Dr. Petry / News / Indigo Fixation with PERFIXAN F 5000 Reduces Staining and Bleeding

Indigo Fixation with PERFIXAN F 5000 Reduces Staining and Bleeding

Dark blue denim articles, such as raw denim or dark- and rinse-washed jeans, tend to staining and bleeding. To prevent this, and in order to make sure that pants and jackets retain their new look as long as possible, we offer PERFIXAN F 5000. This product is a special indigo fixing agents which also inhibits environmental influences such as yellowing caused by corrosive exhaust gases.

Production of Dark- and Rinse-Washed Jeans

Woven cotton fabrics for blue denim articles are usually warp-dyed with indigo dyestuff in a continuous dyeing process. This typical denim dyeing procedure is referred to as ring dyeing. Instead of penetrating into the core, the indigo dye only settles on the outer layers of the yarn. This dyeing procedure results in low color fastness, and often very poor rub fastness due to the dyestuff not being well fixed to the fibers. In garment finishing this particular property is used to remove poorly fixed indigo and thus to create fancy washings and fashionable used look effects.

Unwashed denim fabrics are called Raw Denim. The simplest washing for denim articles is called rinse-washed or dark-washed. For keeping the dark color as long as possible, raw denim, dark- and rinse-washed jeans are treated with special finishing auxiliaries, like PERFIXAN F 5000, a so-called fixing agent. By using these fixatives, strong bonds between the indigo dyestuff and the cotton fibers are achieved resulting in improved wash and rub fastness.66666

Improved Rub, Color, and Wash Fastness for Dark Denim Articles

Fixing the dyestuff with PERFIXAN F 5000 considerably improves rub and wash fastness of dark denim articles. Beyond that, the product offers effective protection from yellowing caused by corrosive gases such as ozone (O₃) and nitrogen oxides (NO_X). The addition of softeners which are reducing ozone fading and yellowing can further improve the resistance to yellowing of denim garments. To reduce yellowing caused by air pollutants and environmental color changes as well as in order to improve the color fastness to nitrogen oxides (DIN EN ISO 105-G01) and ozone in the atmosphere (DIN EN ISO 105-G03) we suggest our silicone-free softeners PERISOFT LOF/R and PERISOFT LOF/R NEW.

Possible Application in Different Process Stages of the Textile Chain

PERFIXAN F 5000 can be applied in different process stages of the textile chain:

in the last rinsing bath after indigo dyeing
in the sizing after dyeing, prior to weaving in the sizing bath
after weaving when desizing in the washing bath

In order to manufacture dark raw denim, dark-washed and rinse-washed jeans with improved fastness you can carry out the treatment with PERFIXAN F 5000 during the desizing process in the garment laundry. Alternatively, you can apply the product in the sizing department right after indigo dyeing and before weaving. The product can also be utilized in the last washing bath on the indigo dyeing range (slasher or rope dyeing range). The last-mentioned alternative is less expensive and more effective than the application in sizing or finishing. Due to technical reasons it is not always possible, though.

Application Example for Indigo Fixation

PERFIXAN F 5000 can be applied prior to weaving on the indigo dyeing range or in the sizing bath, respectively after weaving in wet-finishing on the padder. Furthermore, it can be used during desizing of ready-made apparels on a drum washing machine in the garment laundry.

Application prior to weaving on a continuous yarn dyeing range:

20 – 30 g/l	PERFIXAN F 5000
x g/l	PERISTAL CSP liq.

Liquor pick-up: 100 % (related to the dry weight)
Temperature: Ambient temperature up to 30 °C
pH value: 5,5 – 6,5

Application after weaving on yard goods on a stenter padder:

10 – 20 g/l	PERFIXAN F 5000
x g/l	PERISTAL CSP liq.

Liquor pick-up: 60 – 70 % (dry in wet)
Temperature: Ambient temperature up to 30 °C
pH value: 5,5 – 6,5
Drying: 120 – 130 °C

Our Product Recommendations

For indigo fixation we recommend the use of our following products:

PERFIXAN F 5000

Fixing agent for indigo, sulfur and vat dyes used for improvement of wet and washing fastness, as well as pre-cationizing agent for pigment dyeing. PERFIXAN F 5000 is applied to improve fastness of blue denim articles.

PERISTAL CSP liq.

Non-volatile acid donor and buffer for dyeing and for acidifying. PERISTAL CSP liq. is used for setting acidic pH values between 4 and 6.

PERISOFT LOF/R

Softener for indigo-dyed denim articles to minimize yellowing and color changes caused by ozone or nitrogen oxides.

Fixation on Indigo Dyeing Range Reduces Backstaining

Fixing the indigo with PERFIXAN F 5000 in the continuous yarn dyeing process on a rope or slasher dyeing range helps to significantly reduce backstaining in wet and garment finishing. The dyestuff is fixed to the dyed fibers. In denim weaving, mostly undyed weft yarns are used. Since the indigo dyestuff is better fixed prior to weaving, the white weft yarn gets less backstained.

PERICOLOR P/Y Pigments for Color Effects

Endless new fancy effects, such as bicolored jeans showing brilliant dyeings on the inner side of the fabric, can be achieved. For the production of fashionable color effects with PERFIXAN F 5000 on ready-made garments made of cotton and cotton blends we suggest the use of our PERICOLOR P/Y pigments.

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