Dyeing and Colorfastness in Fabrics THIS PUBLICATION IS out of DATE. for Most Current Information
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TODAY'S CLOTHING CARE Dyeing and -„ OREGON STATE UNIVHSITY &% EXTENSION SERVICE Colorfastness in Fabrics '^/UV Tptf^Jty L.P. Simpson and A. W. Koester control testing of the fabric to ascertain its Oregon State University Extension olor is an important characteris- colorfastness. The consumer should return Service publications. The publications listed ticc of a textile product and is often one of the the garment to the store or to the below are available from OSU Agricultural first factors considered by a consumer. Color manufacturer for refund or replacement. Communications. To order, send the amount This publication is one of a set has always been vital to textiles. Making Retailers and manufacturers must learn to shown to: dyes and dyeing fabrics are ancient use performance specifications for colorfast- written to help consumers select processes, predating written history. DATE. ness, thereby insuring that products meet Natural dyes and pigments obtained from Publications Orders and care for today's clothing. high standards. Performance specifications Agricultural Communications plants, animals, insects, and minerals were for a wide range of apparel and home Oregon State University Three of the publications—fibers used as coloring agents for cloth until slightly furnishings textiles have been developed by OF Administrative Services A422 more than a hundred years ago. The best the American Society for Testing and known of the traditional dyes from plants Corvallis, OR 97331-2119 and fabrics; information found Materials (ASTM). The American Associa- included indigo, woad, madder, fustic, tion of Textile Chemists and Colorists (503)737-2513 on garment labels; and dyeing logwood, cutch, and safflower. The insects (AATCC) have developed colorfastness Fax:(503)737-0817 and colorfastness—aid consum- kermes and cochineal were widely used to specifications and tests. These groups are We offer discounts on orders of 100 or obtain reds. Some iron oxides gave pale working together to provide high quality, OUT more copies of a single title. Please call for ers in evaluating clothing and colors to certain fabrics, and shellfish near American-made textile products in today's Tyre on the Mediterranean provided small price quotes. market. household textiles. Those on quantities of the dyestuff IScalled Tyrian purple Garment Labels: The Consumer's Information used for royalty. Unfortunately, few of these laundry aids and laundry natural dyes formed colorfast combinations For more information Source, EC 1279. $1.00 detergents and soaps help with the fabric, even with the use of * TODAY'S CLOTHING CARE Hollen, N., Saddler,]., Langford, A. and Fibers and Fabrics Update, EC 1281. 750 mordants, chemicals that combine with a dye Kadolph, S. J. (1988). Textiles. New York: to form an insoluble substance. Macmillan, Inc. Professional Clothing Care Services, EC consumers choose effective reflected, the object appears white; if all the In 1856 an English chemist named William light rays are absorbed, the object appears Joseph, M. (1988). Essentials of Textiles. 1282.750 cleaning products. The publica- Perkin discovered aniline, a coal tar New York: Holt, Rinehard and Winston, information:black. Different light sources (natural, Laundry Detergents and Soaps, EC 1283. derivative, which dyed white silk a Inc. tion on professional clothing incandescent, fluorescent) may reflect the $1.00 reddish-purple color he called mauve. His same color differently. Price, A., Cohen, A. and Pizzuto, J. (1987). discovery led to additional research and the Fabric Science. New York: Fairchild Selecting and Using Laundry Aids, EC 1284. care services discusses working Dyes and pigments. Dyes are defined as eventual synthesis of a wide range of chemical compounds that can be attached to Publishing. 750 with a dry cleaner. chemical dyes. Today there are many Tortora, P. G. (1987). Understanding fabric in a more or less permanent state, and International Clothing Care Symbols, PNW hundreds of dyes and colors, in a variety of that evoke the visual sensation of a color. Textiles. New York: Macmillan, Inc. chemical categories, from which to choose. 284. 250 Dyes react differently with different fibers. currentWith the exception of logwood for black, The reaction of dye with the fiber can be both PUBLICATIONnatural dyes are no longer used for a chemical and a physical reaction. large-scale, commercial production but are Pigments also evoke color, but must be limited to use among fiber artists. High cost, held on the fabric surface by a resin binder limited availability, and poor colorfastness led because there is no chemical or physical to the rapid decline of these dyes. reaction with the fiber as occurs with dyes. most Pigments are finely ground colored particles, THIS similar to dust. They are not soluble and Seeing color cannot penetrate the fiber surface. In For The visual sensation of color requires three addition to surface printing using binders, things: