Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes Polyester requires the use of disperse dyes. Other types of dyes leave the color of polyester almost entirely unchanged. While novices happily charge into dyeing with acid dyes (for wool or nylon) and fiber reactive dyes (for cotton and rayon), often with excellent results, the immersion dyeing of polyester is a different story.
However, disperse dye can be used by even young children to make designs on paper, which can then be transferred to polyester fabric, or other synthetics, with a hot iron. The possibilities are endless, using fabric crayons, rubber stamps, painting, and even screen printing.
Q:How can I dye a polyester dress? AB: Commonly, people who have never dyed anything before will e-mail us asking how they can dye dresses for good result. Attempting to do this would almost always be a grave error. Immersion dyeing with polyester is not a job for beginners; it is both more difficult and more dangerous than immersion dyeing cotton or wool. Furthermore, most such pre-made dresses are marked "dry clean only", and you simply cannot dye a garment that is not washable. Immersion dyeing polyester The difficulty with polyester dyeing is that it requires a lot of heat to get the dye into the fiber. Boiling water is not hot enough to do the job by itself, so a noxious-smelling carrier chemical must be added, for immersion dyeing. Polyester dye actually transfers to the fibers best at very high temperatures, the temperature of a hot iron, or higher. Before you decide to try immersion dyeing polyester, study the directions(future link site of AL AMIN BROTHERS you can see "Specific Instructions") to get an idea of how difficult it may be. Crayons Crayola, the maker of wax crayons for paper, also makes fabric crayons for use on polyester and other synthetics. These crayons consist of disperse dye
The powdered disperse dye can be mixed into paint to apply directly in any of several techniques.
Just as with the Crayola fabric crayons, you can use disperse dye to paint on paper, then iron it on to your fabric. Mix the dye with enough boiling water to dissolve it, then dilute with cool water to the desired strength - trial and error must be your guide here, keeping in mind that you cannot know how intense the final color will be until you actually iron it on, as it is much more beautiful on the cloth than on the paper.
How to Tie Dye Polyester Tie-dyeing polyester is not a project for the novice tie-dyer. Only a real expert should even consider it. If you are just starting out, please try to understand by click dyeing with fiber reactive dyes on cotton, rayon, or silk , first.
Direct Application Tie-Dyeing AL AMIN BROTHERS instructions (future link site of AL AMIN BROTHERS you can see "Specific Instructions") for direct application on polyester can be used for a more challenging approach that will give results similar to the currently popular cotton tie-dye techniques. After applying a paint that contains special thickener paste, citric acid, dye carrier, and disperse dye, steam or pressure steam for 30 to 60 minutes to set the dye in the fabric.
Specific Instructions AL AMIN provides excellent technical support for selected products, including online explicit directions for dyeing synthetic fibers
Solid Shade/Immersion on Polyester Solid Shade/Immersion on Nylon/Acetate Solid Shade/Immersion on Acrylic Painting & Printing/Direct Application on Polyester Painting & Printing/Direct Application on Nylon Transfer Printing
N.B:(future link site of AL AMIN BROTHERS for your "Specific Instructions")*
Directions for Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dye* (If any of these links ever break, just go directly to the company's web site and look around.)
Other names for synthetic fibers Polyester fibers are sold under various names, including the following: Crimplene, Dacron, Enkalen, Lavsan, Mylar, Tergal, Terlenka, Terylene, Trevira, Polarfleece, and Polartec. Polyester is, chemically, a fiber made of poly(ethylene terephthalate), and can be made from recycled plastic bottles. Plastics marked with the recycle logo containing a number 2 are HDPE (high density polyethylene), Nylon , chemically known as polyamide, is sold as Astron. The form described as Nylon 6,6 is stretch nylon, sold as Ban-Lon and BriNylon. Nylon 6 (polycaprolactam) is sold under the names Akulon, Amilen, Carpolan, Enkalon, Grillon, and Perlon. Nylon 11 is sold under the name of Rislan. Polypropylene should not be dyed at home or in the studio. It is popular for hiking socks and long undergarments. Names under which it is sold include Meraklon, Monolene, Polyfilene, Prolene, and Ulstron. Products marked with the recycle logo containing a number 5 are polypropylene. Polyvinyl chloride . Products marked with the recycle logo containing a number 3 are PVC.
