Dyeing Techniques

Textile Dyeing

Textile dying has a long history that dates back to 2600 BC. Dyeing in textiles is a process that allows inserting a color to create a finished textile or textile material. Dyeing is permanent. Also, it provides a long-lasting effect of a bright, pure color of your choice. It is possible to dye by hand or by machine, using numerous dyes that can come as powders, crystals, pastes or liquid dispersions.

It is important to understand that there is a huge difference between painting and dying. While you can paint your clothes just coating the surface, dyeing changes the crystal structure of the material which means dyes are more saturating and more permanent. So if your best quality futon mattress for couch and sleep use comes in some unique color that remains bright through many washings, the textile your mattress is covered by was dyed, not painted. Also, it is important to understand that the process of dyeing can be done at any stage of manufacturing this or that product which means that in order to dye some cloth, makers do not have to wait until it is made.

There are numerous types of dyes that exist and used today. If you are interested in the types of dyes, there is a great amount of information you can learn. Nevertheless, there are three main types that will help you understand the main principles of the process of dying. Before overviewing the two main types, it is important to review two primary categories.

Categories

There are natural and synthetic dyes. Natural ones come from plants, minerals and animals - natural elements existing on the planet. Synthetic ones are chemicals that come from coal tar or petroleum-based substances.

Types

To dye natural fibers like wool, cotton, and silk, direct dye type is used. It does not require a mordant. In contrast, basic dye type requires mordant and needs to be dissolved in water. This helps to insert the color to textile and to guarantee a long-lasting effect. In the most cases, the basic dye is used with fabrics like nylon and polyester. Also, there is a vat dye that comes from different plants to create bright natural colors like deep blue, fiery, red. It is worth to mention that all the substances used in vat dyes require a liquid alkaline substance test in order to be used in manufacturing process.

Methods

Also, there are numerous methods of dyeing. Most of these methods require the use of water and when the textile gets rinsed, the color stays. Some of them require the use of pastes or involve high temperatures. It is important to understand that different materials require different dyes and methods of dyeing.

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