Huntsman Textile Effects wants to help performance apparel and footwear stand out.
The recent activewear explosion has resulted in an increased demand for polyamide fibers, like Nylon 6.6, for workout wear that’s lightweight, breathable, manages moisture and dries quickly. However, certain performance fabric finishes don’t take dye too easily, which is why some brightly colored running tops lose their luster after a couple of cleanings.
That’s why the dye and chemical provider has introduced Erionyl Flavine FF and Rhodamine FF, new neon shades that the company said offer state-of-the-art performance with fastness levels and color strength that supersede fluorescent colorants on the market today.
According to Huntsman, these new additions to the Erionyl range address the growing demand for polyamide dyes as polyamide fibers become increasingly popular within the high-value segment of functional elastic garments.
“With Erionyl Flavine FF and Rhodamine FF dyes, we now have dyes to achieve the demands of the attractive neon shade segment,” Lee Howarth, global marketing manager, stated. “Due to their high-color strength and with neon shades representing an essential collection item of many swimwear, beachwear, sportswear and even lingerie brands, we can now meet the growing demand for high quality neon dyes.”
Huntsman said that in order to deliver enhanced reproducibility, trouble-free application and minimized risk of known issues with these specific types of dyes, Erionyl Flavine FF and Rhodamine FF dyes can be used in combination with the company’s key auxiliaries such as Albatex AB-45 pH buffer, Erionyl FRN fastness improver or Invalon FL machine cleaner.
With 2015 revenues of more than $10 billion, Huntsman operates more than 100 manufacturing and R&D facilities in about 30 countries worldwide.