Scoured linen fabrics were treated with NaOH at different concentrations (1-7N). Unscoured (gray) linen fabrics were modified via partial carboxymethylation under different conditions, including monochloroacetic acid concentration (1-4N), sodium hydroxide concentration (0-53.5N), reaction time (30-180 min), and reaction temperature (30-90 degrees C). Alkali treated and partially carboxymethylated linen fabrics were bleached using H2O2 (20 g/L), sodium silicate (3 g/L), and nonionic wetting agent (I g/L) at pH 10 for 150 min at 95 degrees C. The unbleached and bleached linen fabrics (alkali treated and partially carboxymethylated) were assessed for technical properties, namely, whiteness index (W.I.), loss in fabric weight, copper number, carboxyl content, and H2O2 decomposition percent. A comparison was made between the properties of the two substrates. It indicates that the properties of partially carboxymethylated linen fabric were comparable, if not superior, to alkali treated linen fabric. Hence it is advantageous to introduce partial carboxymethylation in the wet processing of linen fabrics since scouring and alkali treatment can be omitted. (c) 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.