Colorfastness of textile material is the property of the material to resist fading when exposed to different conditions such as washing, rubbing, sunlight & perspiration, etc. In the textile physical lab, many physical and chemical testing methods are applied to check the fastness of the material. In this article, you will learn about standards relating to color bleeding, the cause of color bleeding, and the prevention of color bleeding, which will help you to provide colorfast textile materials to your customers.
What are the Colorfastness Standards?
Two major types of color fastness standards are used in textile industries: AATCC & ISO, covering color fastness testing methods for:
- color fastness to washing
- color fastness to water
- color fastness to rubbing
- color fastness to light
- color fastness to seawater
- color fastness to pool water
- color fastness to perspiration
How to Evaluate Colorfastness?
You can evaluate the results of color fastness using two methods.
- By spectrophotometer: A machine that you can use to rate your tested specimen.
- With the help of the grayscale, the ISO 105 E02 Grayscale is used for color change; the ISO 105 E03 gray scale is used for staining; AATCC EP1 gray scale is used for color change; AATCC EP2 gray scale is used for staining. You must evaluate results in a dark room under the customer-advised light source on a specific degree angle & note both color change & staining on multi-fiber are treatments to make an evaluation report.
- ISO 105 E03
- ISO 105 E02
- AATCC EP1
- AATCC EP2
ISO 105 E03
ISO 105 E02
AATCC EP1
AATCC EP2What are The Factors that Affect Colorfastness?
Colorfastness depends on the nature of the fiber, colorant selection, proper pre- and post-treatment, and perfect finishing of the textile material. Color fading is the most common issue in the textile industry.
Color Fading by light
Yes, Light fades color. UV rays from sunlight break the chemical bonds of dyes, causing color fading. This is a common issue in outdoor materials.
Color Fading by Home or Commercial Laundering
Home laundering also fades the colors of textile materials, especially when using bleach or detergent. Hot wash and extra washing cycles cause color fading. You should always follow the care label’s instructions. Different chemicals, such as chlorine, acids, and alkalis, cause color fading. This issue is usually found during commercial laundering, where textile materials are washed by cleaning agents and other cleaning chemicals.
Color Fading by Rubbing
When you use textile materials, rubbing and friction cause color fading when the surface of the textile material is exposed to any other surface.
What is Shade Change?
Change of color refers to the change in the original color of the same textile materials before and after. Different factors cause changes in color, such as using weak bond formation dyes, uncompleted dyeing procedures, environmental factors, and aging of the textile material.
What is Color Bleeding?
Color bleeding is the transfer of dyes from a textile material to another textile material, usually during laundering or wet conditions. It usually causes unwanted color mixing and staining on the surface of another textile material.
Why Color Bleeds, and What Affects Colorfastness?
Color bleeding is caused due to poor dye fixation, excess dye and water quality, and improper washing techniques. When the dyes are not completely fixed during the dyeing process, the unfixed dyes are loosely attached to the fibers. When you wash the finished textile material, those unfixed dyes will cause color bleeding. If you don’t apply proper hot wash during the dyeing process, the excess dyes will cause color bleeding, and this is usually occurring in dark colors. The hardness of the water, which contains more than the required minerals, also affects the color bleeding.
Techniques to Meet Standards for Improving Colorfastness?
You should use high-quality colorfast dyes according to the fibers’ nature to eliminate color fading, shade change, and bleeding. You should also apply proper dyeing techniques, such as the required concentration of the solution, properly controlled temperature, and the best fixer to fix the dyes on the fibers’ surface completely. After dyeing, you must use washed-off agents to wash out the unfix dyes from the surface of the textile material and decrease the chance of color bleeding.
Colorfastness to Washing
BS EN ISO 105 C06, BS EN ISO 105 C08, BS EN ISO 105 CO9, and AATCC 61 are universally used to evaluate the color fastness of textile material to washing. The required apparatus for this method is a DaRong launder meter or gyro wash. The temperature varies between 30 and 95 degrees Celsius per the customer’s requirement. Different detergents are used without an optical brightener and with an optical brightener based on the nature of the color of the textile material or as per customer protocol. Usually, optical brighteners are used for dye textile material, and optical brighteners are used for white textile material. For BS EN ISO 105 C06, ECE phosphate reference detergent B without optical brightener, sodium perborate tetrahydrate, and sodium carbonate anhydrous are used & for AATCC 61, WOB or TIDE are used. A refer scale is used for evaluate the rating of the textile material after the method. The report is prepared after evaluating shade change and staining on the multifiber.
Colorfastness to Water
BS EN ISO 105 E01 & AATCC 107 are used to evaluate color fastness to water. Perspirometer and oven are required to perform this test. The testing specimen is dipped in water and placed in a spirometer for a specific time as per the testing method. As per ISO, the specimen is dried under 37 ± 2 degrees Celsius under 12.5 kph pressure for 4 hours, and as per AATCC, the specimen is kept for 18 hours under 38±1 degrees Celsius under 4.5 kg of load. After the condition, you should evaluate as per the grayscale of both shade change and staining and mention it in the testing report.
