Common Types:
Acid dyes: Used for wool, silk, and nylon; provide good fastness on protein fibers.
Reactive dyes: Form covalent bonds with cellulose-like cotton; excel in wet fastness for textiles.
Direct dyes: Water-soluble for easy application on cotton, but have lower wash fastness.
Disperse and solvent dyes: For synthetics like polyester or non-textile uses.
Vat Dyes: Insoluble dyes (like indigo) that must be made soluble with alkali and reducing agents. They offer exceptional color fastness, particularly for denim.
Basic (Cationic) Dyes: Positively charged, water-soluble dyes used on acrylic, modified nylon, and polyester. Known for very bright, intense, but sometimes poor lightfast colors.
Sulfur Dyes: Inexpensive dyes used for cotton, producing muted, deep colors (blacks, browns, navy) with good wash fastness but poor bleach resistance.
Mordant Dyes: Require a metal salt (mordant) to fix the color onto the fabric, often used for wool and silk.
Natural Dyes: Derived from plants (e.g., Indigo, Logwood), animals, or minerals. They are eco-friendly but often lack high light/wash fastness compared to synthetic counterparts.
Description provided by indian stalwart global sourcing company.