Dyeing Procedures for Spandex® Using Orcolan Neutral™ and OrcoChrome™ Dyes

Acid dyes in general are applicable to Spandex®, however, premetallized dyes and mordant dyes offer the best dye penetration and overall fastness.  These are called Orcolan Neutral™ and OrcoChrome™ dyes, respectively.  Please refer to Dye Class Descriptions for Spandex® for more details.

Because Spandex® is typically used in blends with other fibers, please refer to Blends section of our website for dyeing procedures.

A few points to keep in mind when working with Spandex®:

  1. Do not exceed a temperature of 212°F(100°C) when processing Spandex®as it will change the physical properties of the fabric.
  2. Prolonged stretching of the fabric at elevated temperatures is not recommended as the yarn denier will be reduced and the stretch power of the Spandex® will be lessened and is not recoverable.
  3. Spandex® should not be processed with any chlorine-containing chemical as it will degrade and discolor the fiber.
  4. Spandex® should be scoured as soon as possible when received from the manufacturer as residual processing oils, over time, can degrade and discolor the fiber.

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