Investigation into the dyeing of wool with Lanasol and Remazol reactive dyes in seawater

Freshwater is an increasingly scarce resource that is extensively used in textile wet‐processing. In seeking to identify alternative low freshwater‐usage coloration technology, this study examined the potential use of seawater ( SEAW ) as the dyeing medium for wool coloration using a range of reactive dyes. Initially, the dyeing behaviour of the wool fabric in simulated seawater ( SSW ) was compared with conventional dyeing from distilled water ( DW ) using α‐bromoacrylamide‐based Lanasol dyes and sulphatoethyl sulphone‐based Remazol dyes. These preliminary studies demonstrated that comparable coloration could be achieved in the SSW medium based on an assessment of the dye exhaustion, dye fixation, colour yield and levelness. Subsequent dyeing studies of wool using Mauritian seawater with both the Lanasol and Remazol reactive dyes confirmed that, based on the dye exhaustion, dye fixation, colour yield and levelness, comparable coloration could be achieved, highlighting the possibility of substituting freshwater with seawater as the dyeing medium.