Influence of cellulose polymers on the semipermanent dyestuff process for yak hair: an analytical investigation

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of some cellulose polymers mixed in a semipermanent dyestuff on the dye uptake of yak hair fiber and color fading after repeated washing cycles. Two different classes of commercial polymers were tested: non-ionic and cationic. Formulations based on a mixture of HC and basic dyes, with different molecular sizes, were employed as representative dyestuffs. UV-Vis spectroscopy and colorimetric measurements were used to analyze the extracted dyes from the yak hair cuticle and cortex. The results obtained indicate that the presence of cationic polymers in the dye bath improves both the quality of the dyeing process and the anti-fading effect during the first washing cycles.