Textile colouration

Mr Mac Fergusson
RMIT University
Wool fibre production

§ Relatively stable over the past five years.

§ Some increase in production possible as flocks

increase after prolonged drought conditions.

§ Production of finer qualities increasing as

farmers seek to capitalise on higher prices.
Dyes for wool

§ Acid dyes
§ Level dyeing type
§ Milling type
§ Chrome dyes
§ Premetallised
§ 1:1 Premetalised
§ 2:1 Premetalised
§ Reactive
Natural dyes versus synthetic dyes

§ Natural dyes – generally earthy colours,

shades vary with seasons.
§ Colour fastness generally low.
§ Very polluting, due to the use of heavy
metals.
§ Synthetic dyes – bright shades of good all-
round fastness when applied correctly.
Synthetic dyes

§ William Henry Perkin

§ discovered mauvine
in 1856,
§ using aniline as
§ raw material.
Classification by application

§ No universal dye.
§ Different dyes are required for different
fibres.
§ Therefore, differing dyeing conditions are
required when fibre mixtures are used.
§ Different dyes are used to meet specific
requirements.
Premetallised dyes

§ Applied to both polyamide and wool

§ 1:1 type specifically for wool but can be applied to
nylon. Black often falls into this category. When applied
to wool dyed at very low pH 2.5-3.0 using H2S04.
§ Shades generally earthy and dull; no bright blues, reds
or greens.
§ 1:2 type dyed from neutral bath using amphoteric
amine ethoxylate as levelling agent.
Fast acid dyes

§ So-called milling dyes - larger molecule, more difficult

to dye level, dyed under slightly acid conditions using
(NH4)2 S04 and levelling agent.
§ Full range of shades.
§ Some not fast enough for washable wool, i.e. wool that
has been made shrink resistant. Reactive wool dyes are
normally used for this product.
Wool reactive dyes

§ Introduced in the 1960s.

§ Particularly suitable for dyeing washable wool,
where bright clean shades are required.
§ Dye combines chemically with the fibre to
form a very strong bond that will withstand
domestic washing.
Choice of dyes

§ Shade
§ Fastness requirements
§ Cost
§ Dyemakers pattern cards assist the dyer in
making the choice.
Dyestuff selection

§ Cost – cheapest combination.

§ Technically the best without cost
considerations.
§ Combination that gives the desired properties
to the customer’s specification at the cheapest
possible price.
§ Machinery considerations can affect dyestuff
selection.
§ Fibre type can also influence selection criteria.
When can colour be introduced?

§ Loose fibre
§ Top or sliver
§ Yarn
§ Fabric
§ Garment
§ Printing, either fabric or garment.
Dyeing machinery

§ Different machines are required.

§ Loose fibre, yarn and top use similar
machinery. Liquor is circulated through the
material.
§ Fabric dyeing - the material is moved through
the liquor, or the fabric and liquor move
together.
Example of unlevelness

Channelling due to
density variations
HT Jet dyeing machine
Nature of light

Light is an electromagnetic radiation.

Visible light from 350nm -700nm.
Below 350nm - ultraviolet radiation.
Above 700nm – infra-red radiation.
How do we see colour?

§ The human eye contains receptors: rods and

cones.
§ Rods are specific to the intensity of light.
§ Cones distinguish colours:
§ one cone is very sensitive to red
§ one cone is very sensitive to blue
§ one cone is very sensitive to green.
Colour matching systems
Colour matching

Three factors influence colour matching:

1. The object – whether rough, smooth, glossy or opaque
will affect the colour.
2. The illuminant – standard lights D65 or TL84 are used
for matching. Colours can change dramatically in
different lights. This is known as ‘metamerism’.
3. The observer – the eye influences colour
perception.
Metamerism

§ This occurs when the colour matches under

one light but not under another.
§ Typical light sources:
§ D65 is standard northern daylight
§ TL84 fluorescent light, usually in stores
§ tungstan filament globes.
§ A perfect match is made under D65
§ but may not match under other light sources.
Spectrophotometer
Defective colour vision

§ So-called ‘colour blindness’

§ affects about 8% of the male population.
§ It is due to defective receptors in the eye.
§ About 1% have only monochromatic vision
i.e. black and white.
§ Can be tested using the Ishihara test plates.
Fabric finishing

Any process that improves the performance or

characteristics of a textile fabric.

Temporary or permanent.

Process may be either mechanical or chemical.

