Faerben - Und - AusruestenGB Dyeing For Knits

Dorlastan Dyeing and Finishing of Woven and Knitted Fabrics
Dyeing and
Finishing of
Woven and
Knitted Fabrics
Asahi Kasei Spandex Europe GmbH

41519 Dormagen, Germany
Reg. NO 3083
Contents Page
1. From Greige Goods to Finished Article 3
1.1 Relaxation 4
1.1.1 Relaxation on Steaming Tables 4
1.1.2 Relaxation by Steaming at the Tenter Feed End 5
1.1.3 Relaxation by Means of Hot Water 5
1.2 Hot-air Setting 5
1.3 Wet Treatment 5
1.3.1 Scouring 5
1.3.2 Dyeing Method 6
1.4 Aftertreatment 7
2. Article Characteristics and their Influences on the Procedure 7
2.1 Raschel Knits 7
2.2 Warp-knits 8
2.3 Knits 10
2.3.1 Flat Knits 10
2.3.2 Circular Knits 10
2.4 Wovens 12
3. Bleaching, Fluorescent Whitening and Dyeing 13
3.1 Dorlastan/Polyamide 13
3.1.1 Scouring 13
3.1.2 Fluorescent Whitening 13
3.1.3 Dyeing 14
3.2 Dorlastan/Polyester 15
3.2.1 Scouring 16
3.2.2 Fluorescent Whitening 16
3.2.3 Dyeing 17
3.3 Dorlastan/Wool 18
3.4 Dorlastan/Cotton 19
Appendix 24
Published by and responsibility Approval
gez. ppa. Schmidt gez. Nahl
Marketing Dorlastan Geschäftsführer
Edition: 01: 07/94 02: 09/98 03: 01/04 04: 07/04 05: 04/05 06: 03/06
2
1. From Greige Goods to Finished Article
The characteristic features of an elastic fabric are extensibility and elastic

recovery. They are achieved with the help of elastane threads which are
incorporated in stretched condition during greige fabric production. In the course
of the subsequent storage and finishing, the greige fabric with the elastane
threads is relaxed and becomes compressed, and thus obtains its elasticity. The
amount of stretch of an elastic fabric depends on the fabric structure formed by
the non-elastic yarns, which in turn is strongly influenced by the processing
technique (circular knit, warp knit, etc.). The elastic recovery is determined by
the retractive force of the stretched elastane threads and by the resistance of the
compressed textile structure.
Greige fabric is not suited for making-up, so the appropriate conditions for
achieving the desired finished article properties must be created prior to this step.
They include color, luster and touch for both, elastic as well as non-elastic fabrics.
Elastic fabrics must additionally provide reoverable stretch. To meet these
requirements, suitable finishing processes must be chosen that are able to
produce finished articles of nice appearance and hand with the desired technical
and elastic properties.
Greige fabric should always be delivered to the finisher on rolls because many
qualities show a strong tendency to shrink if plaited down, which may result in
irreversible crease and lay mark formation. Moreover, unrelaxed greige goods
should not be stored for a long time in rolled-up, and particularly tightly rolled-up,
condition because such storage may lead to moiré formation.
If stored in warm and humid condition, elastic greige goods, especially elastic
knits, may start to become denser before finishing is even begun. As a
consequence, fabric width and m2-weight may change. To enable the finisher to
take such circumstances into account, the greige good supplier must provide him
with all the details of manufacture.
If such details are not available to the finisher, as it frequently happens, he should
find out about the shrinkage by preliminary tests, especially if he is not familiar
with the good and works with the fabric for the first time. A good method to
determine the maximum density of any fabric is to boil a piece of the greige
cloth and subsequently dry it tension-free, e.g. in a tumbler. Such treatment will
cause any fabric to shrink extremely as it would never do in normal processing
procedures. The degree of shrinkage tells the finisher which are the most suitable
finishing procedures for the respective fabric.
Regardless whether a greige fabric containing elastane displays a strong natural

tendency to shrink or whether the shrinkage must be enhanced, the customer’s
requirements must always have first priority. The maximum shrinkage must be
appropriate to reach the desired m2-weight, running length and width in the
finished product. If this is achieved after relaxation, and there is no other reason
to apply it, you may well do without heat setting (e.g. in case of raschel power
nets).
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If however, the dimensions of the relaxed fabric does not meet the customer’s
requirements for width and weigth, or if the edges show excess curl (e.g. with
warp knits) heat setting is inevitable.
Another important point in this context is dimensional stability (i.e. low shrinkage
values). If hot air fixation is applied to influence m2-weight and stretch, it must be
sufficient to create this stability.
Once a greige good has been relaxed and possibly stabilized, it must be ensured
that the resulting properties are not unnecessarily endangered or even lost during
further processing. This means:
– Tensions in longitudinal direction should be kept as low as possible

– Wet treatment temperatures should not exceed 100°C (except for articles
containing polyester)
– Chemicals that impair the elastic properties of Dorlastan should not be
applied
– The combined strain resulting from chemicals, time, temperature and tension
should be reduced to a minimum.
Like other fabrics, elastic fabrics must be subjected to all the standard
operations of finishing, such as scouring, setting, dyeing, dressing and possibly
raising, shearing or decatizing. In addition, however, further measures are
necessary to develop, stabilize, and maintain or reverse the stretch effect
You find a description of the various operations involved in the finishing of elastic
fabrics in the following sections.
1.1 Relaxation
The greige fabric can be relaxed by means of steam or hot water. For this
purpose, the fabric must be fed to the machine with low tension so that it can
shrink freely at least to the desired cloth density.
1.1.1 Relaxation on steaming tables
This method is widely used. The shrinkage is largely determined by the article
itself, but can be controlled to a certain extent via the steam amount and the
feeding speed. The greige fabric is put onto the steaming table with overfeed,
taken off tensionless and then rolled up. If the fabric has a strong tendency to
curl at the edges (e.g. warp knits) or if a prescribed width must be achieved, it is
recommended to use steaming tables with lateral spiked chain guides.
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1.1.2 Relaxation by Steaming at the Tenter Feed End
Relaxation by steaming at the tenter feed end allows greater control of the cloth
shrinkage by means of overfeed and width adjustment of the tenter frame.
A special advantage of this method is the constant fabric width over the entire
batch, so that the fabric can be rolled up evenly afterwards. This is an essential
prerequisite for a subsequent treatment in the dyeing beam.
When steamed in the tenter feed an elastic fabric does not shrink as much in
width as it would during preshrinking in other equipment because of the heavy
weight of the sagging fabric. The greige fabric should be fed to the tenter via
roller drive and not be drawn from the roll; if it is drawn from the roll, the
longitudinal shrinkage will increase from the beginning to the end of the batch
because of the decreasing roll weight and the diminishing take-off tension going
with it, i.e. the longitudinal shrinkage may vary over the entire batch length. The
normal tenter temperature for shrinking ranges from 100–140°C. If shrinking and
hot air setting are combined, the processing temperate is approximately
185–195°C.
1.1.3 Relaxation by Means of Hot Water
Scouring and shrinking can be combined in low-tension open-width washers at

