dyeing & printing

dyeing & printing

color is one of the most significant factors in the

appeal & marketability of textile products

manner in which color is added to a textile and the

chemical nature of the colorant contribute to product’s
•appearance
•performance
•rate of response to fashion change
•quality
•cost
color theory

complex phenomenon that combines

•the physics of light
•chemistry of colored objects
•biology of the eye
•behavioral sciences—social & cultural meaning of color
•aesthetics
colorants—pigments

insoluble color particles held on surface of a fabric by

a binding agent
•application is quick, simple & economical
•more than 80% of printed fabrics colored with
pigments
•fewer sustainability issues compared to dyes
•lower color strength—uses more pigment
•washdown can be a problem (losing color)
•used on short-run prints such
as university logos,
professional sports teams,
event t-shirts, etc…
 colorants—dyes
complex organic compounds used to add color to
materials by binding to them
•molecules dissolved in in water or some other carrier
that allows them to penetrate the fiber—stage added
affects penetration
•chemical additives used to regulate penetration
•great color strength
•small amount of dye colors large quantities of fabric
•used in either solutions or pastes (used for printing)
•thermoplastic fibers difficult to dye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SB
N3hDIz88Y
stages of dyeing

fiber stage—
•added to fibers before yarn spinning—slightly
irregular color (heathered or mottled)
•mass pigmentation (solution-dyed)—adding colored
pigments or dyes to spinning solution before fiber is
formed
•stock or fiber dyeing is expensive
stages of dyeing

yarn stage—
can be done with
• yarn in skeins— skein dyeing
• yarns wrapped on cones or packages—
package dyeing
• yarn wound on beams— beam dyeing
yarn-dyed fabrics more expensive to produce—
• larger inventories of yarn needed
• threading loom
considered to be better quality fabrics
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wfagh_MZRw&feature=related
participation activity:
yarn dyeing wool & kapok samples

…using the wool & kapok samples created in the yarn

spinning activity from a previous class, select a color
of kool-aid dye to experiment with
…put both samples in the same color for comparison
purposes
…leave in dye for duration of class
stages of dyeing
piece/fabric stage
piece dyeing—
when bolt or roll of fabric dyed
• usually produces solid-color fabrics
• generally costs less to dye
• color decisions can be delayed
cross dyeing—
piece dyeing of fabrics (sometimes yarns) made of
different generic fibers
• each fiber type bonds with a different dye class
union dyeing—
another type of piece dyeing that uses dyes suited to
each fiber type, mixed to produce same hue
stages of dyeing
product stage—
after fabric is cut & sewn into finished product
• great care must be taken in handling materials
& dyeing to produce level, uniform color
• button, thread, trim may be different color
because of differences in dye absorption
• important due to quick response to retail &
consumer demands
methods of dyeing
batch dyeing—
AKA exhaust dyeing—textile circulated through dye
bath, can be used in any stage of production
beck (reel or winch) dyeing—
•fabric (in loose rope) lifted in and out of dye bath by a
reel
jig dyeing—
•uses stationary dye bath with two rolls above bath—
fabric carried around rolls & rolled back and forth
pad dyeing—
•fabric run through dye bath in open width then
between squeeze rollers to force dye into fabric with
pressure
methods of dyeing

package dyeing—
dye bath forced through textile during yarn stage—
wound on core and placed on perforated spindle in
pressurized machine
methods of dyeing

combination dyeing—
both textile & dye bath are circulated
jet dyeing—
•similar to beck dyeing—fabric processed as
continuous loop
paddle machines, rotary drums or tumblers—
•used primarily for product dyeing
continuous machines—
•used for large fabric lots—include compartments
for wetting-out, dyeing, after-treatment, washing,
rinsing
methods of dyeing
resist dyeing—
block color absorption during yarn or fabric dyeing
batik—
•generally hand process using hot wax applied to
fabric in given design
tie dye—
•hand process in which areas of yarn or fabric are
wrapped with thread or string
ikat—
•ancient form of resist in which yarn is tied, dyed &
woven—requires great skill to determine placement
of design in finished fabric
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KkFc0JNsmO0
printing

•used to add color to localized areas only

•allows for greater design flexibility and relatively
inexpensive patterned fabric
•wet prints use a thick, liquid paste
•dry prints use a powder
•foam prints use a colorant dispersed in foam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6iVicNDx-00&feature=related
printing methods

direct printing—
color is applied directly to fabric in pattern & location
desired in finished fabric
block printing—
•hand process; oldest technique—expensive &
slow http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ4_0shRurE

warp printing—
•warp yarn printed before weaving
printing methods

discharge printing—
•piece-dyed fabrics in which design is made by
removing color from selected fabric areas
•usually done on dark backgrounds
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=91Y59-gSBi8&NR=1&feature=fvwp

screen printing
•incredibly versatile, simple process
•separate mesh screens used for each color
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQpmFFarsZA&feature=related
printing methods
digital printing—
•ink-jet printing
heat-transfer printing
•design transferred to fabric from specially printed paper by
heat & pressure
electrostatic printing
•prepared screen covered with powdered dye; passes through
electric field & pulled onto material
foil printing
•adhesive applied to fabric, foil heated on heat transfer press &
bonds to adhesive pattern
stencil printing
•separate pattern cut for each color, color is applied in thick
paste or sprayed on with air gun
participation activity:
yarn dyeing wool & kapok samples
…remove your yarn samples from the dye—please be
careful not to spill or dribble dye, clean up after
yourself
…rinse and wring out yarn samples well
…compare the two samples and answer the following
questions:
• how well did the wool take the dye?
• how well did the kapok take the dye?
• what differences between the two samples are readily
identifiable?
• which one do you like better?
• anything else you would like to add?
…lay out samples to dry in resource room—I will
collect & grade them later