An Economic Evaluation of Starch Use in the Textile Industry

Excerpts from the report Summary: The demand for starch in textile manufacturing derives from the demand for and supply conditions of the end products of the industry. Roughly 13 percent of the traditional market for textiles was lost over the last two decades to nontextile materials such as paper, plastics, rubber, and glass. Also, domestic consumption of natural fibers decreased in proportion to the amount of manmade fibers in textiles. Cotton contributed almost 80 percent of the total cotton-equivalent pounds of fibers used annually during 1940-44, but only 52 percent during 1960-64. It is becoming increasingly important that chemicals be "tailor-made" for more specialized tasks in textile sizing, printing, and finishing. The increasing number of different fibers, yarn counts, blends, and fabrics tends to insure, for example, that a sizing agent that performs well for one yarn will not do so for the majority of others. Consequently, starch's economic competitive position will be maintained or improved by the starch industry's ability to provide modified and starch-derived products applicable for sizing the wide variety of yarns and fabrics being woven. Technology is the key to its potential.