operating temperatures between 60 and 95°C.
1.2 Hot air setting
Hot air setting must be applied if a fabric’s shrinking tendency exceeds the
customer’s specifications with regard to m2-weight, running length and cloth
width. In addition, it has an area stabilization effect that can be used to eliminate
or to reduce undesired edge curling.
How much setting is required is highly dependent on the article, so no general

rules can be established. Since it is essential to maintain the elastic properties of
the fabric, the setting conditions should not be more severe than necessary, but
sufficient to meet the customer’s requirements and to achieve good shrinkage
values. Appropriate setting conditions can easily be determined by preliminary
tests and will include exposure times ranging from 25 to 60 seconds. The setting
temperature is determined first of all by the type of Dorlastan that is used.
Polyether = 192–196°C, polyester = 185–190°C.
1.3 Wet Treatment
1.3.1 Scouring
Optimal preparatory treatment that guarantees good reproducibility of the entire

process includes the thorough removal of both the silicone lubricant required for
the processing of elastane and the lubricants of the non-elastic fiber components
in order to avoid mutual reactions of the two lubricant types. Diadevin®DSP has
proven a suitable agent for this purpose.
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Whether scouring is performed in open-width or rope form depends primarily on

the article, but also on what equipment is available.
1.3.2 Dyeing Method
Selection of the dyeing method is determined by the article’s tendency to crease.
Fabrics that are prone to creasing require open-width dyeing. This technique can
be performed on jig or beam dyeing machines.
Jig dyeing machines with sufficient controls to operate at very low tension, and
compensate as the fabric shrinks during dyeing are required. If an appropriate
low tension is guaranteed for the fabric feed, the jig is an economic solution for
dyeing stable fabrics that do not curl at the edges (e.g. wovens). High qualities
can be produced, if water pockets resulting from unnecessary standstills of the
jig are avoided, and the exposure time and treatment temperature are limited to
the required levels. Water pockets disturb the smooth running of the fabric and
easily cause creasing. Once the pockets have formed, crease formation can only
be avoided by increasing the fabric tension, which leads inevitably to lower
qualities.
By the treatment on the jig the elastic material is stretched. If the resulting
elongation is only slight, it can well be reversed during the subsequent drying
by an appropriate overfeed. However, increased fabric tension and extended
exposure times at high temperatures as they are often required with dark colors
sometimes lead to greater elongations, which cannot always be compensated
for by the tenter overfeed during intermediate drying. The dyed fabric may be
slightly longer compared to the relaxed greige fabric and may have a lower
m2-weight combined with less stretch. To avoid these negative effects beam
dyeing is often preferred.
For beam dyeing, the elastic fabric must be subjected to optimal prior relaxation
and, if necessary, also to hot setting. These measures are necessary to prevent
the fabric shrinking in width in the autoclave resulting in the lateral perforations
of the dyeing beam being uncovered. At the tenter feed end, the fabric is evenly
wound on the dyeing beams at constant wounding tension. During the whole
dyeing process, the liquid in the autoclave should circulate only from the inside
to the outside, the differential pressure should be maintained at 0.1–0.2 bar by
reducing the liquid flow rate, and the liquid temperature should be increased
and/or decreased only slowly.
In contrast to jig dyeing, dyeing on the beam always involves a risk of moiré
formation, especially with dark colors. The above mentioned even wounding
tension, slow temperature change, and the use of dyeing beams of large
diameters adequately wrapped with non-dyeing leader cloth help to reduce
this risk to a minimum.
Goods that are not prone to creasing can be winch beck dyed, overflow dyed or
jet dyed in rope form.
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1.4 Aftertreatment
There are numerous possibilities for aftertreatment. Selection of the technique

depends on the composition of the article and the customer’s specifications.
This will not be covered in detail in this general description.
2. Article Characteristics and their Influence

on the Procedure
2.1 Raschel Knits
Compared to other elastic knit fabrics most types of raschel fabrics are relatively
stable, they have no or little tendency to curl at the edges, their shrinking
tendency is sufficient and reproducible, and rarely exceeds the desired level.
Raschel fabrics shrink most during relaxation at the beginning of the finishing
process, but often they compact even further in the course of the subsequent
finishing steps. Because of this the finished product has the precalculated and
required width, weight of the fabric and extensibility.
Given these facts, area stabilization by means of hot air setting is usually not
necessary, which is a great advantage with regard to maintaining the fabric
properties. Since raschel fabrics are prone to creasing they are preferably treated
open-width.
Relaxation of foundation garment fabrics is performed mostly on steaming tables

or in modified steaming systems, rarely in open-width washers or dry cleaning
machines. To ensure that the final products are free from creases, they should be
processed roll to roll rather than plaited.
Sometimes hot air setting is performed, e.g. to improve the elastane runback.
The fabric is set at 180-195°C for a period of approximately 20–40 seconds.
Exposure time and temperature should always be kept to a minimum.
Most types of raschel fabrics are dyed open-width on beam dyeing machines.
Some qualities, however, (e.g. jacquard nets) may be dyed in rope form on winch
becks or, to reduce the risk of creasing, on overflow or jet dyeing machines.
Intermediate drying can easily and economically be carried out in a jet ribbon
drier; here, the foundation garment fabric is treated completely tensionless and
can thus shrink freely, which is essential with regard to the stretch of the final
product. Drying is effected at temperatures ranging from 80 to 130°C.
Nowadays, however, intermediate drying of foundation garment fabrics is