the eye containing the retina where pigment particles can also be mixed with Extension Service, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Lyla Houglum, interim director. This publication was produced and distributed in nerve cells are stimulated, an object that liquid fiber-spinning solutions to add color to furtherance of the Acts of Congress of May 8 and June 30, 1914. Extension work is a cooperative program of Oregon State University, manufactured fibers. the U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Oregon counties. http://extension.oregonstate.edu/catalogcontains the dye or pigment and provides the color sensation, and a source of light so that LoEma Simpson, assistant professor, textiles, Oregon State University Extension Service offers educational programs, activities, and materials.—without regard to race, color, the object is visible. (You can't see the color religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, marital status, disability, and disabled veteran or Vietnam-era veteran status—as Department of Apparel, Interiors, Housing, and required by Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, and Section 504 of the Rehabilita- of your clothes in a completely dark closet!) Merchandising; and Ardis W. Koester, Extension tion Act of 1973. Oregon State University Extension Service is an Equal Opportunity Employer. EC 1280 The color that is visible comes from the textiles and clothing specialist, Oregon State reflected light rays. If all the light rays are Reprinted August 1995 University. TODAY'S CLOTHING CARE Application of color to fabric. In order Piece dyeing describes the process of Dye classes only a certain number of colors exist. Consumers should consider both the store Colorfastness problems can result from for a textile to be dyed, the dye must dyeing the entire bolt or roll of fabric in a Actually, most fabrics are dyed with a lighting and the lighting in which the outfit will improper dye selection by the dyer; the use Dye classifications include acid, azoic, basic, penetrate the fiber and either combine solid color. When a fabric of blended fibers, combination of two or three colors of the be worn. of inferior, less expensive dyes; use of a chrome, direct, developed direct, disperse, chemically with it or be physically locked such as cotton and polyester, is piece dyed a same dye class to achieve the desired hue. In general, each dye classification is used fabric for other than its intended purpose; inside the fiber structure. Certain fibers dye solid color, it is called union dyed. In union reactive, sulfur, and vat dyes. The names of For this reason, selecting colored garments only on certain fibers. The dyes most often combining fabrics with varying colorfastness; more readily than others. Fibers that dye dyeing two dyes are combined in the same these dye classes generally relate to the that matchDATE. under all types of light can be used on cellulosic fibers such as cotton, linen, or incorrect care methods. For a product to easily have two characteristics: they are dyebath, with each dye suited to one of the method of dye application or the chemical difficult, as different types of light may cause ramie, and rayon include vat, reactive, retain its appearance, the consumer must absorbent and they contain sites in their fibers but both dyes giving the same color. composition of the dye. Within each dye class the dye combination to look different. direct, sulfur, and azoic dyes. The dyes used follow the permanent care label instructions. chemical structure to react with the dye Piece dyeing is less expensive than fiber or most frequently on protein fibers such as If a product is unsatisfactory, the consumer molecules. Dye classifications that are best yarn dyeing, and the color decision can be OF wool and silk include acid, chrome, and should return it to the store so retailers and suited for certain fibers are described later in made closer to fashion market usage. Dye Dye Fibers Colorfastness Characteristic reactive dyes. Manufactured fibers will take manufacturers are made aware of poor this publication. penetration is usually excellent for piece- Acid dyes Wool, silk, Bright colors. Most have poor colorfastness to washing. Vary from poor basic and disperse dyes and certain acid, quality merchandise. Color can be applied to textile products at dyed light- and medium-weight fabrics, but nylon, span- to good in fastness to light and perspiration. Excellent fastness to dry azoic, and reactive dyes. In addition, pigment Some dyes, especially when used for dark various stages of manufacture. However, for heavyweight fabrics piece dyeing may not dex, modi- cleaning. colors may be added to the fiber solution. or bright colors, are applied in excess to colorfastness is primarily affected by allow thorough penetration of the yarns. fied rayon, OUT achieve the desired color. When the textile is selecting the right dyestuff to penetrate a Garment dyeing is done after the garment acrylic, washed, the excess dye "bleeds" and is particular fiber content, and not by the stage has been cut and sewn together.