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The Science Behind Long-lasting Whites .

Published The three components that make for long-lasting whites are dye
November 18, 2021 transfer inhibition, optical brightening, and anti-greying, also
known as anti-redeposition.
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Stop Dye Transfer

Related Products We can prevent the movement of dye from one fabric to another
Sokalan® HP 56 K during the wash with a polymer like Polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) or
Sokalan® HP 20 homopolymers. More advanced polymers, like Sokalan® HP 56
Sokalan® CP 9
K and Sokalan HP 66 K, prove to be more effective for a range of
Sokalan® PA 30 CL
dye colors, including red, blue, and black, as shown below
Tinopal® CBS-X

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Sokalan® HP 96
Tinopal® CBS SP Slurry 33
Sokalan® HP 165
Sokalan® CP 5
Sokalan® PA 25 CL

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addition of polymers is the most extreme. Sokalan® HP 165 and
Sokalan HP 53, which are PVPs of molecular weight 9,000 and
Tackling Tough Soils 40,000 respectively, slightly reduce the level of dye transfer.
See More Sokalan HP 56 K and Sokalan HP 66 K provide the optimal level
of dye transfer inhibition.The Vinylpyrrolidone/Vinylimidazole co-
polymer makes Sokalan HP 56 and Sokalan HP 66 effective at
complexing with a wide range of dyes.

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As you can see in the “Comparison of Sokalan Dye Transfer

Inhibitors” chart, Sokalan® HP 56 and Sokalan HP 66 are highly
effective at inhibiting the transfer of Direct Blue and Direct Red
dyes, and slightly less effective in preventing the transfer of Direct
Black and Direct Orange dyes.

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Our eyes’ perception of white prefers bluish whites over yellowish

whites. Optical brighteners, like Tinopal, absorb UV-light and re-
emit it as a visible blue fluorescence light, making the fabric
appear closer to the ‘optimal’ white.

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Newly purchased fabrics have optical brighteners embedded in

the fiber. After multiple washes, these brighteners wash away; the
perceivable difference between whites washed with a detergent
containing Tinopal, and those without an optical brightener
increases dramatically after 10-20 washes.

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Stop Fabric Greying

Polymers like Sokalan® HP 20, Sokalan HP 96, Sokalan CP 5,

Sokalan CP 9, and Sokalan PA 25 CL and Sokalan PA 30 CL,
bind to dirt and remain suspended in the wash liquor, preventing
the soil from depositing on the fibers. This keeps fibers whiter
when washed and prevents graying.

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