Dyeing basics
How acid dyes work on nylon: ionic bonds, pH and level dyeing
Acid dyes hold to nylon, wool and silk mainly by an ionic bond with the fibre’s amine groups. Here is the mechanism,…
Updated Oct 2026
18 min read
Dyeing basics
How disperse dyes work on polyester: 130°C, pH 4.5 and reduction clearing
Disperse dyes dissolve into polyester like sugar into hot water, with no chemical bond. Here is the fibre structure, the mechanism, why…
Updated Oct 2026
19 min read
Dyeing basics
How reactive dyes work: salt, alkali, fixation and hydrolysis
Reactive dyes bond chemically with cotton and other cellulose. Here is how the molecule is built, why salt and alkali are added…
Updated Oct 2026
16 min read
Dyeing basics
Dye classes explained: which dye for which fibre, and why
Reactive, direct, vat, sulphur, azoic, disperse, acid, cationic and pigment: which fibres each one colours, what holds it in the fibre, the…
Updated Oct 2026
18 min read
Dyeing basics
How dyeing works: transport, adsorption, diffusion and fixation
Every dyeing is the same four-stage journey from the dyebath into the fibre. Here is the theory behind each stage, how dye…
Updated Oct 2026
16 min read