Methods for obtaining natural colorants from plant material (e.g., tobacco material) and for using such natural colorants to dye various substrates are provided. Natural colorants are obtained using particular enzymes and particular conditions (e.g., time, temperature, and pH profiles). Such colorants can be used to dye substrates, for example, using conventional dyeing techniques or using unique in situ methods.

Methods for obtaining natural colorants from plant material (e.g., tobacco material) and for using such natural colorants to dye various substrates are provided. Natural colorants are obtained using particular enzymes and particular conditions (e.g., time, temperature, and pH profiles). Such colorants can be used to dye substrates, for example, using conventional dyeing techniques or using unique in situ methods.

The present invention relates to a method of colouring polymer substrates at low temperatures. The method comprises subjecting the polymer substrate that is to be coloured to a colouring liquor comprising a solvent in which the colourant has a high solubility and then adding a solvent in which the colourant has a low solubility, typically water.

The present invention relates to a reactive dye bath and a dyeing process for textiles. The reactive dye bath for textiles comprises an organic solvent, an aqueous dye solution, a surfactant and a co-surfactant. The reactive dye bath or the dyeing process of the present invention allows for full up-take of the dye without subjecting the textiles to any special pre-treatment and without the addition of a salt for accelerating dyeing, so as to obtain dyed textiles with a higher dyeing depth, uniformity and fastness.

A method of treating a material, the method comprising the steps of: (1) contacting the material with a composition comprising an electrophilic species selected from aldehydes, succinimidyl esters, and mixtures thereof; (2) contacting the material with a composition comprising a chelating agent and/or a salt of an amine and/or a carboxylic acid.

A method of combating colour loss from a dyed material, the method comprising contacting the material with a composition comprising a compound of formula (I): (I) wherein R is an optionally substituted hydrocarbyl group having at least 5 carbon atoms, and R is hydrogen or a solubilising group.

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A method of combatting colour loss from a dyed material, the method comprising the steps of: (1) contacting the material with a composition comprising an electrophilic species selected from aldehydes, succinimidyl esters, and mixtures thereof; (2) contacting the material with a composition comprising a chelating agent and/or a salt of an amine and/or a carboxylic acid.

A method of combatting colour loss from a dyed material, the method comprising the steps of: (1) contacting the material with a composition comprising an electrophilic species selected from aldehydes, succinimidyl esters, and mixtures thereof; (2) contacting the material with a composition comprising a chelating agent and/or a salt of an amine and/or a carboxylic acid.

The present invention relates to a process for producing dyed mixed fibres (D-MF), dyed mixed fibre yarns (D-MY) and/or dyed mixed fibre textile fabrics (D-MT) in which mixed fibres (MF), mixed fibre yarns (MY) and/or mixed fibre textile fabrics (MT) comprising at least one polyester fibre (PF) and at least one further fibre (FF) are simultaneously contacted with at least two different dyes (D1) and (D2) at a temperature T.sub.D<130 C. The at least one polyester fibre (PF) comprises 80 to 99.5% by weight of at least one terephthalate polyester (A), 0.5 to 20% by weight of at least one aliphatic-aromatic polyester (B) and 0 to 5% by weight of at least one additive (C), wherein the % by weight are based in each case on the total weight of components (A), (B) and optionally (C). Moreover, the present invention relates to the dyed mixed fibres (D-MF), the dyed mixed fibre yarns (D-MY) and/or the dyed mixed fibre textile fabrics (D-MT) obtained by this process.

A textile dyeing process is described for dyeing a textile material, product or article consisting of animal fibers, comprising the steps of dipping said textile material, product or article into a dyeing bath comprising at least one detergent substance, a wetting substance, a leveling substance and an acidity regulator; adding to the dyeing bath a coloring substance approved for food use; subjecting the dyed textile material, product or article to washes; and finally subjecting the dyed textile material, product or article to a color fixing treatment.