Every region of India comes with a characteristics of technique of textiles that has perfected one particular class of dyes. For a buyer it poses a significant challenge to maintain the quality of fabrics over time as each class of dyes has its own strength and limitations.
Napthol Color
All over in south and in Bengal, Napthol colors are used to
dye Ikats and Cottons. Generally vat colors are used to dye the dull shades.
However, to achieve the required saturation in the darker shades, napthol
colors are used. Due to process restrictions and the conditions when dyeing
locally, the colorfastness to rubbing is a big problem when working with these
colors. A case needs to be pointed out in this regard. When asked about the
colorfastness issue for a certain sari from a vendor, it was found that even
after washing the yarn after dyeing and washing the fabric after weaving, the
colorfastness to rubbing was not improving for napthol dyes. Napthol colors are
also being used in Maheshwari Saris for red and other dark colors.
Please see also the following links in this regard:
Vat Colors
Vat colors are the most commonly used colors all across the
country in dyeing traditional fabrics. Vat colors are easy to apply, the process
can be done at a temperature achievable in the open furnaces. The colors are
fast to rubbing and washing. The main issue is in the achieving of bright and
saturated shades which vat colors cannot produce using ordinary condition.
Sulphur Colors
Sulphur dyes are often used to dye black. Cheaper and easy
to apply, they have a very good colorfastness to washing. The drawback is that
the fabric starts to tear after a prolonged storage.
Reactive Colors
Reactive colors are increasingly being used in woven yarn
dyed stripes and dobbies, thanks to the chambers used in dyeing hank yarn. They
have good colorfastness properties overall.
Direct Colors
Direct dyes are used extensively in the Indian traditional
textile industry. These are easy to apply and cheap. Almost all the tie and dye
fabrics whether, Bandhni, Lehariya, Mothra, Ikat and Shibori have these dyes. These are also being
used in the Tussar/Viscose blends in piece dyed form. The colorfastness to
washing is good or acceptable but to that of rubbing is poor. A challenge for a
bulk buyers of the fabric of these dyes is to convert the dyers to reactive or
vat dyes.
Acid/Metal Complex Colors
These are used in pure silk and wool. They pose no problems
for the buyer. These are colorfast to washing and stable to fading.
Natural Dyes
Natural Dyes are obtained from plant extract. The problem with natural dyed fabrics is that the volumes cannot be obtained and quality is not consistent. Patchiness, tonal variation across the length and listing ( Center to Selvedge variations) are some of the defects that come naturally with natural dyes. Also the choice of colors is limited to a very restricted pallete; beige, black, maroon, mustard, rust, green and indigo are the colors that can be got in these dyes. Color fastness is a big issue with these dyes. These are often sold in the market with the disclaimer tag.
