Colour Fastness of Textiles

The resistance of colour of textiles to fade

or bleed against different agencies such as
light, wash,water, perspiration, rubbing,
acid, alkali,hot pressing, bleaching etc. is
called colour fastness.

Colour fastness is a term used in the dyeing

of textile materials, meaning resistance of
the material's colour to fading or running.
The term is usually used in the context of
clothes. The first known use of the word
colorfast was in 1916
 Textile Colour Fastness
Test standards

Society of Dyers and Colorists (SDC)

American Association of Textile Chemists and Colorists

(AATCC).

International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

International Wool Textile Organization (IWTO).

FACTORS AFFECTING THE COLOR FASTNESS PROPERTIES
• The molecular structure (e.g.) of a dye molecule: If the dye molecule is
larger in size, it will be tightly entrapped inside the inter-polymer chain space
of a fiber. Thus the fastness will be better.
• The manner in which the dye is bonded to the fibre or the physical form
present.
• The amount of dye present in the fibre i.e. depth of shade. A deep shade will
be less fast than a pale or light shade.
• The chemical nature of the fibre. For example, cellulosic fibres dyed with
reactive or vat dyes will show good fastness properties. Protein fibres dyed
with acid mordant and reactive dyes will achieve good fastness properties
and so on. That is to say compatibility of dye with the fibre is very important.
• The presence of other chemicals in the material.
• The actual conditions prevailing during exposure.
Different Types of Colour Fastness
Colour Fastness to Wash

Colour Fastness to Light

Colour Fastness to Rubbing/Crocking

Colour Fastness to Perspiration (Acid/Alkali)

Colour Fastness to Saliva

Colour Fastness to Water (Hot)

Colour Fastness to Water (Cold)

Colour Fastness to Sea Water

Colour Fastness to Chlorinated Water

Colour Fastness to Bleaching (H2O2 / Hypochloride)

Colour Fastness to Alkali/Acid Spotting

Colour Fastness to Dry Cleaning

Colour Fastness to Hot Pressing

Assessment of Colour Fastness

1. Changes in the colour of the

specimen being tested, that is
colour fading

2. Staining of undyed material

which is in contact with the
specimen during the test, that
is bleeding of colour.
 Instruments for the Assessment of Colour
Fastness

1. Visual Assessment (By Grey Scale)

2. Automatic Assessment (By using spectrophotometer)

 Grey Scale

Grey Scale for

Shade Change

Grey Scale for

Degree of
staining
How to assess coloured textiles with grey scale
• With the grey scale, the colour contrast between before test and
after test coloured textile is compared with the 09 (nine) pairs of
colour contrast in the grey scale.
 Multifibre Fabric

• Developed by the Society of Dyers & Colourists in 1986 SDC Multifibre

DW is a testing fabric comprising of six different fibre components. SDC
Multifibre DW can be used as an adjacent fabric in many of the ISO 105 C
Series and E Series of colour fastness tests and meets chain store
fastness test specification.

• It is produced with a narrow weave construction and contains the

following components, secondary cellulose acetate, cotton, acrylic,
polyamide, polyester and wool.
Multifibre Fabric Types
 Grey Scale Rating

Fastness Grade Shade Change Colour Fastness Staining

of Tested of the Sample condition of the
Sample Sample
Grade-5 No Change Excellent No Staining

Grade-4 Slight loss in Good Very Slight

Depth Staining
Grade-3 Appreciable loss Fair Moderate
in depth Staining
Grade-2 Significant loss poor Significant
in Depth Staining
Grade-1 Great Loss in Very Poor Deep Staining
Depth
 Color fastness to Washing
• There are five (5) test methods of I.S.O.-
• Method i,ii,iii
Same procedure but only temperature varies.
• Method iv,v
Same procedure but only time difference and used for severe purposes.
Color fastness to Washing (Cont….)
• Required Apparatus:
• SDC recommended multi-fiber fabric or recommended by ISO
• Grey scale for color changing
• Grey scale for staining
• Thermometer
• Dryer
• Color matching cabinet(Light box)
• Sewing machine.
Wash fastness tester and color matching cabinet
Specimen preparation
 Color fastness to Washing(Cont….)
• The tested sample is prepared as below:
• A 10 × 4 cm2 dyed sample fabric to be tested is taken.
• Another two pieces of fabric sample of 5 × 4 cm2 which are scoured,
bleached but undye is also taken-
• One will be same fabric undye
• Other will be a multifiber fabric or indicated by ISO
• Now the dyed sample is placed between the undyed samples covering 5 × 4
cm2 area and stitched at the four edges, leaving 5x4 cm2 exposed, thus the
specimen is ready for test
For test method i, ii and iii For test method iv and v
If the first piece is The other piece will If the first piece is The other piece
be will be
Cotton Wool Cotton Viscose