normally carried out in the tenter at temperatures between 120 and max. 160°C.
The tentering width should be a few centimeters less than the required width of
the final product and – unless the desired running length and m2-weights do not
allow for it – the overfeed should be sufficient to enable optimal shrinking without
disturbing the smooth and trouble-free running of the fabric.
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Raschel power nets are nearly always provided with a chemical finish to achieve
the required hand and necessary dimensional stability. The finish is applied in
a padder with good, uniform squeezing effect. Then the fabric is dried, and
possibly cured, by feeding it continuously through the tenter.
Today, mainly finishes containing little or no formaldehyde are used. Additional

fillers or softening agents are only applied, if the customer’s specifications render
them necessary, because the excessive use of softening agents may cause the
Dorlastan threads to show an unfavorable tendency to creep back at the seams
in the ready-to-wear apparel.
Final drying of the finished foundation garment fabric is performed in the tenter
at temperatures between 130 and 160°C. With non-crosslinking finishing agents
the actual temperature and contact time is determined exclusively by the drying
effect; in case of crosslinking dressing agents it is the curing conditions to be
observed that determine these variables. Make sure to adjust the correct
overfeed for these goods that tend to stretch lengthwise, so that the defined
weight of the fabric, running length and extensibility are achieved.
It is quite common practice to enhance the whiteness of white foundation

garment fabrics by adding suitable tints to the finish bath.
To improve the touch and the surface smoothness of the fabric, decatizing is
sometimes employed as aftertreatment.
In such cases it is recommendable to work at temperatures between 120 and

130°C and to expose the fabric to the steam for another 2 minutes after it has
evaporated from the cloth before the articles are cooled down thoroughly by
means of suction (for about 5 minutes).
2.2 Warp-knits
Knitted fabrics produced on warp-knitting machines with intermeshed Dorlastan

filament yarns as looped threads are far less stable than raschel fabrics and are
more likely to curl at the edges.
Elastic warp-knits have a very pronounced shrinking tendency, which is much

larger than that of raschel power nets. So if warp-knits were allowed to shrink
freely, they would often shrink much more than is accepted by the customer;
width and length would be insufficient, extensibility too large and thus weight of
the fabric too big. Given the above mentioned additional strong curling tendency,
hot air setting is a must in the finishing process of such qualities in order to avoid
edge curling and to achieve the required final product data. So
the finishing of warp-knits differs considerably from that of raschel power nets.
On the other hand, warp-knits are less prone to creasing, so that they can safely
be rope-dyed, if the necessary precautions have been taken.
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The pronounced shrinking tendency of elastic warp-knits makes a controlled

shrinkage absolutely necessary. A very good relaxation effect is reached by
steaming the greige fabric on steaming tables. Given the strong tendency to curl
at the edges, warp-knits should be pinned down at the edges and be fed to the
machine with a defined overfeed. This prevents curling and excessive shrinkage.
Tenter frames with steaming equipment at the tenter feed end provide a very
economic solution to combine shrinkage and hot air setting. This method is often
used, but it has the disadvantage that the lubricants of the unscoured fabric
evaporate and may then precipitate on the tenter or on the fabric.
Relaxation of the greige fabric can easily be combined with thorough cleaning of
the greige fabric in an open-width washer working at low tension. It has proven
useful to insert a scray as an intermediate cloth store between open-width
washer and subsequent tenter. This reduces fabric tension because the warp
tension is particularly low compared to the common method of immediately
feeding the fabric to the tenter by means of saddle rolls.
The insertion of a scray before the tenter permits continuous operation even
if large numbers of rolls are combined to form batches, and if the ends of the
individual pieces must be sewn together without interrupting the work flow. To
avoid lay marks and creases, elastic warp-knits must always be conveyed from
roll to roll from the time they arrive as greige goods up to hot air setting, and
must never be plaited down in between.
Warp-knits may be dyed in rope form on winch back, overflow or jet dyeing
machines or open-width on beam dyeing machines. Even though warp-knits
are not very susceptible to creasing, you should make sure that the liquor-fabric
ratio is not too small if you dye in rope form, that temperatures are changed
slowly and dyebath lubricants (e.g. 0.5–2.0 g/l PERSOFTAL®L or 0.1–0.5 g/l
PERSOFTAL®LU) are added to prevent creasing. It is not really necessary to sew
the dyed fabric into a tube, but it becomes increasingly recommended the more
pronounced the fabric’s tendency to curl at the edges (especially lock-knits) and
the less intensive the prior heat setting was.
Overflow or jet dyeing offer all the advantages of rope dyeing such as full
volume, pleasant touch, strong density with the corresponding high extensibility,
no risk of moiré, and in addition to that a much lower risk of running creases
compared to winch beck dyeing.
For quality reasons, dyeing times and temperatures should be restricted as much
as possible, i.e. the maximum working temperature is 98–100°C (except for
polyester/Dorlastan blends that are dyed at 120–130°C).
The most appropriate softening agents for warp-knits are those creating a soft,
supple touch and a pleasant, smooth surface. Note that all softening agents with
a smoothing effect also reduce the inner frictional forces in a fabric and thus
increase extensibility at constant elongation force and improve elastic recovery.
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The commonly applied softening agents, such as PERSOFTAL®SWA01,

