How to Source the Best Pigment Dyes for Fabric

Pigment dyes for fabric create many of the iconic colors that are part of our lives today - from the blue of denim jeans to the rainbow of colors in high fashion boutiques and domestic textiles, all the hues that we take for granted are thanks to the clothing dyes that are used to create them.

Pigment Dyes for Fabric

Indigo is one of the most universally used and recognized dye colors, since this is what creates the iconic color of blue jeans when used on denim fabric. Originally obtained from the plant called Indigo tinctoria and related species, it promises to be an enormously popular clothing dye for many years to come, thanks to the ubiquitousness of blue jeans. Now, of course, many of our dyes are synthetically made; several thousand tons of indigo dye are manufactured every year. Vat indigo, which is used in dyeing cotton thread and cloth, is also used for coloring wool and silk; incredibly it can also be used as a pigment in foods.

Sulphur Black, which also comes in the variants Br, which has blue and red undertones, and B, which has just blue undertones, is one of the most highly sought-after fabric dyes. With a deep black sheen, the color tone can be adjusted according to the needs of the customer. While most often used on cotton, it can also be employed as a dye for cambric, viscose and vinyl. Sulphur pigments such as sulphur black are known to have good uptake and are consequently used widely as pigment dyes for fabric.

Lead (II) Carbonate Fabric Dyes Produce Rainbow of Colors

Lead Carbonate Dyes are some of the most versatile fabric dyes of them all - they not only produce a rainbow of vibrant colors but also create a pearlized effect on cloth and in coatings for bicycles, automobiles, pearl-colored plastics and an enormous number of other consumer goods.

Golds, reds, purples, blues and greens are just some of the basic colors created by Lead (II) Carbonate pigment dyes for fabrics; in addition, the iridescent quality due to the high mica titanium dioxide content of the dye lends its use to cosmetics and other items as well. It is especially valuable because of its color retention and the ability to be used along with other colors to produce an iridescent, pearlized effect.

The pearl powder form of the lead carbonate pigment has a cross-section that is similar to real pearls, with smaller particles imparting a softer sheen to the finished product while larger particles make for a more sparkly effect. Pearl pigment is not only non-toxic, used in face powder, lipstick and other cosmetics; it also is appropriate for a host of other products, including those made with leather, and it can also be blended with some other fabric colorants to produce a range of color effects.

When used in the hot stamping process for textiles, Lead (II) Carbonate fabric dyes use the refraction and transmission of light that occurs naturally in pearls and gives them their luster, to impart the look of real pearls to almost any item.

Non-Iridescent Fabric Dyes and Colorants

Acid Blue 90, which is dark blue/violet and brown, one of the most common pigment dyes for fabric, is used for dyeing wool and silk. As a crystalline powder, it is soluble in water and can be easily stored at room temperature.

Brilliant blue FCF Lake 35%-42% dye, known as erioglaucinedisodiumsalt, is a food-grade colorant used also as one of the blue pigment dyes for fabric. A synthetic colorant, it is produced from aromatic hydrocarbons derived from petroleum and has a wide range of uses, from stains for wood products to a colorant for foods, cosmetics, and many fabrics. It can also be converted to the dye color Aluminum Lake.

If you require a brilliant red color for any textile, Direct Red 23 may be a perfect fit for your needs. One of the most striking of all fabric dyes, this colorant is especially useful for cotton, hemp, and viscose cloth.

A brilliant yellow fabric dye, Acid Yellow 49 from Echemi does not work well on cellulose-based fabric but produces a sunny yellow color in wool, wool blends, silk and even nylon fabrics.