Colorfastness to Perspiration
BS EN ISO 105 E04 & AATCC 15 are used for color fastness to perspiration. Perspirometer and Oven are required to perform this test. For BS EN ISO 105 E04, an alkaline solution uses L-histidine monohydrochloride monohydrate, sodium phosphate dibasic & sodium chloride. In contrast, an acidic solution uses L-histidine mono hydrogen monohydrate, sodium dihydrogen diphosphate, and sodium chloride. Specimen and multifiber are dipped in 50 ml of solution for 30 minutes, squeezed and kept under 12.5± 09 kph, and kept in 37±02 degrees Celsius maintained oven for 04 hours. Evaluate the reading by using a grayscale.
AATCC 15 uses Histidine monohydrochloride, sodium hydrogen phosphate anhydrous, lactic acid, and sodium chloride. The testing specimen is kept for 6 hours in a spirometer under 8 to 10 lbs weight. After drying, evaluate the reading using grayscale.
Colorfastness to Seawater
BS EN ISO 105 E02 & AATCC 106 are used to determine the color fastness of seawater. A respirometer and oven are required to perform this test. Sodium chloride and potassium chloride are used to prepare the BS EN ISO 105 E02 solution. Treated specimens are kept at 37±2 degrees Celsius for 4 hours under 125 kph.
For AATCC 106, sodium chloride & anhydrous magnesium chloride are used. The testing specimen is kept at 38±1 degrees Celsius for 18 hours under 4.5 kg. Evaluate the results by using a grayscale.
Colorfastness to Light
BS EN ISO 105 B02 and AATCC 16 are used to evaluate color fastness to light. Light fastness testers are used for this test. A black panel is used for ISO, and a white panel is used for AATCC. Testing conditions such as temperature and relative humidity are set as per the testing method’s instructions. A xenon lamp is used as a light source. After the test is completed, the result is evaluated using a blue wool scale.
Blue wool ScaleColorfastness to Rubbing
BS EN ISO 105 X12, AATCC TM8 & 116 are used to evaluate color fastness to rubbing. DaRong crock meter is used to perform this test. The rubbing finger dia of the cricketer is 16±0.1 mm, the track length is 104±3, & applied pressure is 9±0.2 N. Both dry and wet rubbing is performed. Grade 3 distilled water is used to wet the rubbing cloth, and its pH should be neutral, and hardness should be zero. 95-100 % wet crocking cloth for BS EN ISO 105 X12 and 65±5% wet corking cloth for AATCC wet crocking. After drying, the result is evaluated by using a grayscale.
Colorfastness to Pool Water
This test uses BS EN ISO 105 E03 and AATCC 162 methods. A launderometer is required to perform this method. The solution is diluted with the required PPM chlorine, and the machine lasts 01 hour. Evaluate the reading using a grayscale of shade change.
Conclusion
Colorfastness is the ability of any textile material to resist change in its original condition, which is the most important property of any textile material. Two types of testing are performed in the textile laboratory’s physical section to evaluate the change in original textile material when exposed to UV rays: washing, water, seawater, pool water, and perspiration. AATCC is the American textile standard, and ISO is the international textile testing standard. All these tests are performed under specific conditions. Many buyers have their own testing methods and parameters. A textile material should resist change, and textile industries always focus on shade change, shade fading, and color bleeding to provide the best quality material to their customers.
FAQs
What is colorfastness?
Colorfastness is the ability of textile material to resist change when exposed to water, washing, or light.
What is a colorfast fabric?
A colorfast fabric does not change its original color when exposed to light, washing, rubbing, perspiration, sea water, or pool water.
How to evaluate shade change and staining on multifiber?
You should use either of the two methods. The first one evaluates shade change and staining via spectrophotometer, and the second one uses gray scales for shade change and staining in a dark room under the required light source.
How to improve color fastness?
You can improve color fastness by using the best dyeing material, using the proper concentration of textile dyes and auxiliaries, performing proper pretreatment, giving enough time for dye fixation, performing proper hot washes after dyeing, and applying a fixing agent during finishing.
Is color change due to perspiration?
Yes, color changes due to perspiration. The perspiration test is the most important test for sportswear, such as shirts.
What is color bleeding?
Removing unfixed dyes during home or domestic laundering is called color bleeding.
What is color fading?
Removal of dyes when exposed to washing of light is called color fading.
What is shade change?
The difference between before and after treatment of textile material is called shade change.
How to improve color fastness?
Good dyes, proper hot washes after dyeing, and a fixer on textile material improve color fastness.
What is the color fastness of the washing method?
A method for evaluating how much color will fade/ shade change after washing is called color fastness to wash. Depending on the textile material’s usage, the color fastness is checked at different temperatures.
Related Resources
Test Method for Colorfastness to Crocking AATCC 8
AATCC 107 Colorfastness to Water Test Method
Insights to Colorfastness to Rubbing/Crocking Test
How to use gray card to test fabric colorfastness
Mastering Color Fastness: Test Methods and Techniques for Exceptional Results