PERSOFTAL ASN 01, PERSOFTAL U or PERSOFTAL OE, are well suited to
meet the standard expectations with regard to fabric handle. They can be added
either by the exhaust method or in the padder. Silicone rubber or silicone water-
repellent products are the right softening agents to meet particularly strict
requirements with regard to smoothness and suppleness of the final fabric.
Excessive smoothness, however, impairs safety in the manufacture of ready-to-
wear apparels.
For final drying, the tenter frame is used. The drying temperatures range from
120 to 160°C. Overfeed and width of the frame must be adjusted accordingly to
achieve the required length and width that have already been defined for heat
setting.
Sometimes a fabric is extended to much during dyeing due to excessive

lengthwise tension. Unfortunately it is nearly impossible to repair this undesirable
effect by a corresponding overfeed in final drying, because the fabric has
suffered re-fixation during the dyeing under tension at the boil.
If, however, a fabric has shrunken in width or length during dyeing at low tension
because the previous heat setting was insufficient, it is possible to compensate
for this effect and to reach the required final product dimensions in the final
drying process. But the finished product may still shrink later during storage,
transport or scouring. Such undesirable subsequent shrinkage can be avoided
by drying the fabric at 120–160°C as described above, and then subjecting it to
a second heat setting in the defined final state. However, slight changes of shade
may result from this procedure.
2.3 Knits
Knits are produced by two different methods, flat knitting and circular knitting.
The finishing properties of knits are similar to those of warp knits. However, knits react
even less sensitive to finishing processes and are less prone to creasing than warp
knits because of the predominant use of spun yarns.
2.3.1 Flat Knits
Flat knits containing Dorlastan are usually dyed in the yarn, so that no piece
dyeing is required. For waistbands and tops and fully fashioned knitwear, the
finishing is restricted to steaming; yard goods require additional setting.
2.3.2 Circular Knits
Circular knits must be delivered either in tubular form or open-width. The greige
goods must be divided into these two groups according to article characteristics
and the intended field of application.
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Fabrics that are processed and delivered in tubular form, e.g. elastic waistbands
for underwear, are treated on becks, in jets, or in continuous machines.
Relaxation takes place during the entire wet treatment. Subsequently, the
goods are hydroextracted, dried in jet ribbon driers without setting, and then
calandered. Since the product is not subjected to any setting, the required shrink
resistance must be reached by shrinking the product sufficiently (by maximum
overfeed in longitudinal direction, no stretching to the limit in vertical direction)
during other finishing procedures.
Recently, thermosetting of tubular knitted fabric on tube setting plants has been
introduced into finishing; the tube can either be treated by the vertical or by the
horizontal method.
By this setting technology the article properties like m2-weight, extensibility, tube
width and running length can be varied within certain limits like with open-width
treatment.
However, it must be taken into consideration that excessive vertical stretching

may leave lateral marks (depending on the fiber).
Circular knits that must be delivered open-width and be subjected to heat setting
in order to create dimensional stability and to reduce the tendency to curl at the
edges can be dyed in rope form or open-width. Which technique is chosen
depends primarily on the fabric properties but also on the equipment availibility.
Articles that are not prone to creasing can be rope-dyed without any risk of crea-
se formation; additional advantages of this method are a large fabric volume and
a soft touch. Knits that are prone to creasing should be dyed open-width on the
beam to ensure a smooth finished product without creases.
Any open-width dyeing must be preceded by a reliable heat setting. Otherwise

the knitted fabric will shrink in width, which results in color irregularities because
part of the beam perforation becomes uncovered. In addition, moiré effects will
occur. With beam dyeing, smooth, elegant, but also less voluminous final
qualities are achieved.
Knits should always be pre-scoured because they may contain lubricated fiber
staple yarns or be produced from raw cotton. Both types of fibers may contain
impurities, which should be removed prior to any heat setting. If the fabric is first
set and scoured afterwards, it will be much more difficult to wash out any
contaminations. Pre-scouring of non-set knitted fabrics must be performed very
carefully because of the large risk of crease formation (liquor ratio, temperature
control, moving the fabric during the process, possibly open-width treatment).
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2.4 Wovens
In contrast to knits, for which mainly bare Dorlastan is used, wovens are produced
exclusively with Dorlastan combination yarns. In combination yarns, the Dorlastan
thread is normally well covered.
There are two types of fabrics, mono- and bi-elastic ones. In mono-elastic fabrics,
the Dorlastan is worked in either in warp or in weft direction. Bi-elastic fabrics
have incorporated Dorlastan threads in both directions.
Experience has shown that elastic fabrics with a large percentage of elastic yarns
(in most cases knits made of smooth textile filament yarns) shrink more than is
required to achieve the desired stress-strain properties. So the shrinkage must be
controlled and limited. Elastic wovens, however, often contain only a very low
percentage of Dorlastan, which is frequently combined with staple fiber yarns.
This combination causes a high inner friction going along with a rather sluggish
shrinkage. If the standard finishing methods for elastic wovens fail to produce
sufficient compression to reach the defined stress-strain values, additional
measures must be applied. A very effective technique to achieve a clearly
improved shrinkage that normally meets standard requirements is a tension-free
treatment with hot air (e.g. in the tenter providing for the possibility of shrinking)
or dyeing at the boil (e.g. for piece dyeing in rope form).
With wovens, it would be possible to create a greige fabric with optimal

shrinkage, exactly the expected fabric weight and the desired degree of
recoverable stretch and – being a non-shrinking fabric – also with good shrinking
values, without applying any setting. The actual situation, however, is different.
The conditions in greige good production as well as in finishing always vary from
one batch to the next. Moreover, the buyer of the finished product may order
qualities of different m2-weights or stretch values. Such variations can only be
reached during finishing, which makes hot air setting necessary in nearly all
cases, because it is hardly possible to obtain all required characteristics in the
finished fabric by any other method.
After hot air setting further finishing processes may be required to obtain the
defined quality level. Such finishing may lead to an elongation of the elastic
fabric, even if it is treated at low tension. If such an effect occurs, it must be
reversed later by shrinking, so that the fabric properties obtained by the setting
are regained. Possible methods are, for example, tension-free steaming or
sanforizing.
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3. Bleaching, Fluorescent Whitening and Dyeing
These important processes should be performed very carefully, because they do

not only give the fabric its final color, but also have a decisive influence on the
quality of elastic fabrics.
For piece dyeing which does not require staining of the Dorlastan fiber, dyestuffs
exclusively determined for the non-elastic fibers are used.
Below you find some information about the various blends that are available.
3.1 Dorlastan/Polyamide
From the point of dyeing, polyamide filament yarns or fibers are ideal partners for
Dorlastan, because both fiber types can be dyed with the same categories of
dyestuffs, and the quality of the elastane is not impaired under the normal dyeing
conditions.
3.1.1 Scouring
As already explained in item 1.3.1, pre-scouring is recommended to achieve

optimal final colors.
• Continuous scouring • Discontinuous scouring

Impregnation in the 1st compartment
of the washing machine – 3 ml/l Diadevin® DSP
– 3 ml/l Diadevin® DSP – pH 8–9
– pH 8–9 – Exposure time: 30 min.
– Temperature: 80°C – Temperature: 80°C
Rinsing in the 2nd and 3rd compartment Rinse twice: 15 min. at 70°C
at 70–80°C (counterflow), Rinse twice: cold with overflow
4 compartment cold (counterflow)
th
3.1.2 Fluorescent Whitening
Today, scouring, fluorescent whitening and reduction bleaching are preferably

combined, whereby a fluorescent whitening agent shows mostly affinity to the
polyamide. Optimal color light fastness is best achieved with BLANKOPHOR®
CLE products.
The one-bath method and the following recipe is applied:
– 0.5–1.0 ml/l Diadevin® NSE or Diadevin® UN (APEO-free)