Wool Cotton Viscose Cotton

Silk Wool
Nylon Viscose or cotton
Polyester Wool or cotton
Polyester Viscose or cotton
Acrylic Wool or cotton

Nylon Wool or Cotton Acrylic Viscose or cotton

Color fastness to Washing(Cont….)
Washing solution

• For ISO i, ii, iii method-5 gm/litre any of following two-

• ISO reference detergent
• High grade soap solution can be used as alternative containing-
• Free alkali calculated as Na2CO3 = 0.3% (maximum)
• Free alkali calculated as NaOH = 0.1% (maximum)
• For ISO iv and v method-
• ISO reference detergent -5gm/litre
• Anhydrous sodium carbonate-2 gm/litre
Color fastness to Washing(Cont….)
The reagents and material are taken in a wash wheel and the
recipes are as bellow-

Test method Temp(0C) Time M:L

Ratio
ISO-1 40º ± 2ºC 30 min 1:50
ISO-2 50º ± 2ºC 45min 1:50
ISO-3 60º ± 2ºC 30min 1:50
ISO-4 95º ± 2ºC 30min 1:50
ISO-5 95º ± 2ºC 4hours 1:50
After-treatment
• After 30 minutes specimen is taken out.
• The specimen is rinsed twice in cold distilled water.
• Then it is washed in running cold water for 10 minutes.
• The specimen is squeezed and the stitching is removed from two long
side (5 cm sides) and one short side (4 cm side) leaving another short
side .
• It is dried at a temperature 60ºC.
• Then the rest side is unsewed.
After-treatment
Assessment
Assessment
• Change in colour –
• The exposed part is compared with
original dyed fabric with the help of grey
scale. .
• Staining –
• The undyed fabric used for covering is
compared with the original undyed
fabric by grey scale for staining.
 Color fastness to Perspiration (ISO 105 E04)
• Color fastness to Perspiration:
• The garments specially dress materials which come into contact with the body
where perspiration is heavy (like neck, under arm etc.) may suffer from serious
local discoloration.
• Men sweating are of two types-
• Acidic(around 6)
• Alkaline(around 8)
l

Color fastness to Perspiration(Cont….)

For testing, two artificial perspiration solutions are required which can be made
as follows-

Chemicals Solution A Solution B

l-histidine mono-hydrochloride 0.5gm 0.5gm

mono-hydrate

Sodium chloride 5.0gm 5.0gm

Di-sodium hydrogen orthophosphate 2.5gm 2.2gm

Volume is Distilled water 1000ml 1000ml

PH (adjust with N/10 NaOH) 8 5.8
Color fastness to Perspiration(Cont….)
Sample (10cm x 4cm) is taken.

The sample (10cm x 4cm) is placed and sewed between another two undyed
fabric pieces (5cm x 4cm) , leaving 5cm x 4cm exposed

•One will be same fabric undyed

•Other will be a multifibre fabric or indicated by ISO for wash fastness test
method i, ii and iii

Perspiration solution A or B is taken in 50 times the sample weight

wetted well for 30mins at room temperature.


The liquor is drained

Color fastness to Perspiration(Cont….)
The specimen is then placed between two glass plate /Acrylic resin
plate(→11.5cm x 6.0cm x 0.15cm)

4.5kg(10 lb.) pressure is applied

Keeping the pressure, the assembly is kept in a Incubator for 4hrs at
temperature(370 C2OC)

Maximum 10 samples can tested at a time and the samples are unsowed and
dried in air at temperature
600C.
.
The change of color and staining are then assessed with grey scales for each
test.
Perspirometer
Color fastness to water (ISO 105 E01)

• Required reagent:
• Distilled water or deionised water or demineralised water.

