Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is garment dyeing?

Garment dyeing is the process of dyeing fully fashioned garments (such as pants, pullovers, t-shirts, jeans, sweaters, dresses, bathrobes, casual jackets, shirts, skirts, hosieries) subsequent to manufacturing, as opposed to the conventional method of manufacturing garments from pre-dyed fabrics.  Most garments are made of cotton knit goods and/or cotton woven fabrics. Although several other fabrics can be found in the whole or in part such as wool, nylon, silk, acrylic, polyester and others. Due to cost savings and fashion trends, garment dyeing has been gaining importance and popularity in the past years and will continue to do so in the future.

2. What needs to be done to the garment prior to Dyeing?

Many processes are available for the garment dyer to remove finishes and other residues from fabrics and garments. Generally, a significant amount of processing and testing must be done prior to actually dyeing the garments.  It is very important that a reputable dyer is selected and the customer must be aware that this can be an often time-consuming process.

3. What can I do to protect my garment during dyeing? 

Many garments are dyed in open chamber rotary machines, where the primary concerns are tangling and abrasion prevention. In some cases, it may be advisable to invert the garment and attach seams together by tacking or by use of tag fasteners. Generally, the best appearance of the garment is preserved if the garment is inverted prior to dyeing and then reversed to the correct side after drying.

4. What equipment is used to dye my garments?

Paddle machines and rotary drums are the two types of equipment regularly used for garment dyeing. Rotary drum machines are sometimes preferred for garments, which require gentler handling, such as sweaters. A high liquor ratio is required for paddle machines, which is less economical and may limit shade reproducibility. Many machinery companies have developed sophisticated rotary dyeing machines, which incorporate state-of-the-art technology. The load capacity of some of these rotary machines approaches 800 pounds.

5. What is a fall-out rate? 

The fall-out rate is the rate at which garments do not meet customers specifications subsequent to dyeing. For example, stains or defects caused by faulty equipment or human error, or significant color variance. (Note that some dye techniques are designed to produce color variance or unique garments). Different dye techniques have different fall-out rates. This should be discussed with the dyer prior to production. Garment flaws and defects that become apparent subsequent to the garment dyeing process are NOT included in fall out rate. For example, some fabric and garments will have defects that are not apparent to the naked eye or do not become visible until laundered. These can include: faulty seams, pin holes, residues and chemicals on the surface of the fabric. These flaws are not due to the dyeing process, but become apparent during the dyeing process. The garment dyer cannot control this rate nor do they assume responsibility. The customer (or PFD manufacturer) is responsible to ensure that PFD specs have been adhered to and proper testing of the garment/fabric has been done prior to production.