Indigo dye process
AssigneeAllegro Natural Dyes LLC
InventorSally Gurley
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An improved nonpolluting method of dyeing fibers or fabric, including natural cellulose fibers such as cotton or linen, using indigo dye. The improved process includes pretreating the fibers with a mordant solution, preferably a natural nonpolluting mordant solution. The fibers are then treated with a reduced indigo liquor in an inert atmosphere, preferably nitrogen. The indigo is then oxidized by flooding the dyed fabric with cold water. This indigo dye process can be adapted to conventional garment, package and piece dye processes and machinery, which has not been possible with existing indigo dye processes. The improved process results in a more consistent and even dyed material which is color and washfast.
Claims16
A method of dyeing fibers with indigo dye comprising the following steps:
- wetting the fibers to be treated with an aqueous solution and then removing excess water;
- subsequently
- treating the wetted fibers with inert gas in an enclosed contained atmosphere, displacing oxygen from said fibers and said enclosed contained atmosphere;
- introducing an indigo dye liquor containing indigo in its reduced leuco state into said contained atmosphere and agitating said fibers in contact with said indigo dye;
- and
- draining said indigo dye liquor from said enclosed contained atmosphere and flooding said fibers with cold water, thereby oxidizing said indigo dye on said fibers.
A method of dyeing fibers with indigo dye, comprising the following steps:
- pretreating said fibers with an aqueous mordant solution by immersing said fibers in said aqueous mordant solution and draining said solution;
- treating the wetted fibers with inert gas in an enclosed container by introducing inert gas into said enclosed container under pressure, displacing oxygen from said fibers and said enclosed container;
- introducing an indigo dye liquor containing indigo dye in its reduced leuco state into said enclosed container while maintaining an inert atmosphere in said enclosed container and agitating said fibers in contact with said leuco dye;
- and
- draining said indigo dye from said enclosed container, then flooding said fibers with cold water, thereby oxidizing said indigo dye on said fibers.
A method of dyeing a garment or fabric with indigo dye, comprising the following steps:
- pretreating said fabric or garment with an aqueous mordant solution by immersing said fabric or garment in said aqueous mordant solution and draining said solution;
- treating the wetted fibers with inert gas in an enclosed contained atmosphere, displacing oxygen from said fibers and said contained atmosphere;
- introducing an indigo dye liquor containing indigo dye in its reduced leuco state into said contained atmosphere, while maintaining an inert atmosphere and agitating said fabric garment in contact with said indigo dye;
- and
- draining said indigo dye liquor from said contained atmosphere and flooding said fabric or garment with cold water, oxidizing said indigo dye on said garment fibers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.