Procedure:
Sample (10cm x 4cm) is taken.

The sample (10cm x 4cm) is placed and sewed between another two undyed
fabric pieces (5cm x 4cm), leaving (5cm x 4cm) exposed -
•One will be same fabric undyed
•Other will be a multifibre fabric
Color fastness to water (Cont….)
Water is taken in a 250ml beaker,50 times the sample weight

immersed well for 15mins at room temperature.

The water is drained

The specimen is then placed between two glass plate/Acrylic
resin plate(→11.5cm x 6.0cm x 0.15cm)

4.5kg(10 lb.) pressure is applied
Color fastness to water (Cont….)

Keeping the pressure,the assembly is kept in Incubator for 4hrs

at temperature(370 C20C).

Maximum 10 samples can tested at a time and the samples are
unsewed and dried in air at temperature
600C.
.
The change of color and staining are then assessed with grey
scales for each test.
Color Fastness to Rubbing
• Rubbing fastness: Rubbing fastness is the resistance to fading of dyed
textiles when rubbed against a rough surface.
• The fastness to crocking or rubbing is widely used on a variety of fabric to
evaluate the transfer of surface dye from the test fabric when it is applied
surface friction or rubbed against a rough surface.
• Two types of rubbing test are done-
• Dry
• Wet
Apparatus:
• Crock meter
• Grey scale staining
Color Fastness to Rubbing
Test Procedure
• Test specimen 15cm x 5cm (may be more, it has no effect) is placed on the
base of the Crock meter.
• A square of white test cloth (5cm x 5cm) which is of plain weave, desized,
bleached but without finished cotton fabric (as ready to dye)is taken.
• White test cloth is attached to the finger of the crock meter.
• This finger is used in rubbing action on the sample specimen
 Manual
• Rubbing is done to and fro, 10 cycle at 10seconds, i.e.20 rubs in 10s and
finger pressure on the specimen is 9N.
• Rubbing test is done both for warp way and weft way.
• For dry and wet rubbing test, separate sample is used.
• For wet rubbing, the sample is dry but crocking cloth is wet. For
wetting, M:L ratio is maintained not less than 1:50,water is drained
after wetting and not squeezed.
• Only degree of staining in the white cloth is determined by grey scale.
Color Fastness to Light (ISO 105 B02)
Light fastness is the resistance to fading of dyed textiles when exposed to
daylight. ISO recommended that,
The sample should be tested together with standard dyed wool controls of light
fastness 1-8 respectively.
The standards which are dyed as follows can be obtained from the British
Standard Institution-

Fastness rating Dye C.I. number

1 Acilan Brilliant Blue FFR Acid Blue 104
2 Acilan Brilliant Blue FFB Acid Blue 109
3 Coomassie Brilliant Blue R Acid Blue 83
4 Supromine Blue EG Acid Blue 121
5 Solway Blue RN Acid Blue 47
6 Alizarine Light Blue 4GL Acid Blue 23
7 Soledon Blue 4BC powder Sol. Vat Blue 5
8 Indigozol Blue AGG Sol. Vat Blue 8
Blue Scale
Light fastness tester
 Link
Test Procedure
•The sample under test and a set of blue wool reference standards are
arranged on a suitable backing as shown in Figure.

•The sample must be protected from rain by a glass cover not less than
5cm away (well ventilation due to moisture and heat).

• The middle third of the strips is covered with opaque card (A).
•The assembly is then exposed to light until the standard-1 just shows a
fading i.e. change in shade which is equivalent with grade 4 on the grey
scale for changing color.

•At this point a second segment of the specimen and standards is covered
with another piece of opaque card (B).

•The exposure is again continued until the contrast between the exposed
and unexposed parts of the standard-7 is equal to grade 4 of grey scale.
Test Procedure
•When the cards are removed the
specimen and standards will show
two areas that have been exposed for
different lengths of time together
with an unexposed area i.e. 3 areas.
• The specimen is given the rating of
the standard which shows similar
changes.
• If the exposed areas have different
ratings then the overall rating is the
mean of the two ratings.