Dyeing & Printing Printing and Dyeing

Dyeing Dyeing & Printing Dyeing textiles involves immersing or dipping a fabric or fibre into a coloured dye to change its colour. This is something that has been done for many centuries. There needs to be some way of making sure that the pigment doesn’t wash out when the fabric is washed, and so the colour needs to be fixed onto the fabric. When dyeing fabric it is important that: The right colour is achieved, and the colour is even The colour is fixed so that it does not run/wash out The dye does not damage the fabric/yarn The process can be repeated with exactly the same colour resulting. Pigment = colour mordant = the chemical that fixes the dye

Dyeing Methods - Chemical Dyeing & Printing This technique is particularly good for: Natural fabrics Small quantities Chemical dyeing uses pigment dyes with salts to fix them. Fabric is immersed in the dye bath until the right depth of colour is achieved. This is the sort of dyeing that can be done at home. The best sort of fabrics to take up the dyes are things like cottons and silks – natural fabrics. There are cold water dyes available, and also dyes that can be put into the washing machine with the fabric to be done. The machine is then set to a wash cycle and the fabric dyed.

Dyeing Methods - Natural Dyeing & Printing This technique is particularly good for: Natural fabrics Small quantities Many companies are becoming more environmentally friendly and are using more natural dyes. These natural dyes are what used to be used years ago before the advent of the chemical processes. These work better with natural or regenerated fabrics and they require a mordant to fix them. It is difficult to reproduce the same colour each time.

Dyeing Methods - Industrial Dyeing & Printing Fabric in industry is usually dyed in one of three methods as follows: Pad or continuous – the fabric goes through a dye bath and then is squeezed through rollers to ensure that the dye penetrated evenly. Semi continuous - the fabric goes through the dye pads and is held on the roll for a couple of hours. Batch - the dye is held in the dyeing machine, it can also be fixed in that machine too. Pollution – is an issue with industrial dyeing methods. Manufacturers in the UK have strict guidelines on disposal of waste.

Dyeing Methods - Industrial Dyeing & Printing Industrial dyeing can be done at different stages as follows. Fibre stage – the fibres are done in vats until they are uniformly coloured. Liquid polymer stage: in synthetic fibres the dye is applied before the fibre is actually formed. Yarn stage: the yarn is dyed, but the colour does not penetrate as uniformly. Fabric stage – this is known as piece dyeing. It is cost effective because manufacturers can hold undyed fabric and dye it when needed. Cross dyeing is when two different yarns are in the fabric and they take up the dye at different rates – giving stripes and checks.

Dip Dyeing Dyeing & Printing This technique is done by dipping parts of fabric into dye. The fabric can then be dipped again in another coloured dye to get two or more colours blending together. If you fold the fabric first then you can get some really interesting patterns from dip dyeing. Folding the fabric as in the picture above, and then dipping the corners into dyes gives you a patterned effect.

Tie Dyeing Dyeing & Printing Tie and dye – how to. Bind the fabric in different places with thread or elastic bands really tightly. Soaking the fabric in water first ensures that the dye take up is even (you can miss this out). Dye the fabric following the dye manufacturers instructions. Rinse out the extra dye. Remove the bindings and dry the fabric. Things like buttons and pebbles can be tied in for extra effects. In tie and dye, parts of the fabric are isolated and blocked off from the dye penetrating. This makes patterns on the fabric – especially when the fabric is re-dyed with another colour and different parts blocked off. Any fabric can be used as long as the right dye and fixative (mordant) are used with it. It is a good idea to wash fabric off first in case there has been some sort of finish applied that prevents absorption of the dye. If more than one coloured dye is used, then though should be given to the colour order in which the fabric is to be dyed, and the combinations of colours used.

Batik Dyeing & Printing Other resist methods of dyeing: The word ‘batik’ comes from Indonesia and means ‘wax writing’. Hot wax is applied to areas of the fabric. A special tool called a TJANTING is used to apply the wax – or a brush. The areas that have got wax on do not take up the dye. The dye has to be a cold one so as not to melt the wax resist. Absorbent fabrics like cotton and silk are the best sorts of fabric to use. Fabric can then be dipped into the dye or stretched onto a frame and the dye painted on. The wax is then removed either with an iron or boiling water. Other resist methods of dyeing: As well as wax, gutta can be used as the resist. Flour and water paste can also be used. RESIST is the name given to what you use to stop the dye from penetrating the fabric.

Key facts to remember The exam: Fabric Enhancement Key words: Applique Quilting Patchwork Beading Embroidery. Key facts to remember Different enhancement techniques suit different purposes. Safety (in the case of children) and comfort are important considerations. Many of these techniques are time consuming and add to the cost. The exam: You may need to write out and sketch instructions in the exam for how to do one of the decorative techniques. Make sure that you know how to do applique and quilting.