– 2.0–3.0 g/l Blankit® CP
– 2.0–2.5 BLANKOPHOR® CLE as liquid (or CLE liquid B)
– pH 5 (acetic)
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3.1.3 Dyeing
The following classes of dyestuffs can be used for pure polyamide as well as for
polyamide/Dorlastan blends.
– Acid dyestuffs for light and medium shades

– Metallic complex dyestuffs for medium and dark shades or afterchroming
dyestuffs for very dark shades, particularly black
– In special cases disperse dyestuffs may be used for very light shades.
Although polyamides and elastanes can be dyed with the same types of
dyestuffs, they react differently to the various classes. This must be taken into
consideration when selecting the dyestuff.
Whereas disperse dyestuffs are absorbed by polyamides and elastanes with

more or less the same intensity, so that no larger differences in shade occur,
acid dyestuffs create darker shades with polyamides than with elastanes. The
difference in shade varies, however, from dyestuff to dyestuff.
In addition to that, the dyeing properties within the group of polyamides differ
considerably from fiber to fiber, and in particular between polyamide 6 and
polyamide 6.6. In extreme cases, the combined effect of the above mentioned
differences in dyeing behavior may result in hardly stained elastanes that grin
through, if certain acid dyestuffs (with better affinity to polyamides) or metallic
complex dyestuffs are used.
The grin-through effect does not occur with clear Dorlastan (types V 500, V 800),
because the clear Dorlastan thread is transparent. Nevertheless, the percentage
of Dorlastan and the geometric appearance of Dorlastan in the article must still
be taken into consideration when choosing the dyestuff.
When using acid dyestuffs, it must be taken into account that dull and clear
Dorlastan appear differently in Dorlastan/polyamide blends. The right choice
of dyestuff and auxiliary agent is important, especially in case of high elastane
content (more than 30%).
Articles made of polyamide and dull Dorlastan can be dyed with acid or metallic
complex dyestuffs that are exclusively tailored to the polyamide component with
regard to affinity and fastness, if the elastane share does not exceed 20%. In
case of darker shades, however, the aftertreatment must include the stained
Dorlastan and be appropriate to stabilize its shade.
To avoid grin-through in articles made of polyamide and matted Dorlastan,

special measures are required. They must either be dyed with selected dyestuffs
that produce satisfactory tone-on-tone dyeing with standard leveling agents, or,
in special cases, with the help of suitable auxiliary agents like ASTRAGAL® PAN,
which enhance the solid dyeing. The use of such agents, however, will entail a
slight unavoidable deterioration of the wet and crock fastness. With unfavorable
dyeing conditions (unfavorable liquor circulation, little liquor exchange) it is
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essential to choose the best possible combination of dyestuffs and to use no

cationic auxiliary dyeing agents.
• Standard combinations of auxiliary dyeing agents
– 0.5–1.0% AVOLAN® IS
– 0.2–1.0% LEVEGAL® FTS K 01 or 0.4–2.0% LEVEGAL® LPA
– ph 8–4
• Recipe for better staining of Dorlastan
– 2% AVOLAN® IW heat up from 40°C to 98°C

– ph 7.5–5.5 within 45 minutes, keep
– x% TELON®, SUPRANOL®, ISOLAN® dyestuff at 98°C for 30 minutes
– 0.5–2.0% ASTRAGAL® PAN (and keep at 98°C for 30 minutes)
(With some dyestuffs, this combination of auxiliary dyeing agents should not be
used; see dyestuff table in the appendix.)
The Dystar product range of acid and metallic complex dyestuffs has been
tested with the two aforementioned combinations of auxiliary agents and has
been optimized to produce proper tone-on-tone dyeing of blends containing
polyamide and Dorlastan. The attached dyestuff table will help the dyer to select
the best dyestuff.
3.2 Dorlastan/Polyester
A Dorlastan/polyester combination is a difficult blend for the finisher, because

polyester types with normal dyeing properties must be dyed at higher
temperatures than polyamide (HT conditions: 120–130°C) or require the use of
carriers. This may lead to a deterioration of the elastic properties of the final
article, although Dorlastan still surpasses all competitive elastanes.
Since the disperse dyestuffs used for this blend also stain the elastane
component considerably, an alkaline reductive aftertreatment is required to
obtain good wet fastness.
If the polyester type in the blend allows the use of cationic dyestuffs, the
Dorlastan is hardly stained, provided the correct dyestuff is chosen.
15
3.2.1 Scouring
The following scouring procedure has proven to be a good choice:
– 2.0–4.0 ml/l Diadevin® DSP

– possibly 1.0 ml/l RESPUMIT® NF
– possibly 1.5–2.0 ml/l PERSOFTAL® L or 0.2–0.5 ml/l PERSOFTAL® LU
– pH 8–9
Exposure time: 20–30 minutes

Temperature: 70–80°C
Liquor ratio: 1:10
Rinsing: 2 x at 80°C
1 x cold with overflow
3.2.2 Fluorescent Whitening
In addition to the exhaust method with carriers, there are some other methods
that are particularly recommended for fluorescent whitening because of their cost
efficiency:
• Thermosol method
In this method, the brightening agent is padded in the foulard. Subsequently, the
fabric is thermosoled in the tenter without intermediate drying. This step may be
combined with hot air setting. The following recipe is suggested for greige good
treatment:
– 1.0–5.0 g/l BLANKOPHOR® ER liquid 330% 01
For shading:
– Dianix brilliant violet B
– Dianix brilliant violet R
Liquor absorption: 60–80%

