Dye-fibre association

In all dyeing processes the first step is to impregnate the textile material with dye solution. An important requirement is the movement of the dye into the structure of the fibre. In addition, the ability of certain types of dye to interact with the polymer material that makes up the fibre determines whether or not that type of dye is suitable for a particular fibre.

Organic dyes are classified into groups according to their ability to dye various fibres, and some of the main dye classes and their suitability for different fibres are shown opposite.