75 YEARS OF CHANGE IN DYEING AND FINISHING

Since the founding of AATCC in 1921, the industry has seen many change s. The end of World War I brought the realization that the U.S. needed to develop chemical processes and manufacturing independent of Europe . The result has been a dedication to research and the development of new fibers, dyes, finishes, and equipment to process these new develop ments. In preparation, the development of hydrogen peroxide and contin uous bleaching paved the way. The highlights in dyeing include the dis covery of reactive dyes and the pad-batch system, nylon and continuous carpet dyeing, polyester and the Thermosol process, and jet dyeing. T he highlights in finishing are the growth of durable press finishing o n blends and 100% cotton. Machinery developments include the widesprea d use of stainless steel to replace wood, cast iron, and copper.