Bleaching

Bleaching is a treatment that removes or reduces natural color from fibers and textiles, usually by chemically altering colored substances or washing them away.

Oxidation: Oxidation is a chemical process involving electron loss or an increase in oxidation state. Many textile bleaches oxidize colored molecules into forms that absorb less visible light.
Cotton: Cotton is a natural cellulose fiber produced by cotton plants and widely used in textiles. Cotton is commonly bleached to remove seed-coat pigments and prepare it for dyeing or finishing.
Natural fiber: A natural fiber is a slender material derived from plants, animals, or minerals and used in textiles. Bleaching acts on natural fibers whose composition and impurities differ by source.
Optical brightener: An optical brightener is a fluorescent compound that absorbs ultraviolet light and emits blue visible light. It makes textiles appear whiter without removing their natural pigments as bleaching does.
Hydrogen peroxide: Hydrogen peroxide is a reactive compound used as an oxidizing agent and disinfectant. It is a widely used oxygen-based bleach for textile fibers.
Wool: Wool is a textile fiber made primarily from keratin, most often obtained from sheep. Wool bleaching must control conditions that can damage its protein structure.
Cellulose: Cellulose is a structural polysaccharide that forms the main component of plant cell walls. It is the principal polymer in cotton and other plant fibers treated by bleaching.
Textile dye: A textile dye is a colorant that binds to or is retained within textile fibers. Dyeing adds color, whereas bleaching removes or reduces existing color.
Sodium hypochlorite: Sodium hypochlorite is an inorganic compound used in aqueous solutions as a disinfectant and bleaching agent. Its strong oxidation can whiten textiles but also weaken some fibers.
Silk: Silk is a protein textile fiber produced by silkworms and formed into continuous filaments. Silk requires careful bleaching because harsh treatments can weaken or yellow the fiber.

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