From fashionwear to racing overalls – reliable and economical dyeing of high- quality fabrics made from cationic dyeable fibres

From fashionwear to racing overalls – reliable and economical dyeing of high- quality fabrics made from cationic dyeable fibres

From fashionwear to racing overalls – reliable and economical dyeing of high- quality fabrics made from cationic dyeable fibres

Keywords:Dyes, Colours technology

Cationic dyeable fibres are frequently used in modern fibre blends, especially when a combination of brilliant shades and top fastness properties is required. However, dyeing multifunctional fabrics is very demanding. The increasing variety of fibre blends means dyers need a wide range of carefully matched dyes as well as extensive knowledge of the properties of fibres and how to dye them. DyStar's restructured Astrazonw range makes it the market leader in this field. The optimised product range is designed to help textile finishers meet top quality requirements while minimising costs (Plate 1).

Plate 1 The new Astrazon range offers a full range of shades for all types of cationic dyeable fibres

Manmade fibres such as acrylics and other cationic dyeable fibres allow designers to create a wide variety of articles without having to worry about problems like wear comfort. That is why they are popular for fashionable knitwear and functional sportswear as well as table linen, upholstery velvets, carpets, bathmats and even the fabrics used for cuddly toys and imitation fur. Alongside polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fibres, there is growing demand for specialities such as modacrylic, cationic dyeable polyester and polyamide and m-aramid fibres. Modacrylic fibres are mainly used as flame retardant component in household textiles and functional fabrics such as blankets in planes. Cationic dyeable polyester is frequently found in top-fashion sports and leisurewear, while blends of cationic dyeable polyamide with standard polyamide increase the variety of shades that can be obtained on carpets using the differential dyeing method. Workwear made from m- aramid fibres such as Nomexw protects fire-fighters in extreme conditions and fireproof overalls made of the same material have long been indispensable in motor racing.

The properties of cationic dyeable synthetics are as multifarious as their applications. Evidently, such fibres are not easy to dye so textile finishers need the necessary expertise. For example, for special processes such as dyeing PAN fibres during the wet spinning process high-quality liquid dyes that meet narrow quality tolerances are essential. The impact of steam and heat during production of the fibres places enormous demands on the Astrazon liquid dyes. However, the benefit is that the fibres can be dyed during the spinning process, thus reducing the dyeing process from hours to just seconds.

The new face of Astrazon

DyStar has restructured its broad offering of cationic dyes under the motto “The new face of Astrazon”. The restructured range is geared to the latest fibre trends and reflects today's wide range of fibres and fibre blends, rapidly changing fashion trends and steadily rising expectations. New and optimised dyes have been integrated to round out the range. All imaginable shades can now be created with Astrazon dyes: from specialities such as fluorescent yellow and red to popular black and navy blue hues.

There is no doubt that DyStar markets the world's widest and most balanced range of cationic dyes. It can therefore offer solutions for all types of cationic dyeable fibres. Unlike conventional Colour Index products, Astrazon dyes meet consistently high quality standards, providing the basis for reliable and economical dyeing processes (Plate 2).

Plate 2 In the world's only pilot gel dyeing facility, DyStar tests new liquid dyes, auxiliaries and fibres under operating conditions

Clear benefits for textile finishers

Innovations and cost savings are vital to withstand international competition in the textile industry. As the world's premier supplier of textile dyes, DyStar offers customers the benefits of maximum colour confidence and controlled coloration through its Astrazon dyes.

Colour confidence means the products meet top standards of production fastness and shade consistency throughout the production process and have excellent service properties. Besides having extremely high light and wet fastness, Astrazon dyes meet the high weather fastness specifications set for outdoor articles. Other highlights are good solubility and low dusting, ensuring excellent industrial hygiene. What is more, with Astrazon dyes conformance to all common ecological standards including Oeko Tex Standard 100 is no problem.

Controlled coloration ensures that dyeing and printing processes run smoothly. Astrazon quality dyes enable experienced dyers to achieve “right-first- time” quotas of up to 98 percent because all Astrazon dyes are extremely well- matched, allowing reliable dyeing even if process conditions fluctuate. An additional benefit is that dyeing processes can be optimised with the aid of Optidye®, a computer software. That avoids faulty dyeings, reduces unit production costs and raises productivity.

Always a step ahead

DyStar is one of the few suppliers that invest in in-house research and development in the field of cationic dyes. At its headquarters in Frankfurt, Germany, it has the world's only pilot gel dyeing facility, which is used to develop new liquid dyes and test and develop auxiliaries and fibres in simulated operating conditions. This has enabled DyStar to increase its leading edge in cationic dyes in recent years. DyStar offers textile finishers an attractive package of optimised Astrazon dyes and extensive service. That is the key to reliable dyeing of modern fabrics, without closing the doors to innovation (Plate 3).

Plate 3 Cationic dyeable fibres have gained ground in recent years and now have a firm place in modern fibre blends