Drying at: 140°C
Thermosoling: 20–30 s at 190–195°C
• AF method (adsorption/fixation method)
Here, the brightening agent is applied as an additive on the surface of the fabric
by the exhaust method (a fabric pretreated that way acquires a yellow cast). After
rinsing, the fabric is dried and heat–set in the tenter. During this stage, the
fluorescent whitener is thermosoled into the fabric to produce the desired level of
whiteness.
16
When applying the AF method, no anionic auxiliary agents must be used,

i.e. previous anionic scouring is not allowed, because this would impair an
undisturbed absorption of the whitener by the fabric.
• Adsorption phase
– 0.1–0.3% BLANKOPHOR® ER liquid 330% 01

– 1–2% Glauber salt
– Acetic acid ph 4.5
The treatment is always started cold. The degree to which the fluorescent
whitener is adsorbed is highly dependent on the dyeing conditions. With rope or
jig dyeing, no adsorption will usually occur when the liquor is cold. For dye-bath
exhaustion, a temperature of about 40–50°C is required. The temperature is
raised slowly, i.e. by about 1°C per minute. The adsorption phase is completed
with a cold rinse.
• Fixation phase
After drying at 140°C, the fabric is finally set at 190–195°C for 20 to 30 seconds.
If no fiber setting is required, the whiteness may also be developed by drying at
170–180°C.
3.2.3 Dyeing
To keep the damage to the elastic properties of a fabric made of a polyester/

Dorlastan blend within acceptable limits, the dyeing temperature must be
increased carefully and suitable carriers must be selected in the appropriate
amounts.
Two methods are available:
• Dyeing with carriers:

Temperature increase and carrier (type, amount) must be adjusted to each
other to reach an acceptable compromise.
The following procedure is applied:
– 1–2% LEVEGAL® DLP

– x% carrier, e.g. LEVEGAL® PTN 01
– y% disperse dyestuff
– pH 4.5
maximum dyeing temperature 108–115°C
17
• Dyeing without carriers

If carriers cannot be used for ecological reasons, dyeing can be performed
under HT conditions. The following procedure is applied.
– 1–2% LEVEGAL® DLP

– y% disperse dyestuff
– pH 4.5
maximum dyeing temperature 125–130°C
maximum exposure time 30–45 minutes
The range of disperse dyestuffs offered by DyStar with the respective application
information is enclosed in the appendix.
Starting temperature, heat-up rate and carrier amount used in the dyeing process
depend on the dyeing rate of the polyester and on the type and the quantity of
the applied disperse dyestuff. For further information, please refer to the
recommendations of the dyestuff manufacturers. After dyeing, the fabric needs
alkaline reductive aftertreatment in order to improve colorfastness. The following
recipe is used:
– 2–4 ml/l caustic soda 50%

– 2–4 g/l hydrosulphite
20–30 minutes at 80°C
(For lighter shades, 70°C and 3g/l soda ash instead of caustic soda suffice.)
3.3 Dorlastan/Wool
A Dorlastan/wool blend is not problematic with regard to dyeing, because the

standard conditions of wool piece dyeing (acid dyestuffs and temperatures below
100°C) do not have a negative effect on the elastic properties of Dorlastan. Acid
dyestuffs usually produce solid dyeing of both the wool and the Dorlastan
threads; no special dyestuffs or auxiliary agents are necessary. Moreover, the
elastane share of such blends is usually rather small and hardly visible in the
finished fabric.
18
3.4 Dorlastan/Cotton
The standard medium for cotton dyeing and finishing is an alkaline medium.
Blends containing Dorlastan, however, must not be exposed to the alkaline
agents without control. The agents’ effect combines with those of heat and time
and might have a negative impact on the properties of the elastane.
The following dyeing and finishing procedures are recommended:
• Substantive dyeing
Can be applied without hesitation even with a fastness improving aftertreatment,

if required.
• Reactive dyeing
With dyestuffs that are suited for a dyeing temperature of 50°C according to the
manufacturer’s data.
• Indanthren dyeing
By the IK, IW, and IN method up to max. 60°C.
• Sulfur dyeing
By procedures with a reduced amount of alkali additives (e.g. sulfhydrate) at
approx. 70°C.
• Boiling off
Should be performed with the lowest possible amount of alkali additives

(2g/l soda)
• Bleaching
• Caustic treatment and mercerizing

Can be applied without negative effects despite of the high amount of alkali
additives because processing temperatures are low.
19
Add the usual stabilizers. In practice, the following recipe is applied successfully:
Winch back, liquor-fiber ratio1:30 soft water
– 0.2 g/l magnesium sulfate

– 2.0–4.0 m/l DIADAVIN® DSP 01 (APEO free)
– 0.3–0.5 ml/l BAYSTABIL® LF
– 0.5–1.0 g/l BAYSOLEX® EXT-N
– 6.0–10.0 ml/l hydrogen peroxide 35%
– Caustic soda pH 10.5–11.0
– 0.2–0.8% BLANKOPHOR® BA liquid
for 30–60 minutes at 90–95°C
Rinse thoroughly and apply the following aftertreatment to improve the white
effect:
– 2.0 g/l BLANKIT® IN

– 3.0 g/l sodium sulfate
for 30 minutes at 70°C
Special surface finishes, e.g. by enzyme treatment („Biofinish“) are possible,

since they are not detrimental to the Dorlastan.
Note
If you have any questions on dyeing or finishing matters, please do not hesitate
to contact our Marketing Dorlastan department:
Dormagen, Germany Phone +49 21 33 / 51-50 85

Bushy Park, USA Phone +1 84 38 20-65 10
20
Dyeing of Polyamide / Elastan Blends:

Staining on Dorlastan Type V 500, V 850
and V 900
Dyeing Procedure
(%) 1/1 V 500 V 850 V 900
S.D.
Telon Yellow FG 0,5 2 1 2
Telon Yellow RLN micro 0,65 1 1r 1
Telon Yellow FRL micro 1,0 2 1 2
Telon Yellow 4R micro 0,65 2 1 2
Telon Brown 3G 3,4 2 1 1r
Telon Red FRL micro 1,2 3 2 3
Telon Red 2BL micro 0,7 3 2 3r
Telon Red 2B 0,8 3 2 3
Telon Red BRL micro 0,7 2 1 3
Telon Blue RR 0,7 3 2y 3
Telon Blue BRL micro 1,2 1 2 1
Telon Blue GGL 1,7 2 1 2y
Telon Yellow A3GL 0,7 3 2 3

