Carpet Dye Systems – Part 1 Dye Basics Pre-Dye Methods

Color To see color we need – A source of light A dye or a pigment

Color White light is a blend of all colors. We see color when some light is absorbed and other is reflected.

Light Sources Not all light is white. For example florescent lights have more blue. Incandescent lights have more yellow. Colors can appear to change due to light sources, shadows and reflections Show the two tone tie.

Primary Colors Red, Yellow & Blue are Primary colors. All other colors can be made by blending the three primary colors. Yellow + Blue = Green Small and nearly equal amounts of all three produce grays. Small unequal amounts of all three gives shades of brown.

Dyes and Pigments Dyes are liquids. Think of them as being absorbed into the fiber. Like drops of food coloring in a glass of water, dyes blend to give the final color. Pigments are solids. They can coat a surface as paint does.

When Is a Carpet Dyed? Carpet can be dyed at many points in the manufacturing process. Pre-Dyeing means fibers are dyed before being made into carpet. Processes that add color later are called Post-Dye methods.

Scott’s Rule-of-Thumb The earlier in the process that color is added, the more stable the color is.

Solution Dyeing Colored pellets are added prior to extrusion. Color is all the way through the fiber like the color in a carrot compared to a radish. This color resists chemicals, bleach and even sun fading

Solution Dyeing Molten material Colored pellets added to olefin or nylon Molten material Fibers are extruded through spinnerets, cooled and wound onto spools

Significance Solution dyed carpets can be safely cleaned with aggressive chemicals such as Flex and Traffic Slam. All olefin and some nylon, usually for the hospitality industry, is solution dyed.

Stock Dyeing Fiber stock is dyed before being spun into yarn. Fibers placed in kettles of dye under heat and pressure Used for staple fibers Large bales are blended for uniformity

Stock Dyeing Staple fibers not yet spun into yarn Kettle of dye

Significance Stock dye is often used for single colors in large rooms. Blending permits even color with no streaks. Stock dyeing is for staple fibers and thus fuzzing is possible. Be cautious using high pH chemicals. Colors are stable, but not as stable as solution dyed.

Yarn Dyeing Similar to stock dyeing, but done after the fibers are spun into yarn. Very even color for small batches but hard to match dye lots from one batch to the next. Can’t be blend with other batches since it is already spun into yarn Expensive due to extra labor Yarn must be wind onto skeins and then unwind after dyeing. This method may also be called Skein Dyeing.

Yarn Dyeing Skeins of yarn Kettle of dye Yarn must be wind onto skeins and then unwind after dyeing. This method may also be called Skein Dyeing. Kettle of dye

Significance Frequently used for custom patterns with CYP (computerized yarn placement) Use of pH higher than 10 can contribute to color loss. Use such products only as a last resort.

Custom Yarn Placement using yarn dyed fibers. Rosen Plaza Hotel Courtesy of Templeton Carpet Mills Courtesy of Burton Carpet

Space Dye Long lengths of yarn are knitted into a tube or sock. Various colored dyes are sprayed onto the sock. The yarn is unraveled or “de-knitted” resulting in a multi-colored yarn. When tufted into carpet the yarn will appear to have random color variations or a heather appearance.

Significance Lacking heat or pressure, dyes do not penetrate deeply into the yarn. Colors can be lost due to heavy wear, fading from chemicals, sunlight or gases in the air.

In part 2 we will consider post-dye methods. Coming Attractions In part 2 we will consider post-dye methods. Space Dyeing Continuous Range Beck Dyeing Printing