Foam Applications on Textiles

Technical Bulletin

Foam finishing is a versatile system that offers advantages in energy savings, production speed, and reduced chemical waste. For example, it can reduce wet pickup, allow one-pass finishing of both sides of the fabric, and eliminate the chemical pad step in reactive dyeing, thus reducing the use of salt. However, foam application can be more challenging than aqueous pad application. In this bulletin, we describe the properties of foam, its formulations, and the open foam, offset open foam, and closed foam application methods and equipment. We give tips on how to gain the greatest benefits from foam, along with examples of formulas that Cotton Incorporated researchers have used successfully for foam application of finishes and dyes.