Telon Yellow ARB 1,0 3 1 3
Telon Yellow A2R 0,9 2 1 3
Telon Yellow A3R 0,85 2 1 3
Telon Orange AGT 0,5 2 1 3
Telon Red A2FR 1,3 2 1 2
Telon Red AFG 0,65 3 2 3
Telon Rubine A5B 0,35 2 1 2
Telon Blue AR 2,6 2 1 2
Telon Blue AGLF 1,8 3 2 3
Telon Blue AFN 3,0 3 2 3
Telon Blue A3GL 2,5 3b 2 3
Telon Navy AMF 1,6 2 1 2r
Telon Black AMF 1,75 1br 1y 1r
Telon Flavine M-7G 0,75 2 1r 2

Telon Yellow M-5GL 1,7 1r 2 2
Telon Yellow M-4GL 1,0 2 2r 2
Telon Orange M-GSN 1,3 1 2 2
Telon Red M-R 0,6 1 1 1
Telon Red M-GWN 1,1 2 1 2
Telon Red M-BL 0,85 2 1 2
Telon Red M-3B 0,5 1 1 1r
Telon Rhodamine M-BN 0,3 3bl 2bl 3bl
Telon Violet M-RWN 1,4 1 2 3
Telon Blue M-BLW 2,7 2 3 3r
21

and V 900
Dyeing Procedure
(%) 1/1 V 500 V 850 V 900
S.D.
Telon Blue M-RLW 2,7 2 3 3r
Telon Blue M-GLW 2,8 2 3 3
Telon Blue M-2R 1,8 1 2 2
Telon Turquoise M-GGL 2,1 2 3y 3
Telon Turquoise M-5G 2,3 1 3y 3
Telon Green M-BW 1,6 1 2 2bl
Telon Green M-6GW 2,0 1 1 2bl
Isolan Yellow K-GLN 250 % 1,0 2 2 2

Isolan Yellow GRL 0,9 2 1 1
Isolan Yellow K-PRL 200 % 1,3 1br 1r 1r
Isolan Orange K-RLS 150 % 2,0 2 2bl 2bl
Isolan Scarlet K-GLS 150 % 1,9 3 3 3
Isolan Bordeaux R 220 % 0,95 1 1bl 1bl
Isolan Brown K-3GLS 150 % 2,1 1y 1r 1r
Isolan Blue 3GL 1,3 2 1 1
Isolan Grey K-PBL 200 % 1,3 2 1 1
Isolan Black 3RL 2,7 2 3 3
Isolan Yellow SP-2RL 1,8 2 2br 2

Isolan Red SP-G 1,2 2 1r 2r
Isolan Blue SP-R 1,1 2 1 2
Isolan Grey SP-G 1,1 2r 1 2
Isolan Orange S-RL 1,2 1br 1 2r

Isolan Red S-RL 1,0 1 1 2
Isolan Brown S-GLN 1,0 1 2 2
Isolan Brown S-RL 1,0 1 1r 2
Isolan Navy Blue S-RL 2,0 1r 2r 2
Isolan Olive S-G 1,0 1 2 2
Isolan Grey S-GL 1,8 1 3 3
Isolan Black 2-BGL 2,9 2r 3 3
Isolan Yellow 2S-GLN 0,92 2 1r 2

Isolan Yellow 2S-RL 0,85 2 2r 2
Isolan Scarlet 2S-L 1,3 1y 1 1
Isolan Red 2S-BR 1,2 2 2r 2
Isolan Bordeaux 2S-B 0,95 1y 1 2
Isolan Brown 2S-BL 0,85 1y 1r 1
22

and V 900
Dyeing Procedure
(%) 1/1 V 500 V 850 V 900
S.D.
Isolan Dark Blue 2S-GL 2,4 1br 2 2
Isolan Olive 2S-BGL 1,0 1y 1r 1r
Isolan Black 2S-LD 2,5 2r 3 3r
Isolan Black 2S-LGN Liq. 6,25 1y 2 2y
Blends: PA / Dorlastan 80/20

PA: PA 6.6
Elastan: Dorlastan V 500, V 850, V 900
Evaluation:
1 = slight dyeing of Dorlastan fibre y = yellowish
2 = medium dyeing of Dorlastan fibre r = reddish
3 = ton-in-ton-dyeing br = brownish
bl = bluish
dyeing procedure:
0,5 % Levegal FTSK 01
0,5 % Avolan IS only M.C. dyes
pH depending on the dye range
98° C / 45 min.
23
Appendix
1. Dyestuff recommendations for dyeing PES/Dorlastan® blends
The even exhaustion and diffusion properties of composite dyestuffs are key
factors for a successful dyeing of PES/Dorlastan blends. Due to these
properties the exposure time is shorter and reproducibility is optimized – „Right-
First-Time“ –. The optimized reproducibility helps to avoid a subsequent addition
of dyestuffs with its negative effect on the characteristics of Dorlastan.
1.1 Dyeing at 125–130°C
„Right-First-Time“ dyeing of PES/Dorlastan blends with good reproducibility and

optimal wet fastness can be achieved with the selection of dyestuffs listed
below.
1.1.1 Dianix® AC-E dyestuffs for light shades
b
110
90
Yellow AC-E new
70
50
30
10 Red AC-E 01
-10
-30
Blue AC-E
-50
-70 -50 -30 -10 0 10 30 50 70
a
24
1.1.2 Selected medium energy range Dianix® dyestuffs for medium to

dark shades
b
110
yellow SE-G
90
70
yellowish brown CC
50
30
red C-4G 150%
10
red CC
red K-2B
0
black CC-G ruby CC