Drying

§ Following any wet process, the first operation

finishing is drying.
§ The stenter is the most common dryer.
§ The fabric is held during the drying operation
on pins or clips. This ensures control of the
finished width.
§ Polyester wool blends are heat-set after
scouring prior to dyeing.
The stenter
Types of finishes

Mechanical finishes
Milling or felting of wool fabric
Pressing
Decatising
Brushing or raising.=
Singeing
Shearing
Chemical finishes
Shrink-resist treatments for wool
Flame proofing
Water proofing
Micro-encapsulated finishes.
Milling

§ Milling – an important process, particularly for

woollen fabrics.
§ Process relies on the both the scales of the
fibre and its elasticity.
§ Some worsted fabrics may be lightly milled to
achieve cover.
§ Modern milling machines can include scouring.
Flexicom machine - Zonco
Unmilled fabric

Milled fabric
Raising

Increasing the bulk of the fabric:

§ to give the fabric a pile
§ commonly used for blankets and polar fleece
§ heavy raising using wire
§ light treatment using emery paper to give
‘peach skin’ effect.
Raising system
Raising machine
Singeing

§ Polyester-wool blends are singed, usually after

dyeing, to minimise pilling.
§ The fabric is passed over an open gas flame.
§ Both the face and back are singed at the same
time.
Shearing or cropping

§ This process removes surface loose fibre.

The fabric is usually brushed to lift loose fibres
to the surface.
§ It is important in worsted fabrics to have a
clear finish.
§ Raised fabrics are cropped to give a uniform
surface finish – common to woollen fabrics.
§ Woollen flannels – a milled cloth is cropped to
give a uniform surface.
Shearing or cropping

§ This process removes surface loose fibre.

The fabric is usually brushed to lift loose fibres
to the surface.
§ It is important in worsted fabrics to have a
clear finish.
§ Raised fabrics are cropped to give a uniform
surface finish – common to woollen fabrics.
§ Woollen flannels – a milled cloth is cropped to
give a uniform surface.
Cropping/shearing machine
Decatising

§ Wet decatising is used to give set to the fabric

prior to wet processing.
§ Finish decatising imparts some lustre to the
finished fabric.
§ Conveys a degree of set to the fabric.
§ Increases dimensional stability.
§ Improves the finished handle of the fabric.
Vapofinish from Bisio, Italy
Chemical finishes

§ Modify the fibre surface:

§ to enhance performance
§ to modify wearer performance.
§ Change the properties of the fibre:
§ to increase resistance to various agents
§ Insects.
Antishrink wool

§ Removes scales and changes elastic

properties.
§ Current treatments consist of chlorination and
the addition of a resin.
§ Chlorination can be either wet or dry.
§ This treatment changes the dyeing properties
of the fibres.
§ Shrink-resist wool dyes darker.
Non-shrink wool

§ Two processes are used:

§ For top - treatment with gaseous chlorine (the
KroyProcess, a continuous process).
§ Wet chlorination using the sodium salt of di-chloro-
isocyanuric acid (Basolan DCTM BASF).
§ Chlorination modifies the surface scale structure:
§ A cationic resin, Hercosett, is usually applied as an
after treatment.
§ The resin treatment covers any scales that have not
been completely damaged.
Flame proofing

§ Important process for special fabrics:

§ Firefighters’ uniforms, aircraft upholstery, military
applications.
§ Wool has a high ignition temperature 570°-600°C.
§ For certain applications a specific treatment is required.
§ A durable flame retardant is obtained using zirconium
hexafluoride complexes.
Water-resistant finishes

§ Simplest utilises the principle of aluminium

soaps.
§ This is the standard shower-proof process.
§ Does not yellow the fabric.
§ Fluorochemical finishes provide both oil and
water repellency.
§ Silicone polymers are used extensively as
water repellent finishes.
Micro-encapsulated finishes

§ What is micro-encapsulation? A miniature

container that protects the chemical from
evaporation, oxidation and contamination until
its release is triggered.
§ Typical size 3 – 9 microns.
§ Release can be triggered by gentle rubbing.
§ Applied to the fabric together with a reactive
resin, so that the micro-capsule will withstand
normal household washing.
Courtesy of Devan Chemicals, Belgium
Microcapsules applied per m 2.
Applications for micro-capsules

§ Fragrances
§ Skin care products
§ Anti-microbials
§ Deordorants
§ Odour masking products
§ Insect repellents
§ Cosmetic oils
§ Vitamins
Inspection

§ Final operation
in the finishing
process.
§ Consistent
quality.
§ Reduces
returns.
Thank you