Notes to self- dyeing, bleaching…

First step: Semi bleach

Semi bleach:

Chemicals being used in semi bleaching:

1) Seralube MUFC – concentrated. it’s a lubricant used to minimize the friction between
the fabric and machine parts as well as within the fabric to avoid crease marks on the
fabric
2) Imerol Blue: stabilizer maintains pH levels… won’t let pH increase or decrease, also a
detergent
3) Hydrogen Peroxide: Bleaching agent used to decolorize the fabric… makes it white
4) Caustic soda: it is used to remove the waxes from the ECRU fabric (raw knitted fabric)
which is normally yellow in color

Semi bleaching process:

1) Fill the machine with water at 60C then inject seralube MUFC, imerol blue, and
hydrogen peroxide in the machine, after this put the fabric into the machine and then
dose caustic soda for 10 minutes whilst simultaneously heating the machine at 2C/
minute  80C. The next step is heating the machine upto 110C within 15 minutes or to
95 C , followed by a run time of 15/30 minutes at 110C/95, followed by a cool down
process to lower the temperature till 75C taking 15 minutes at a rate of 1C/ minute and
or 2C/ minute, finally draining the machine.
2) Fill the machine again with water(along with Citric Acid which is acting as sequestering
agent at 78C, running the machine for 4 minutes and then draining.
3) Hydrogen Peroxide killing: Fill the machine with water at 50C, then inject acetic acid to
adjust pH levels of the fabric to 6pH, followed by the injection of Serazyme CFO CON for
Hydrogen peroxide killing, this process takes 10 minutes at 60C; followed by a thorough
check up to verify if the peroxide has been killed.
4) Anti-pilling: in some cases, the fabric is anti-pilled with the same steps as mentioned
above^. After checking for peroxide killing, an enzyme is injected (Lava CELL NBP CONC)
into the machine for anti-pilling, this process is carried out at 60C for 45 minutes. The
final step is draining the machine whereby the fabric is ready for the dyeing process.
Reactive (100% Cotton) Dyeing:

Dyeing process depends upon the composition of the fabric, type of the fabric, and dye
stuff. The process which is followed for dyeing are as follows;

1) 40-60C dyeing salt before: in this process, salt and auxiliaries (lubricant,
leveler, and acid) are applied first at 40C, pH=6. Followed by dosing of dyes
within 20 minutes=6, then alkaline (soda ash, mixture of soda ash and caustic)
is added into the mixture in two portions, first portions dosing time is 20
minuets=9.5-9.7 pH, and the second portions dosing time is 25 minutes, with
30% progression pH=10.3-10.8. In the next step the machine is heated up-to
60C and remains there for 60 minutes, then the bath is drained.
2) 40-60C dyeing salt after: in this process, salt is applied after the dye stuff in 20
minutes, and the rest of the process is the same as described in point 1. ^
3) 80-60C dyeing salt before: in this process, salt and auxiliaries (lubricant,
leveler, and acid) are applied first at 80C, pH=6. Followed by dosing of dyes
within 20 minutes=6pH, then it is cooled down to 60C, followed by the dosing
of alkaline (soda ash, mixture of soda ash and caustic) into the mixture in two
portions, first portions dosing time is 20 minuets=9.5-9.7, and the second
portions dosing time is 25 minutes, with 30% progression pH=10.3-10.5. In the
next step the machine remains there for 60 minutes, then the bath is drained.
4) 50-80C dyeing salt after: salt, auxiliaries and dyes are added at 50C followed by
heating at 80C and then dosing of soda ash at 80C for 45 minutes, in the final
step temperature of 80C is maintained for 60 minutes for reaction time, and
then the machine is drained.
5) 60C Isothermal: in this process all auxiliaries, salt, dyes, alkali are dosed at 60C
and then runtime of 60 minutes
6) 60C-80C-60C: Auxiliaries, salt and dyes are dosed at 60C, followed by heating
up till 80C, with a running time of 30 minutes. The final step is cooling down to
60C and adding two portions of alkali, first portion is 20 minutes, second
portion is 25 minutes, 30% progression, running time of 1 hour

Washing cycle:

1) Washing directly depends upon the % of dyes used in reactive dying process,
on the basis of color depth we divide washing cycle into three different types;
light colors, dark colors, and extra dark colors.
2) Washing for light colors: the bath is filled with hot water at the liquor ratio of
3.6 liters/KG, followed by a run time of 4 minutes, then the bath Is drained, fill
the bath again with wet formula at 50C and add acidic acid for neutralization
and run for ten minutes at the same temperature. pH of the fabric is almost 6
during this step, then the bath is drained once the pH levels reach 6.
Soaping: is performed at 95C with liquor ratio of 4.2 liters/KG for 15 minutes.
During this process most of the unreacted dyes are removed from the fabric
 and color of the water is transparent then drained. In the following step, the
drain is filled again with wet formula and rinsing is performed at a liquor ratio
of 5liters/KG and the bath is drained. Softener application: the final step in
dyeing is the application of softener, pH during the softener application is
almost 6, this is achieved by using citric acid, once the pH Is confirmed
softener is dosed once again for 15 minutes and with a running time of 15
minutes. After this the fabric is unloaded followed by draining of the machine.
The machine is drained after unloading to avoid softener patches.