-10
green CC
navy CC
-30
blue CC violet CC
turquoise S-BG brilliant blue R
-50
-70 -50 -30 -10 0 10 30 50 70
a
Three-color combinations:
• Medium shades: Dianix yellowish brown CC/ruby CC/blue CC.
• Dark shades: Dianix yellowish brown CC/ruby CC/navy CC.
• In bluish red shades (cherry red, wine red), washfastness can be increased
by the use of Dianix red K-2B.
25
1.1.3 Selected Dianix® XF/SF dyestuffs for dark shades of ultimate

washfastness
b
110
flavin XF
90
70
50
yellowish brown XF
30
scarlet XF
10 carmine SF
0
black XF
ruby XFN
-10
navy XF
-30
blue XF
-50
-70 -50 -30 -10 0 10 30 50 70
a
• Dianix yellowish brown XF/ruby XFN/navy XF
• Dianix flavin XF/scarlet SF/bleu XF – for ultimate washfastness.
1.1.4 Advantages
• Tone-on-tone staining creates optimal reproducibility and minimizes shade

corrections.
• Good general fastnesses with Dianix AC-E dyestuffs and selected medium
energy range Dianix dyestuffs.
• Three-color combinations including „tone-on-tone“ staining of the elastane
fiber after reduction cleaning minimize „grin through“ and shade changes
during post-setting.
• Very good washfastness with selected Dianix XF/SF dyestuffs.
26
1.2 Dyeing at 115°C
1.2.1 Dianix® AC-E dyestuffs for light shades
b
110
90
yellow AC-E new
70
50
30
10 red AC-E 01
-10
-30
blue AC-E
-50
-70 -50 -30 -10 0 10 30 50 70
a
1.2.1.1 Advantages

corrections.
• Good general fastnesses.
• Largest possible dyestuff standardization creates optimal reproducibility.
• Good level dyeing properties and covering of differences in material.
• Extraordinary light fastnesses.
27
1.2.2 Selected medium energy range Dianix® dyestuffs for medium to

dark shades
b
110
yellow SE-G
90
70
yellowish brown CC
50
30
red C-4G 150%
10 red CC
red K-2B
0
black CC-G ruby CC

-10
green CC
navy CC
-30
blue CC violet CC
turquoise S-BG brilliant blue R
-50
-70 -50 -30 -10 0 10 30 50 70
a
• Medium shades: Dianix yellowish brown CC/ruby CC/blue CC.
• Dark shades: Dianix yellowish brown CC/ruby CC/navy CC.
• In bluish red shades (cherry red, wine red), washfastness can be increased by
the use of Dianix red K-2B.
1.2.2.1 Advantages

corrections.
• Good general fastnesses.
• Three-color combinations including „tone-on-tone“ staining of the elastane
fiber after reduction cleaning minimize „grin through“ and shade changes
during post-setting.
The Dianix XF/SF dyestuffs are not always recommendable for dyeing at 115°C
because color build-up and fastness levels are considerably reduced at this
dyeing temperature. 28

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Dorlastan Dyeing and Finishing of Woven and Knitted Fabrics

Asahi Kasei Spandex Europe GmbH

Published by and responsibility Approval

gez. ppa. Schmidt gez. Nahl

Marketing Dorlastan Geschäftsführer

1. From Greige Goods to Finished Article

The characteristic features of an elastic fabric are extensibility and elastic

Regardless whether a greige fabric containing elastane displays a strong natural

– Tensions in longitudinal direction should be kept as low as possible

1.1.1 Relaxation on steaming tables

1.1.2 Relaxation by Steaming at the Tenter Feed End

1.1.3 Relaxation by Means of Hot Water

Scouring and shrinking can be combined in low-tension open-width washers at

1.2 Hot air setting

How much setting is required is highly dependent on the article, so no general

1.3 Wet Treatment

Optimal preparatory treatment that guarantees good reproducibility of the entire

Whether scouring is performed in open-width or rope form depends primarily on

1.3.2 Dyeing Method

Selection of the dyeing method is determined by the article’s tendency to crease.

There are numerous possibilities for aftertreatment. Selection of the technique

2. Article Characteristics and their Influence

2.1 Raschel Knits

Relaxation of foundation garment fabrics is performed mostly on steaming tables

Nowadays, however, intermediate drying of foundation garment fabrics is

Today, mainly finishes containing little or no formaldehyde are used. Additional

It is quite common practice to enhance the whiteness of white foundation

In such cases it is recommendable to work at temperatures between 120 and

Knitted fabrics produced on warp-knitting machines with intermeshed Dorlastan

Elastic warp-knits have a very pronounced shrinking tendency, which is much

The pronounced shrinking tendency of elastic warp-knits makes a controlled

The commonly applied softening agents, such as PERSOFTAL®SWA01,

Sometimes a fabric is extended to much during dyeing due to excessive

2.3.1 Flat Knits

2.3.2 Circular Knits

However, it must be taken into consideration that excessive vertical stretching

Any open-width dyeing must be preceded by a reliable heat setting. Otherwise

With wovens, it would be possible to create a greige fabric with optimal

3. Bleaching, Fluorescent Whitening and Dyeing

These important processes should be performed very carefully, because they do

As already explained in item 1.3.1, pre-scouring is recommended to achieve

• Continuous scouring • Discontinuous scouring

3.1.2 Fluorescent Whitening

Today, scouring, fluorescent whitening and reduction bleaching are preferably

The one-bath method and the following recipe is applied:

– 0.5–1.0 ml/l Diadevin® NSE or Diadevin® UN (APEO-free)

– Acid dyestuffs for light and medium shades

Whereas disperse dyestuffs are absorbed by polyamides and elastanes with

To avoid grin-through in articles made of polyamide and matted Dorlastan,

essential to choose the best possible combination of dyestuffs and to use no

• Standard combinations of auxiliary dyeing agents

• Recipe for better staining of Dorlastan

– 2% AVOLAN® IW heat up from 40°C to 98°C

A Dorlastan/polyester combination is a difficult blend for the finisher, because

The following scouring procedure has proven to be a good choice:

– 2.0–4.0 ml/l Diadevin® DSP

Exposure time: 20–30 minutes

3.2.2 Fluorescent Whitening

– 1.0–5.0 g/l BLANKOPHOR® ER liquid 330% 01

Liquor absorption: 60–80%

• AF method (adsorption/fixation method)

When applying the AF method, no anionic auxiliary agents must be used,