Process for the dyeing of synthetic or natural fibers

In a process for the dyeing of textile materials in the form of wound bodies according to the exhaust method at temperatures ranging at or above 100.degree. C, in which process the wound bodies contained in a pressure-tight dyeing vessel are heated as well as deaerated before the actual dyeing operation and subsequently contacted with the dyeing liquor which has been separately heated to about dyeing temperature in a pressure-tight batch vessel, placed under a relative excess pressure of from 2.94 to 9.81 bars and then transferred in its total amount from said batch vessel into said dyeing vessel, and in which the dyeing operation is completed by circulation of the dyeing liquor, the improvement which comprises:

• exposing the wound bodies to an atmosphere of steam at about dyeing temperature prior to contact with the dyeing liquor in order to preheat and de-aerate said textile materials;
• and transferring the dyeing liquor by means of said relative excess pressure and towards the pressure of the air-free atmosphere of the steam into the dyeing vessel, simultaneously from both the inside and the outside of said wound bodies, thereby entirely condensing the steam in said vessel and filling it completely by the transferred liquor.