MOTHPROOF WOOLLENS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 11 April 1925, Page 15

MOTHPROOF WOOLLENS.

A NEW DISCOVERY

PROTERTIES OF EULAN

The substance eulan, by which it is claimed woollen textiles can be made moth-proof, was explained in a lecture delivered in London by Mr. J. Craft to the London section of the Society of Dyers and Colourists. Eulan, it is said is 1 a permanent protection against moth damage, and the lecturer, alluding to the claim that was set up for ifast dyes until it came to be taken , for granted that aniline-dyed materials were necessarily fast, predicted that before long it would be tacitly assumed that all materials had been- mothproofed. Having spoken of the efficiency of the present methods of moth prevention, Mr. Graft explained that eulan was the invention of Dr. Meekbacli, of the Bayer Aniline Company. As every woollen material dyed green forty, of fifty years ago contained a considerable proportion of martins yellojv. Dr. Meekbacli realised the grounds for the 'old belief that green material would I not he attacked by moth. The expefiI merits confirmed the firm in their determination to find a preparation that ! should be colourless and odourless, | that could be absorbed in small , quantities from aqueous solutions, and would be permanently combined with the wool so that the treated .materials would be absolutely immune'from moth attacks without destroying any of tip valuable properties of wool. The solution is prepared sohie hours before it is required for use in a wooden vessel. A stock solution of doublq strength to the working soluMion is ( first prepared. The eulan having been mixed info a paste with a little cold water, sufficient water is then added to form a liquid which shows a strength of one and a. half dunces to the gallon. The liquid is brought to a boil by means of an open - steampipe, and the clear liquid, after the |sediment lias settled, is then , drawp off as required. Eulan can be used by the manufacturers either* in a neutral state or with the addition of sulphuric acid for woollens, or formic gcjd for unions. Fabrics can also he treated by fin- • isfiers, to whom they may he sent by merchants or tailors. The finishing usually consists of shrinking or waterproofing, either of which operations can he combined with the eulanising process.