3) Washing of dark colours: two filled drains of 4 minutes followed by

neutralization at 50C and then soaping at 95C followed by a hot wash at 80C
for 10 minutes without any chemicals after which the bath is drained. Then
the bath is filled again with the wet formula followed by rinsing of 8liters/KG
and then application of softener in separate bath.
4) Washing for extra dark colours: washing cycle of extra dark colours almost
similar to dark colour washing cycles except 2 soaping’s take place instead of
1. Both are performed in separate baths and at 95C

100% Polyester dyeing:

1) For 100% polyester dying is carried out at 130C or 135C for 60 minutes, pH and
dyeing temperature is directly related type of dye stuff (Low, medium, and
high sublimation) used for dyeing. Firstly, the machine is filled with 5liqiour
ratio and then acid, leveler, and buffer (type of chemical which keeps the pH
level constant) the pH levels are verified to see if they fall within the range set
by the dye companies. Once the pH is confirmed, dosing of the dye stuff is 10
minutes along with heating, towards the end of dosing process temperature of
the liquor is 95C, then the system is heated to 130-135C and maintained for
45-60 minutes and then cooled down to 75C and drained.
2) Polyester dyeing: involves no chemical reactions, is a process called
adsorption, polyester is heated up to 130-135C to open up the pores so that
dyes molecules can enter in these spaces once all the dye stuff is adsorbed, it
is cooled down to close the pores so that dyes molecule can remain trapped
inside the polyester. The only way to remove this dye stuff is to heat up again
to 130C so that pores are opened again and dyes molecule can come outside,
otherwise it isn’t possible to remove dyes from polyester fabric. Polyester
fabric is highly non-reactive hence its longer lasting and has exceptional color
fastness under ordinary/average washing conditions. (DURING POLYESTER
DYING pH of the fabric is 4.5-5.5) important factors in polyester dyeing are pH,
dyeing temperature and heating gradients. Heating and cooling should be very
slow, otherwise crease marks will form on the fabric due to thermal shock.
Heating with 1C/minute, and cooling with 0.5C/minute.
3) Neutralization of polyester fabric: pH of the fabric after dyeing is almost 4.5
which is on the acidic side, thus the fabric has to be neutralized, for this reason
 acetic acid is added and run at 60C along with the softener (hydrophilic)

Double dyeing:

1) Is done when the fabric has more than one type of yarn; cotton polyester, CVC
etc… usually in low shrinkage fleece 20% of the fabric is polyester and 80% is
cotton. Polyester and cotton have to dyed separately. Polyester dyeing
happens first, followed by cotton dyeing. If the shades are light and bright they
go through semi-bleaching after polyester dyeing, however in case of dark and
dull shades, alkali wash takes place and or BRC (basic reduction cleaning). First
of all, the machine is filled with dry formula, acid, buffer, lubricant, leveler is
injected into the machine and then the fabric is loaded at 60C. In the next
step, dosing of dye stuff takes place in 10 minutes during which temperature
of the machines rise to 95C, then the temperature of the machines is raised to
130 or 135C with a running time of 30-45 minutes, followed by a cool down
process. In-case of bright shade semi bleaching takes place at 95C for 30
minutes and in-case of dark shades alkali wash is performed followed by
draining of the bath. The machine is filled again with wet formula with a run
time of 4 minutes and then drained, filled again for neutralization which is
carried out by acidic acid, if the fabric is semi-bleached, then the hydrogen
peroxide is killed by enzymes, the next step is cotton dyeing (already described
in 100% cotton dyeing ^^^) followed by the washing cycle (defined ^^ in
washing section) followed by application of the softener.

White:

1) For the development of white shade, full bleaching is performed on the

fabric, this process is carried out at 110C and a stay time of 30 minutes.
Chemicals used; Imerol blue, Seralube MUFC CONC, Hydrogen Peroxide,
Caustic soda liquid, Leucophor BSB. Fabric is loaded at 60C, Imerol blue,
Seralube MUFC CONC, and Hydrogen Peroxide are injected at 60C, then
Caustic soda liquid is dosed along with heating of 2C/ minute in 10
minutes, followed by dosing of Luecophor BSB in 10 minutes, then its
heated to 110C and a running time of 30 minutes followed by a cool down
process at 75C- drained. Drain is filled again with hot water of 70C and
given a running time of 10 minutes and drained, followed by anti-pilling in
separate bath at 60C for 45 minutes, the same bath is heated at 78C with a
running time of 10 minutes and eventually drained. In the final step, a
softener is applied at a pH of 4.5-5.

Yarn dyed/ mileange washing:

1) Fabric is already dyed, so aim is to remove dust, impurities from the
fabric, for this purpose, the fabric is washed with hot water and with
detergent and finally softener is applied and unload. (wash time
without softener will take 2 hours 15 minutes, with softener it’ll take 2
hours 45 minutes.