Biotechnological induced scouring of jute: a sustainable pathway to improve fiber quality

Jute fiber has been widely utilized in a range of products, including bags, handicrafts, and decorative textiles, where pretreatment processes, such as scouring and bleaching, are crucial for improving quality. However, the conventional alkaline scouring process is chemically rigorous and environmentally challenging. In the present study, jute fibers were treated with three xylanase-rich industrial enzymes under acidic, neutral, and alkaline pH conditions to assess their efficacy as sustainable alternatives to chemical scouring. Enzymatic treatments resulted in controlled weight loss ranging from 3.2 to 7.6%, accompanied by significant improvements in fiber flexibility, fineness, and moisture-related properties. Compared to raw jute, enzyme-treated fibers displayed enhanced absorbency (157 to 189%), reduced floating time (291 s to as low as 79 s), and increased wicking length (up to 4.8 cm), even though values remained lower than those of conventionally scoured fibers. Notably, fiber fineness improved from 2.8 to 2.4 tex, whereas flexural rigidity decreased markedly from 15.75 to 6.27 N·m², with only a slight reduction in bundle strength (24.11 to ∼18 g/tex), indicating preservation of fiber integrity. Overall, the results demonstrate that enzyme-assisted scouring can effectively improve jute fiber quality under mild conditions, offering a promising eco-efficient alternative to conventional chemical processing.