The present invention relates to novel polypeptides, or fragments of polypeptides, genes encoding them and means for producing said polypeptides. In detail the invention relates to polypeptides having esterase, suberinase and/or cutinase activity at low pH. This invention relates also to compositions containing the polypeptides and methods of using the polypeptides.

The present invention relates to provision of a textile product having a naturally faded appearance.

A damage processing method for a textile product includes: irradiating a surface of the textile product with a laser beam (S1); washing the textile product irradiated with the laser beam with a phosphoric acid aqueous solution (S5); and exposing the washed textile product to ozone gas (S7).

An activated cotton material and a method for processing cotton to form the activated cotton material are provided. The activated cotton material includes a layer of natural wax that is locked to the surface of cotton fibers by a wax lock.

An activated cotton material and a method for processing cotton to form the activated cotton material are provided. The activated cotton material includes a layer of natural wax that is locked to the surface of cotton fibers by a wax lock.

Disclosed are variant α-amylases having mutations that improve enzyme stability in the presence of chelants, methods of designing such variants, and methods of use, of the resulting variants. The variant α-amylases are particularly useful, for use in cleaning and desizing composition that include significant amounts of chelants.

Disclosed are compositions and methods relating to variant maltohexaose-forming alpha-amylases. The variant alpha-amylases are useful, for example, for starch liquefaction and saccharification, for cleaning starchy stains in laundry, dishwashing, and other applications, for textile processing (e.g., desizing), in animal feed for improving digestibility, and for baking and brewing.

Disclosed are compositions and methods relating to variant maltohexaose-forming alpha-amylases. The variant alpha-amylases are useful, for example, for starch liquefaction and saccharification, for cleaning starchy stains in laundry, dishwashing, and other applications, for textile processing (e.g., desizing), in animal feed for improving digestibility, and for baking and brewing.

Bioactive coatings that include a base and a protein associated with the base for actively promoting the removal of organic stains are provided. In aspects, bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.

Bioactive coatings that include a base and a protein associated with the base for actively promoting the removal of organic stains are provided. In aspects, bioactive coatings that are stabilized against inactivation by weathering are provided including a base associated with a chemically modified enzyme, and, optionally a first polyoxyethylene present in the base and independent of the enzyme. The coatings are optionally overlayered onto a substrate to form an active coating facilitating the removal of organic stains or organic material from food, insects, or the environment.

An activated cotton material and a method for processing cotton to form the activated cotton material are provided. The activated cotton material includes a layer of natural wax that is locked to the surface of cotton fibers by a wax lock.