Dyeing — Process Challenge

Leveling Agents & Salt for Even Reactive Dyeing on Cotton

Reactive dye strikes unevenly on cotton, giving patchy or off-shade results
Why It Matters
Reactive dye strikes unevenly on cotton, giving patchy or off-shade results
Solution Approach

Reactive dye strikes unevenly on cotton, giving patchy or off-shade results RawSource supplies the base chemicals that go into these programs. We can help with product selection, grade matching, and sourcing from multiple origins for supply security.

Typical Processing Workflow
1
Substrate & Process Assessment
Identify the fiber and process stage (pretreatment, dyeing, finishing) and the performance, hand, and compliance targets.
2
Auxiliary Selection
Match surfactants, wetting and dispersing agents, softeners, fixatives, or pH and sequestering agents to the substrate and bath chemistry.
3
Lab Dip & Dosing
Confirm dose and sequence on a lab dip or pad trial, checking levelness, fastness, hand, and bath stability.
4
Production Validation
Verify reproducibility, fastness, and effluent compliance at scale, and set the recipe and packaging for production.
Recommended Chemistries (5)
Sodium Sulfate
CAS 7757-82-6
Acids & Salts
Electrolyte for dye exhaustion
screens the fiber's anionic charge so reactive dye exhausts evenly onto cellulose
Melting Point: 884 °C   Density: 2.671   Solubility: In water, 28.1 g/100 g water at 25 °C
Full Details
Sodium Chloride
CAS 7647-14-5
Acids & Salts
Electrolyte (alternative to sulfate)
alternative electrolyte driving controlled dye exhaustion
Physical Description: Dry Powder, Other Solid; Liquid; Liquid, Other …   Appearance: Colorless and transparent or translucent when i…   Taste: SRP: SALTY
Full Details
Sodium Carbonate (Soda Ash)
CAS 497-19-8
Acids & Salts
Alkali buffer for reactive dyeing and scouring
alkali that covalently fixes reactive dye to cellulose once the dye has levelled
Melting Point: 856 °C   Boiling Point: Decomposes on heating by CO2 loss   Density: 2.54 g/cu cm
Full Details
Sodium Bicarbonate (Baking Soda)
CAS 144-55-8
Acids & Salts
Mild alkali for controlled fixation
mild alkali for slow, controlled fixation that reduces unlevelness
Melting Point: Decomposes at 109 °C   Density: 2.159   Solubility: 1 in 10 % at 25 °C
Full Details
Levelling Agent (Ethoxylated Fatty Amine)
CAS 61791-26-2
Surfactants
Migration and levelling aid
retards and evens dye strike so migration produces a level shade
Full Details

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