A multispectral camouflage fabric having a camouflage pattern containing a least a first, second, and third color. Each of the first, second, and third colors contain at least one dye and at least one of the first, second, and third colors contains carbon black. The camouflage pattern has a short wave infrared (SWIR) reflectance pattern and contains first, second, and third reflectance zones. Each reflectance zone has an upper and lower reflectance zone boundary and the difference between the upper and lower first reflectance zone boundaries is approximately 10 percentage points. The difference between the first and second zone and the second and third zone is approximately 10 percentage points. At essentially all wavelengths within the SWIR portion of the spectrum, the first color falls within the first zone boundaries, the second color falls within the second zone boundaries, and the third color falls within the third zone boundaries.

Composition and production methods of artificial hair (11) with natural organic material, comprising a core (12), surrounded by a mantle (9), whereby the core comprises a strong fiber with one or more filaments (13) and whereby the mantle comprises one or more layers of shellac and liquefied hydrolysed human hair, combined with crosslinkers that are attached to the core that can be composed of natural fibroin fibers or of fibers of a high performance synthetic polymer.

Composition and production methods of artificial hair (11) with natural organic material, comprising a core (12), surrounded by a mantle (9), whereby the core comprises a strong fiber with one or more filaments (13) and whereby the mantle comprises one or more layers of shellac and liquefied hydrolysed human hair, combined with crosslinkers that are attached to the core that can be composed of natural fibroin fibers or of fibers of a high performance synthetic polymer.

Disclosed is a method of crosslinking protein fibers, including wool fibers, by (i) providing a crosslinking agent including an oxidized sugar mixture having a plurality of different oxidized sugars of different molecular lengths and having at least two aldehyde groups (e.g., oxidized soy flour sugars); and (ii) infiltrating a plurality of non-crosslinked protein fibers with the crosslinking agent under conditions effective to cause protein molecules contained in the non-crosslinked protein fibers to become crosslinked. This method yields a population of crosslinked protein fibers, where the protein molecules of the non-crosslinked protein fibers include amine groups that react with the aldehyde groups of the oxidized sugars to achieve the crosslinking of the protein molecules to yield the crosslinked protein fibers.

Disclosed is a method of crosslinking protein fibers, including wool fibers, by (i) providing a crosslinking agent including an oxidized sugar mixture having a plurality of different oxidized sugars of different molecular lengths and having at least two aldehyde groups (e.g., oxidized soy flour sugars); and (ii) infiltrating a plurality of non-crosslinked protein fibers with the crosslinking agent under conditions effective to cause protein molecules contained in the non-crosslinked protein fibers to become crosslinked. This method yields a population of crosslinked protein fibers, where the protein molecules of the non-crosslinked protein fibers include amine groups that react with the aldehyde groups of the oxidized sugars to achieve the crosslinking of the protein molecules to yield the crosslinked protein fibers.

A colorant catcher material includes a) a substrate and b) a colorant-catching additive. The colorant-catching additive is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylamines in form of homopolymers, copolymers and/or partial salts thereof, polyethylenimines in form of homopolymers, copolymers and/or partial salts thereof, and mixture thereof. The colorant-catching additive is fixed on the substrate by c) a fixing agent selected from the group consisting of dialdehydes with the carbon number of from 2 to 8. Also disclosed is a method for preparing the colorant catcher material and use of the same for catching colorants or removing dirt in an aqueous medium, particularly a laundry washing solution.

A colorant catcher material includes a) a substrate and b) a colorant-catching additive. The colorant-catching additive is selected from the group consisting of polyvinylamines in form of homopolymers, copolymers and/or partial salts thereof, polyethylenimines in form of homopolymers, copolymers and/or partial salts thereof, and mixture thereof. The colorant-catching additive is fixed on the substrate by c) a fixing agent selected from the group consisting of dialdehydes with the carbon number of from 2 to 8. Also disclosed is a method for preparing the colorant catcher material and use of the same for catching colorants or removing dirt in an aqueous medium, particularly a laundry washing solution.

A fiber-treating agent, including a condensate formed from the following components (A) and (B), and a component (C), and has a turbidity of 1,000 NTU or less: (A): formaldehyde or a hydrate thereof, (B): triazine or a derivative thereof of formula (1):

##STR00001##

where R.sup.1 to R.sup.3 are the same or different, and each represent a hydrogen atom, a hydroxymethylamino group, an amino group, a hydroxy group, a halogen atom, a phenyl group, a linear or branched alkyl group or alkenyl group having 1 or more and 6 or less carbon atoms, or a linear or branched alkoxy group or alkenyloxy group having 1 or more and 6 or less carbon atoms, and (C): water.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency is disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.

Methods, apparatus and kits for modifying natural feathers that are used in sporting goods that result in long lasting feathers with increased mechanical stability, reliability and durability as well as improved flight consistency is disclosed. Some of the sporting goods that use natural feathers are badminton shuttlecocks, arrow fletchings, and darts. The disclosed methods consist of controlled treatment of feather shuttlecocks with crosslinking agents to crosslink the keratin protein present on the natural feathers of the shuttlecock.