Laser-dyeing for Sustainable Textile Design

Morgan, Laura; Tyrer, John; Kane, Faith; Shen, Jinsong

Abstract

Current industry standards for dyeing woollen textiles use high temperatures and long processing times to aid dye diffusion. The consumption of water, energy and chemicals used in dyeing and finishing processes have been identified as key challenges to sustainability within the textile industry. This paper furthers the discussion of a recently developed digital laser-dyeing technique for woollen textiles. The research examined the effect of infrared laser irradiation, as a pre-treatment to dyeing 100% wool and its potential as a design tool for textile processing. Analysis of the dye performance properties of treated wool substrates and potential sustainability advantages of the technique are presented. Laser modification of the outer cuticles of wool fibres was found to remove and disrupt the hydrophobic surface. Therefore, after laser treatment, an increased rate of dye diffusion may be expected. By offering this technique as an alternative solution to traditional wet processing, the potential has been found to increase environmental sustainability through significant reduction in energy and wastewater effluent. In addition, the CAD controlled laser provides the advantage of accurate and targeted processing, allowing design and surface patterning capabilities.

• Presentation Conference Type: Conference Paper (unpublished)
• Conference Name: 13th International Wool Research Conference (IWRC-13) And AATCC Sustainability Symposium
• Start Date: Jun 10, 2015
• End Date: Jun 14, 2015
• Deposit Date: Oct 1, 2019
• Publicly Available Date: Oct 3, 2019
• Keywords: Textile design, Textile Coloration and Finishing, Surface Design, Laser materials processing, design for sustainability
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/3123477