Safety While the immersion dyeing with disperse dyes is difficult and somewhat dangerous, due to the temperatures required and the carrier chemicals, the disperse dye itself is considered non-toxic. Even children can engage in these crafts, if an adult is available to do the ironing step for them. All powdered dyes are dangerous to breathe, like most powdered substances. Even many foods can be quite damaging when inhaled in powdered form. Avoid breathing dye powder. Wear a dust mask while measuring any dye powder, and wipe up spilled dye, of any dye class, as it may turn back into powder when it dries.
Another safety issue is allergenicity. It seems that disperse dyes on fabric are more likely to cause allergies than other textiles dyes. Fiber reactive dyes are known for their ability to cause serious allergies to those who carelessly breathe the dye powder while measuring it out, but, once they are chemically bonded to the fiber and excess dye has been fully washed out, they are suitable for even the chemically sensitive. Disperse dye, in contrast, may cause allergic reactions in susceptible people, just by their wearing clothing dyed with it. This may be due to some dye molecules rubbing off of the fiber. This problem, though not at all common, may be seen with commercially dyed fabric as well as home-dyed fabric, and may be partially responsible for the preference for natural fiber clothing among the chemically sensitive.
AL AMIN has teken 'SAFETY' Reference fom: Am J Contact Dermat 2000 Mar;11(1):26-9 .)
SELECTED
DISPERSE DYES FOR
POLYESTER
BLUE BG
GREEN
NAVY BLUE CDN
NAVY BLUE FDF
BLACK PBSF
BLACK
BLACK RD-3G
BLACK SERN
BLACK SEGR
BLACK SRN
C.I DISPERSE
B-60
G-9
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
MIX
STANDARD DEPTH%
1.4
2.0
N1.7
N1.8
B3.0
B3.0
B2.9
B2.8
B2.8
B2.7
ENERGY TYPE
S
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
SE
DYEING PROPERTIES
PH STABILITY
4-9
4-6
4-9
4-9
4-6
4-6
4-6
4-9
4-8
4-9
CARRIERDYEING
**
**
**
**
-
**
-
**
**
**
THERMOSOL
***
**
**
**
**
**
*
**
**
**
PRINTING HPS
***
***
*
*
*
**
**
**
**
**
PRINTING HTS
**
***
*
*
*
*
**
*
*
*
YARN DYEING
***
***
*
*
**
**
*
**
**
**
STAINNING
COTTON
3-4
4-5
2-3
2-3
3-4
3-4
3
3
3
3
NYLON(FASTNESS)
4-5
4-5
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
FASTNESS
XENON-ARC LIGHT
+++
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
SUBLIMATION
++
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
WASHING
++
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
RUBBING DRY
+++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
RUBBING WET
+++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
CLASSIC 4
SELECTED
DISPERSE DYES FOR
POLYESTER
RUBINE 3BL
RUBINE BL5
RUBINE CB
VIOIET FBL
VIOIET 2RE
VIOIET 3RL
BLUE BBLS
BLUE
BLUE
C.I DISPERSE
R-82
R-179
V-33
V-26
V-28
V-63
B-165
MIX
B-183
STANDARD DEPTH%
0.6
0.65
0.55
1.5
1.0
0.55
0.7
0.7
0.8
ENERGY TYPE
SE
S
SE
S
E
S
S
SE
SE
DYEING PROPERTIES
PH STABILITY
4-6
4-8
4-6
4-7
4-6
4-6
4-6
4-6
4-9
CARRIERDYEING
**
**
**
**
***
-
-
**
**
THERMOSOL
***
***
***
***
*
