Definition
Colorant is a collective term for all color-imparting substances. A distinction is made between dyes (which are water-soluble) and pigments (which are not water-soluble).
Use in the textile industry
In the textile industry, colorants are used to apply a defined color to fibers, yarns, and fabric structures. Dyes are primarily used for dyeing natural fibers such as cotton or wool, as they are able to penetrate the fiber structure. Pigments, by contrast, are used mainly in textile printing and in the finishing of synthetic materials, where they are fixed to the fiber surface by means of a binder.
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The free learning platform teaches textile fundamentals step by step in interactive online courses. Each online course includes its own glossary with the most important terms of the respective topic. Across all courses, more than 600 textile terms with narrated explanations are available.
textil trainer is developed together with the Chair of Textile Technologies at Chemnitz University of Technology, chemmedia AG, and companies and educational institutions from the textile sector.