CHEMICAL OR BIOLOGICAL TREATMENT OF NATURAL FILAMENTARY OR FIBROUS MATERIAL TO OBTAIN FILAMENTS OR FIBRES FOR SPINNING; CARBONISING RAGS TO RECOVER ANIMAL FIBRES

Description

D01C covers chemical and biological treatment processes applied to natural filamentary or fibrous materials to prepare them for spinning into threads or yarns. This includes treatments such as retting, bleaching, mercerization, and enzymatic processes that modify the physical or chemical properties of natural fibers to enhance their spinnability and quality. The subclass also encompasses carbonization techniques used to recover animal fibers (such as wool or hair) from textile waste and rags by removing organic contaminants. Related processes for man-made fiber production and treatments of already-prepared fibers for downstream textile manufacturing are classified elsewhere.

Filing statistics

IPC subclass D01C recorded 2,096 patent applications worldwide between 2013 and 2023. Annual filings declined from 149 in 2013 to 144 in 2023 (-3%), peaking at 255 applications in 2015. The most active applicants in class D01 are NATIONAL DONG HWA UNIVERSITY (1,242 applications), MASCHINENFABRIK RIETER (1,162 applications) and TORAY INDUSTRIES (1,093 applications).

Source: EPO PATSTAT, worldwide filings