***
**
**
**
PRINTING HPS
***
***
***
***
**
***
***
***
***
PRINTING HTS
***
***
***
***
*
***
***
**
**
YARN DYEING
**
**
**
**
**
**
-
-
-
STAINNING
COTTON
3-4
2-3
3-4
4-5
3
3-4
4
3-4
4-5
NYLON(FASTNESS)
2
2
2
3-4
3
2
3
2-3
3-4
FASTNESS
XENON-ARC LIGHT
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
++
+
SUBLIMATION
+
++
+
+
+
++
++
+
+
WASHING
+
++
+
++
+
+
+
+
+
RUBBING DRY
++
++
+
++
++
++
++
++
++
RUBBING WET
+
++
+
++
++
++
++
++
++
CLASSIC 3
SELECTED
DISPERSE DYES FOR
POLYESTER
SCARLET S2GL
SCARLET GS
SCARLET H-4GFS
BRILLIANT RED G
BRILLIANT RED BG
RED
RED F3BS
RED
RED
C.I DISPERSE
R-74
R-153
R153:1
R-277
R-362
R92
R343
R152
R177
STANDARD DEPTH%
0.9
0.7
0.7
1.3
2.0
1.7
0.6
0.65
0.85
ENERGY TYPE
SE
SE
SE
S
S
SE
SE
SE
S
DYEING PROPERTIES
PH STABILITY
4-6
4-9
4-9
4-8
4-6
4-9
4-9
4-8
4-8
CARRIERDYEING
-
**
*
*
*
***
*
***
*
THERMOSOL
*
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
***
PRINTING HPS
**
***
***
**
**
*
***
***
***
PRINTING HTS
**
**
***
**
**
-
**
**
***
YARN DYEING
*
**
**
**
**
**
**
**
*
STAINNING
COTTON
3-4
3
3
4-5
4
4-5
3-4
2-3
3
NYLON(FASTNESS)
2
2
2
3-4
3-4
2-3
2
2
2-3
FASTNESS
XENON-ARC LIGHT
+
+
+
-
-
++
+
+
+
SUBLIMATION
+
+
++
++
++
-
++
+
++
WASHING
+
+
+
++
++
+
+
+
++
RUBBING DRY
+
+
++
++
++
+
++
+
++
RUBBING WET
+
+
++
++
++
+
+
+
++
TRICHROMATIC
PALE-MEDIUM SHADES
MEDIUM-DARK SHADES(ECONOMICAL)
MEDIUM-DARK SHADES(BETTER FASHNESS)
selected
DISPERSE DYES FOR
POLYESTER
YELLOW
RED FB
BLUE FBLN
ORANGE P3G
RUBINE
NAVY
ORANGE CYD
RUBINE CBR
NAVY BLUE
C.I DISPERSE
Y-54
R-60
B-56
O-168
R-73
MIX
O-30
R-167
B79
STANDARD DEPTH%
1.0
1.0
1.0
0.65
0.6
N1.8
1.0
0.8
N2.0
ENERGY TYPE
E
E
E
SE
SE
SE
S
S
S
DYEING PROPERTIES
PH STABILITY
4-10
4-10
4-10
4-9
4-6
4-9
4-9
4-7
4-6
CARRIER DYEING
***
***
***
**
**
**
**
**
-
THERMOSOL
**
**
**
*
***
**
***
***
***
PRINTING HPS
**
*
**
*
***
*
***
***
***
PRINTING HTS
-
-
*
-
*
*
***
***
***
YARN DYEING
**
**
**
**
**
*
***
***
***
STAINNING
COTTON
3-4
3
2
4
4
3-4
4-5
3-4
3-4
NYLON(FASTNESS)
3
2-3
2
2-3
2-3
2-3
2
2
2
FASTNESS
XENON-ARC LIGHT
++
++
++
+
+
+
++
++
+
SUBLIMATION
+
-
+
+
+
+
++
++
++
WASHING
+
+
+
+
+
+
++
+
++
RUBBING DRY
+
+
+
++
++
++
+++
+++
+++
RUBBING WET
+
+
+
++
++
++
+++
++
++
CLASSIC 1
selected
DISPERSE DYES FOR
POLYESTER
YELLOW 10GF
YELLOW 6GSL
YELLOW 5GL
YELLOW 4G
YELLOW 3G
ORANGE GL
ORANGE 2G
ORANGE 3R
ORANGE RF
C.I DISPERSE
Y-199
Y-114
Y-119
Y-211
Y-64
O-29
O-44
O-25
O-73
STANDARD DEPTH%
1.3
0.9
0.8
0.7
0.8
0.7
0.65
0.65
0.8
ENERGY TYPE
S
S
S
SE
SE
SE
SE
E
S
DYEING PROPERTIES
PH STABILITY
4-7 4-7 4-6 4-6 4-9 4-8 4-8 4-7 4-9
CARRIERDYEING
- - ** * *** ** * *** -
THERMOSOL
* *** *** ** ** ** ** * ***
PRINTING HPS
** *** *** ** ** ** *** * ***
PRINTING HTS
** *** *** ** * * * - *
YARN DYEING
** *** ** * ** ** * *** *
STAINNING
COTTON
3-4 4-5 4-5 4-5 2-3 2 3-4 2 2-3
NYLON(FASTNESS)
3-4 3 3-4 3-4 2-3 2 3-4 2-3 2-3
FASTNESS
XENON-ARC LIGHT
- ++ + + ++ ++ ++ + ++
SUBLIMATION
++ +++ ++ + + + + - +++
WASHING
+ ++ ++ + + + + + ++
RUBBING DRY
++ +++ ++ +++ ++ + ++ + +++
RUBBING WET
++ +++ ++ ++ ++ + ++ + +++
