Ramie fabrics after weaving and desizing are treated with three kinds of commercial enzyme mixtures to examine the changes in some fabric properties compared with an alkaline boiled treatment. The effects of the enzymes on removing pectin from ramie are evaluated. Relative amounts of residual pectic substances on the surfaces of untreated and treated fabrics are obtained by staining with ruthenium red. The content of pectic substances in the fibers after treatments is measured as galacturonic acid by a carbazole-sulfuric acid reaction, then the results are related to changes in whiteness, surface structure observed by SEM photographs, and mechanical properties measured by the KES-FB.
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