ABSTRACT
Colorants are the most important component for textile dyeing and printing. Colorants may be water soluble, called dyes, or water insoluble, called pigments. The application of dyes is based on their attraction or affinity towards one or more type of textile fibers. The pigments have no affinity for textile fiber, but they can be applied on textile fiber using some auxiliaries. The same colorants may be used in both dyeing and printing. However, some colorants are especially suitable for printing such as acid and metal-complex dyes, reactive dyes, disperse dyes and pigments. The classification of dyes and their suitability for various textile fibers are discussed. Printing is a very delicate process. Restriction of color penetration in selected areas and fixation of color during short fixation times are challenging, and a large number of assisting chemicals – thickeners, wetting agent, dispersing agents, oxidizing and reducing agents, binders and so on – are essential for satisfactory printing.
