A real textile desizing wastewater (TDW) was coagulation-pretreated and used as the substrate to investigate its potential of continuous biohydrogen production. The experiments used a completely stirred tank reactor digester with operating conditions of pH 6.8, 35 degrees C, and hydraulic retention times (HRTs) 8 h and 4 h. Biohydrogen production performance at HRT 8 h was detailed and effectives of doubled organic loading rate (OLR) were elucidated at HRT 4 h. The experimental results indicate that coagulated TDW at an OLR of 30 g total sugar/L gave 3.8 L/L-d as the peak hydrogen production rate (HPR), which value is comparable to feedstock like sugarcane vinasse, palm oil mill effluent and cassava wastewater. TDW is a good source for biohydrogen production. Moreover, an OLR management is an efficient strategy to enhance HPR. Methane production occurred in a long run H-2 fermenter and its prevention methods were discussed. Acetate and butyrate were the main soluble metabolic products. Future works for using the experimental data in industry applications are proposed with (1) HPR increment, (2) H2 fermenter effluent treatment, and (3) re-confirming the application feasibility of the experimental data. (C) 2017 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.