The present invention relates to a waterless fiber dyeing method using a mixed fluid medium, in which supercritical carbon dioxide fluid medium is mixed with steam to form a mixed fluid medium, so that the waterless fiber dyeing effect to natural fibers is improved. The method of the invention can effectively modify the hydrophobic supercritical carbon dioxide fluid medium and improve the polarity thereof, thereby increasing the solubility of polar dye under the dyeing condition and simultaneously expanding the fiber. Thus, the present invention significantly improves the dyeability and dyeing behavior of the hydrophilic fibers in supercritical carbon dioxide fluids. The invention has the advantages of simple process, convenient operation and low energy consumption, and avoids consuming a large amount of water resources and discharging pollutants in the traditional process, and has the characteristics of environmentally friendly and high efficiency.

This invention relates to a process and apparatus for dyeing of textiles, to an immobilized enzyme comprised in said apparatus required for carrying out the process, and to a method to produce enzymatically indigo and derivatives thereof.

A new method of delivering more precise amounts of carpet mill dye to regions of discoloration using a roller-ball applicator enables precisely metered delivery of the three primary dye colors to discolored carpet fibers. The method eliminates the need for a water extraction, enables the restoration of a more uniform color pattern, and eliminates dye overspray outside of the treated region that is inherent with the use of a spray bottle. The applicator is held with a loose grip and the roller ball is alternately moved in clockwise and counter-clockwise directions while in contact with the carpet fibers to be dyed. This ensures that dye is delivered to all sides of the fiber. To ensure even dye penetration and improved motion of the roller ball, an emulsifier is added to the dye solution. After each application, a microfilament cloth is wiped across the treated region.

A method for dyeing, such as vat dyeing, or coating synthetic fibers, such as polyester fibers and/or polyamide fibers, or yarns or fabrics including these fibers can include providing a powdered dye or a powdered precursor dye (powdered leuko dye), or providing an aqueous dye formulation or an aqueous precursor dye formulation (an alkaline aqueous leuko dye formulation). An aqueous system including a lipase enzyme can be provided. The fibers/yarn/fabric can be pretreated with the aqueous system, and the pretreated fibers/yarn/fabric can be coated or dyed with the powdered dye or powdered precursor dye, or with the aqueous dye formulation or aqueous precursor dye formulation.

The present invention relates to a process wherein one or more dye precursors, e.g., indole, are provided to a textile and converted by one or more enzymes, e.g., an oxidizing enzyme, to provide the textile with a dye, e.g. indigo. At least the oxidizing enzyme is a hybrid enzyme including a binding domain that is suitable to bind the enzyme to the textile and/or increase the affinity of the enzyme for the textile, in particular, a cellulose binding domain (CBD).

The present invention relates to a method for reducing or preventing the decomposition of a composition Z comprising Z1 a salt of dithionous acid in an amount ranging from 50 to 100 wt % and optionally Z2 an additive selected from the group consisting of alkali metal carbonate, alkaline earth metal carbonate, alkali metal or alkaline earth metal tripolyphosphate (Na.sub.5P.sub.3O.sub.10), alkali metal or alkaline earth metal sulfite, disulfite or sulfate, dextrose and complexing agents in a combined amount ranging from 0.0001 to 40 wt %, which comprises contacting the components Z1 and optionally Z2 in the solid and/or dry or solvent-dissolved or -suspended state with at least one of the following compounds V in the solid and/or dry or solvent-dissolved or -suspended state, wherein the compounds V are selected from the group consisting of: (a) oxides of the alkali metals lithium, sodium, potassium, rubidium, cesium, or of magnesium, (b) sodium tetrahydroborate (NaBH.sub.4), (c) anhydrous copper(II) sulfate (Cu(SO.sub.4)), phosphorus pentoxide and (d) basic amino acids arginine, lysine, histidine, wherein the solvent for Z1, optionally Z2 and V is practically water-free.

A dye composition and a dyeing method for an elastic fabric are provided. The dyeing method includes: (a) providing an elastic fabric which includes an elastic fiber; and (b) immersing the elastic fabric in a dye composition. The dye composition includes an ion modifier and a dye. The elastic fiber of the elastic fabric has a first ion by contacting the ion modifier, and the first ion has a first charge; the dye has a second ion, and the second ion has a second charge opposite to the first charge. The first ion of the elastic fiber and the second ion of the dye together form an iconic bonding.

Provided is a reduction dyeing method for indigo color using Nesterenkonia sp. KDB2, KDB3 and/or KDB4. The reduction dyeing method is relatively simple, efficient and allows good reproducibility, by using Nesterenkonia sp. KDB2, KDB3 and/or KDB4 bacterial strains instead of a traditional fermentation process which entails poor reproducibility and is exacting and complicated.

A hollow fabric is obtained by providing cotton blended yarns and alkali-soluble polyester yarns which are arranged in a ratio of 10:2 as warp yarns, and providing cotton blended elastic yarns and alkali-soluble polyester filaments which are arranged in a ratio of 6:2 as weft yarns. The warp yarns and weft yarns are interwoven into plain weaves, and the plain weaves are subjected to alkali solution to remove the alkali-soluble polyester filaments, thereby obtaining greige cloth having meshes. The greige is subjected to boiled bleaching, softening and drying to obtain the hollow fabric. By optimizing the ratio of yarns and using a boiled bleaching, softening and drying process, a soft, smooth and fluffy product is produced with humidity-absorbing and breathability characteristics.

Compositions for and methods of digitally printing an ink image onto a woven textile material are provided. A base application is applied to the surface of a woven textile material, especially one comprising synthetic resin fibers prior to application of an ink image layer. The base application comprises an acrylic latex material that is formulated to be printed on with a digital ink while still wet, thereby eliminating the need for an intermediate drying cycle in between base application deposit and printing of the ink image.