How to avoid color fading during washing clothes?

How to avoid color fading during washing clothes

Fading in ready-to-wear production and daily wear maintenance is a headache. Fading will not only make the clothing lose its original beauty and texture, but may also affect its service life. For ready-to-wear manufacturers and consumers, it is crucial to master effective anti-fading methods. Below, we will start from multiple links and discuss in-depth specific strategies for avoiding color fading during the washing of ready-to-wear.

1. Source control: selection of fabrics and dyes

The quality of fabrics and dyes is a key factor in determining whether a clothing is prone to fading. When choosing fabrics, give priority to choosing fabrics with high dyeing fastness. For example, specially treated cotton fabrics have a tighter fiber structure and dyes are easier to adhere to, which has better color fastness than ordinary cotton fabrics. For synthetic fiber fabrics, such as polyester fiber, nylon, etc., products that have been processed through professional dyeing processes should be selected to ensure that the dye and fiber are fully integrated.

The type and quality of dyes cannot be ignored. Reactive dyes have high dye fastness and brightness, and are suitable for a variety of fiber fabrics, which can effectively reduce fading; reducing dyes are often used for dyeing denim and other fabrics, with stable dyeing effect and excellent washing resistance. In addition, when purchasing fabrics, suppliers are required to provide dye fastness detection reports, and through professional friction color fastness, washing color fastness and other test data, we can intuitively understand the anti-fading properties of the fabric.

2. Pretreatment before washing: laying the foundation for preventing fading

Pretreatment of the garment before formal washing can enhance its anti-fading ability. First of all, for new clothes, the method of fixing the color soaking can be used. Prepare appropriate amount of salt water or white vinegar water and soak the clothes for 15 - 30 minutes. Brine can make the dye adhere more firmly to the fibers, while white vinegar can neutralize the alkaline substances that may remain on the fabric, preventing the dye from undergoing hydrolysis reaction during the washing process and causing fading. After soaking, rinse it with clean water and then perform the subsequent washing steps.

Secondly, check the stains on the clothes. For local stubborn stains, avoid using strong scrubbing or detergent containing strong oxidizing agents to treat them directly to avoid damaging the dye structure. You can choose a gentle stain remover, apply it gently to the stain, let it sit for a while before washing it.

3. Washing process control: scientific washing to prevent fading

All aspects of the washing process have an important impact on color fading. The first is the choice of detergents, and the appropriate detergent should be selected according to the characteristics of the fabric and dye. For clothes dyed with reactive dyes, using detergents containing anti-staining agents can effectively prevent the discoloration of dyes to other clothes; for protein fiber fabrics such as wool and silk, special neutral detergents are used to avoid damage to dyes and fibers by alkaline detergents. At the same time, strictly control the dosage according to the instructions for use of detergent. Excessive detergent not only cannot improve the cleaning effect, but may also increase the risk of fading.

In terms of washing methods, you should choose the appropriate mode according to the material and dyeing of the clothes. For dark clothes that are prone to fading, try to use hand-washing or gentle washing machine washing as much as possible to reduce the friction and pulling of the dye by mechanical forces. It is also crucial to control the washing temperature. Generally speaking, the washing temperature should not exceed 30℃. High temperature will accelerate the movement of dye molecules and make it easier to fall off the fibers. In addition, the washing time of water is reasonably controlled and long-term soaking and washing is avoided to reduce the dissolution and loss of dye in water.

During the washing process, some auxiliary agents can also be added to enhance the anti-fading effect. For example, adding an appropriate amount of softener to water can form a protective film on the surface of the fibers, reducing friction between the fibers, thereby reducing fading; for clothes that are prone to color, a uniform dye can be added to make the dye evenly distributed during the washing process, avoiding local fading or uneven dyeing.

4. Treatment after washing: Consolidate the anti-fading effect

Treatment after washing is also an important part of avoiding color fading. First, during the rinsing process, make sure to thoroughly clean the remaining detergents and chemical additives on the laundry. Rinse multiple times and dehydrate thoroughly to avoid the subsequent impact of detergent residue on the dye. When dehydrating, control the dehydration time and rotation speed to avoid fiber deformation and dye falling off due to excessive mechanical force.

Secondly, choose the right drying method. Avoid exposing clothing directly to the sun. Strong UV rays will accelerate the decomposition and fading of dyes. The clothes should be turned over and dried in a ventilated and cool place to reduce direct exposure to the dye by sunlight. For some high-end fabrics or clothes that are prone to fading, a special clothing dust cover can be used to cover them to further protect the color.

In addition, for some clothes that have undergone special water washing processes, such as denim washing, antique treatment, etc., a post-organization process can be carried out after washing, such as using a special color fixing agent for secondary color fixing, or low-temperature ironing to further shape the dye and enhance color fastness.

To avoid color fading during the washing of ready-made clothes, it requires comprehensive control from fabric dye selection, pre-washing pre-washing, washing process control to post-washing treatment. Only by taking scientific and reasonable measures at each link can we reduce fading, keep the color of clothes lasting and bright, and provide consumers with high-quality clothing products.