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DOMESTIC CLOTHING SOURCING |
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Value-Added Services: Dyeing
What you see is not necessarily what you get. If you have
had garments dyed in the past you know that this is all too true. Because
of the
many
variables
inherent
in the
garment
dye process, there is much that can go awry. The following is an attempt
to help smooth the way for you by sharing what we see as the "need
to know" information relative to garment dyeing.
Getting Started
As with all manufacturing processes, the quality of the final product
is only as good as the sum of the raw materials in that product. In garment
dyeing the most critical raw material is the prepared-for-garment-dye
(PFGD)
garment. PFGD garments can be either bleached with no optical brightener
or white. Fabric that is properly whitened will yield excellent garment
dye results, and will provide a better base for pastel and bright colors.
Non-optic fabrics are excellent for earth tones and dark colors. Non-optic
fabrics may also save you money as it takes less dye to make them dark.
When deciding which type of fabric to use it is best to test-dye to your
color standards. Yard goods may be purchased to use for test-dyeing.
There is a misconception that optically brightened fabrics are not suitable
for
garment dyeing. As long as the optical is uniformly applied there will
not be a problem. A simple test for this is to put the fabric under an
ultraviolet (black) light and look for streaks or spots.
Keep in mind
that a dye formula for color X on fabric Y may not yield the same color
on fabric Z. To maintain consistency it is imperative that formulations
be developed for each fabric type and construction. This is also the
case
for different lots of the same fabric (or garments). As each fabric type
and construction will take the dye differently (dye uptake), it is advised
that fabric types are not mixed in the dye bath. Varying shades and depth
of color may result from mixed fabrics in the same dye lot. Garment dyers
measure production in pounds of dry garments. Each garment dyer has different
production minimums. Some dyers charge a minimum poundage regardless
of the actual poundage. Make sure that you understand the minimums and
how
many dozens they represent.
Color
Although most garment dyers have large color libraries, they more than
likely do not have a formula ready to match your standard on your garment.
So, you need to provide your color standards to the dyer for correct
formulation. It is advisable to also provide sample garments or fabric
to the dyer,
so that the final formulation will work on "your" product.
It typically takes 1-2 weeks for a lab dip to be processed. It is extremely
difficult to match colors that are on a different substrate than fabric.
In other words, always try to provide the dyer with nice-size fabric
color swatches. The use of "paint chips," pantone books, and
other non-fabric media for color matching is not recommended.
Once you have approved the color standard (lab dip) from the garment
dyer, it is imperative that you and the dyer agree on how much variation
from
standard you will accept. Many garment dyers use color-matching computers
with spectrophotometers to approve dye lot color matches. The computer
does not "see" the color the same way that you do and may "approve" matches
that you do not deem acceptable. Garment dyers use the term "commercially
acceptable match" to describe what you may feel is "close but
no cigar"! Make sure that you understand what your dyer means by "commercially
acceptable," and make sure the dyer understands what is and is
not acceptable to you. There are many special finishes and effects, such
as weathering, acid washing, stone washing, overdyeing, etc. that can
be provided
by garment dyers. These effects, while very popular, have their own drawbacks.
They cost more, have higher "fallout rates," are more difficult
to repeatedly match, and are generally rougher on the fabric. Talk to
your dyer about what to expect of the process you chose.
Preparation
The proper preparation technique is critical to the success of any garment
dye program. PFGD garments are NOT ready to be dyed. They have been handled
by cutters, sewing machine operators, inspectors, packers, etc. To get
good, even dye results it is necessary to scour (wash) all garments prior
to dyeing. Many dyers include a scour in their dye process. Some require
you to request it and pay extra. Be advised that certain shades are highly
critical from a preparation standpoint. Pastel-to-medium turquoise, lavender,
and tan/khaki are highly sensitive to any surface differences panel-to-panel
within a garment. For this reason we highly recommend a caustic scour
as part of the preparation process.
You can sometimes expedite the accuracy of what is dyed by "pre-lotting" your
shipment to the dyer. Talk to your dyer and find out if packing garments
by color to be dyed will be helpful. Make sure you know what your garments
weigh so you can properly pack and program your work. Many garment
labels will not stand up to garment dyeing. Certain dye types require
longer
dye cycles, and cycles may be prolonged in order to achieve a desired
shade.
Prolonged cycles or re-dyes will tend to strip ink off a label. Additionally,
if a dyelot must be stripped in order to re-dye the garments, the labels
may degrade entirely. We recommend test-dyeing any and all labels,
buttons, etc. before programming production.
Shrinkage
In cotton knits, shrinkage is the consolidation of the knit structure.
Most shrinkage takes place in the dryer. Commercial Dye and Dry equipment
can accelerate shrinkage in less time (rate of shrinkage) than home
laundry equipment. Ultimately all processes will promote the same degree
of shrinkage.
It just takes longer at home. Make sure that the after Dye and Dry
dimensions correspond with your requirements. If they don't, garment
pattern revisions
may be necessary.
The garment dye process is sometimes blamed for results outside the
dyer's control. The most frequently encountered are torque and spirality,
identified
by the twisting or displacement of lengthwise seams. This usually occurs
in long pants, skirts, and dresses. Torque is created in the yarn formation,
knitting, and fabric finishing processes. It is a condition that is
considered "normal
and accepted" in the industry. No one yet knows how to eliminate
torque and, therefore, neither Style Source nor any other fabric manufacturer
that we know
of warrants against it in totality.
Surface Abrasion
The physical process of garment dyeing can cause "pilling" on
the surface of some knit fabrics. This is a normal result. If pilling
is unacceptable to you, request that your dyer use a cellulase enzyme
treatment
(at extra cost). When properly applied this enzyme treatment can reduce
and/or eliminate pilling caused by the garment dye process.
Quality
The terms "fallout" and "redyes" refer to garments
that are unacceptable after dyeing. They may be streaked, blotchy,
uneven, off-shade, etc. These garments can usually be reclaimed by
stripping
and redyeing into darker colors. Most dyers will track and accumulate
these
garments for you and redye them when they have enough pounds to meet
the requirements of their equipment. When possible schedule your lightest
colors
to be dyed first. If there is a problem with their color match after
dyeing, you can move them to a darker color and start over with fresh
goods for
the light colors. It is much easier to redye into a darker shade than
a lighter one. Garment inspection is another area that is handled differently
by many dyers. Some inspect for correct color only. Some inspect for
color
and gross garment defects. Some will do whatever you ask, for a price.
Make sure you understand how your production will be inspected and
sorted.
There are other services related to finishing that garment dyers can
provide. These include sorting (by size, color, etc.), special packaging,
hand pressing,
steam tunneling, hanging, and tagging. Your dyer may provide other
services that may be of value to you. Ask your dyer for what you need
and remember
to settle on price prior to commencing production. Final garment dimensions
for garment-dyed or garment-washed products will be based upon predetermined "after
process" standards. Due to the consequence of fabric shrinking
variability, combined with normal sewing tolerances, the range of variation
will be
significantly higher than garments sewn from piece-dyed fabrics. Industry
standards of +/- 5% fabric shrinkage variability illustrate the process
capabilities of most fabric mills. This variability can be reduced
by pre-testing fabric lots prior to cutting and adjusting patterns
for fabrics exhibiting
variance. It is reasonable to expect an overall process capability
of +/- 3%, which still is enough variance to cause minor grades to
overlap a certain
percentage of the time. Arbitrary "standards" cannot be accepted
if they fall outside the process capability.
For more information on Style Source, click
here or call 910-399-2288.
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