The dyeing process of polyester depends on so many variables that it’s impossible to create a one-size-fits-all recipe to speed up dyeing time. Machine type, water quality, dyestuff, auxiliaries, dyeing method, end-use: they all have an impact. Then there’s the influence of the polyester type itself, and the many blends it’s used in. 100 per cent polyester responds to dyeing processes differently compared to a blend of polyester or cotton. This is why many dyehouse managers and technical engineers came up with rules of thumb to make sure absolutely nothing goes wrong, no matter the variables. It resulted in a dyeing time of around 200-220 minutes. Tanatex is trying to break away from this thumb rule.
“It’s safe to say that, in order to speed up polyester dyeing time, we need to let go of rules of thumb. Instead, focus on your specific situation,†said Harald Gruenewald, business development manager of classical textiles at Tanatex Chemicals. “Which machines and dyestuff do you use? What type of auxiliaries do you add? Do you work with blends or with 100 per cent polyester? The answers to these questions help to find the perfect balance between speed and quality, which is different for every dyehouse.
To get to this balance, you can’t go around the lab. Our lab technicians measure how much time you can save in which phase of the dyeing process. The first part of the heating process, for example, is a relatively safe part as colours start to migrate to the fabric around 90 degrees. At 130 degrees, colour migration is in full swing, meaning you need to slow down just a little bit to get to evenly spread colours.