Chemical treatment applied to cotton fibres or fabrics to make them permanently able to accept dyes and various chemical finishes more easily.
The method, patented in 1850 by the English calico printer John Mercer, also gives cotton cloth increased tensile strength and greater absorptive properties. Higher-quality cotton goods are usually mercerized. The treatment consists of dipping the yarn or fibre in a solution of sodium hydroxide and then treating the material with water or acid to neutralize the sodium hydroxide.