumming as well as pectinase and hemicellulases for retting of bast fibers. (3) Treatment of textile effluents with biotechnology.