Process of making chitosan-containing acrylic fibers

The present invention relates to antimicrobial acrylic fibers which can be used as clothes, fancy goods, interior decorations and materials without exerting a bad influence on the human body and environment, and a process for preparing the same. The present invention is directed to chitosan-containing acrylic fibers having a total chitosan content of 0.05 to 2% by weight and an extractable chitosan content of not less than 0.03% by weight to less than the total chitosan content. The antimicrobial activity of the chitosan-containing acrylic fibers of the present invention can persist for a long period of time and is not deteriorated even when subjected to posttreatments, such as dyeing and bleaching of fibers, and treatments in usual service environments of fiber products, such as washing and ironing.