Dyeing to a colour standard, lot after lot.

Before a customer reads a label or feels a seam, they see the colour. A colour that is slightly off, fades after a few washes or looks different from one garment to the next undermines a product more than almost any other fault. Dyeing is the process that puts colour into fibre, yarn or fabric, and it is where much of the technical skill in textiles sits.

This page explains the main ways textiles are dyed, how fibre type decides the dye, what colour fastness means and how to test it, how to manage colour consistency across lots and what to tell us when colour matters to your product. It is written for buyers who want colours that look right and stay right.

Colour can be added at different stages, and the stage affects look, cost and flexibility.

• Fibre-dyed colour is added before spinning, giving blended, melange effects.
• Yarn-dyed yarn is dyed before weaving or knitting, used for stripes, checks and denim.
• Piece-dyed finished fabric is dyed in the roll, the most common method for plain colours.
• Garment-dyed the finished garment is dyed, giving a soft, lived-in look.
• Printed colour is applied to the surface in a pattern.

Each stage has its own trade-offs between colour depth, consistency, minimum quantities and flexibility.

Different fibres need different dyes, and this is why blends are harder to colour than single fibres.

1. 01

   Cotton and other cellulose fibres are commonly dyed with reactive dyes, which bond to the fibre and give good wash fastness.

2. 02

   Polyester is dyed with disperse dyes at high temperature, giving strong, stable colour.

3. 03

   Nylon and wool use acid dyes.

4. 04

   Blends need either a dye for each fibre, or a deliberate choice to colour only one, giving a melange look.

Pigment dyeing is a different approach, in which colour sits on the fibre surface, giving a softer, more faded look with lower fastness.

Colour fastness is the ability of a colour to resist change. It is tested in several ways, because colour can fail in several ways.

• Wash fastness does the colour fade or bleed in washing?
• Rubbing fastness does colour transfer when the surface is rubbed, wet or dry?
• Light fastness does colour fade in sunlight?
• Perspiration fastness does colour change with sweat?

Dark and bright colours are the most demanding, and some, such as deep reds and navy, are particularly hard to hold. We recommend testing fastness for the colours and fabrics you intend to use, and we coordinate laboratory testing where a report is needed.

A lab dip is a small swatch dyed to match your colour reference, which you approve before bulk dyeing begins. It is the cheapest point to correct a colour. Colour is judged against a reference such as a physical swatch or a colour system, ideally under the same light, since colours can look different under different lighting.

1. 01

   Provide a clear colour reference.

2. 02

   Review the lab dip in daylight and in the light your customers will see it in.

3. 03

   Approve, or comment with direction such as slightly warmer or less red.

4. 04

   Confirm the approved colour is recorded.

Bulk fabric is then checked against the approved lab dip before cutting.

Dye lots vary. Two batches of the same colour, dyed at different times, can differ slightly, which shows when two garments are placed side by side. This matters most for basics, uniforms and anything sold in sets.

We manage this by recording the lot used, keeping an approved reference and checking bulk against it. Where small variation is natural, we tell you in advance, so you can plan reorders and replacements. For garments that must match exactly, ask about cutting from a single dye lot.

Dyeing uses water, energy and chemicals, and buyers increasingly ask how those are managed. We cannot answer for every supplier in general terms, but we can tell you what documentation exists for the dyeing of a particular fabric, such as chemical limits tested or certificates held, and we coordinate testing where a requirement applies.

If your customers require limits on certain substances, tell us at the start. Fewer colours, simpler shades and pre-treated fabrics all reduce the dyeing burden, and honest conversation about what is documented is more useful than general reassurance. Our sustainability page explains our approach to claims.

Send us a swatch, a colour code or a reference garment for each colour you need, along with the fabric and quantity. We will respond in writing with what is feasible, any minimums and a lab dip plan. A development sample lets you judge colour in a real garment. Made-to-order starts from 50 pieces per style.