Dyeing of Alpaca Knitted Fabric Using Liposomes

In this study, alpaca fibers were dyed with a reactive dye encapsulated in liposomes consisting of phosphatidylcholine and cholesterol, and the dyeing behavior of alpaca fibers is investigated. For this purpose, first, liposome synthesis was carried out. Then, a selected wool reactive dye was encapsulated with a liposome and the possibilities of using these capsules as an alternative to leveling agents in the dyeing of alpaca fabrics were examined. As a result of the dyeing, it was observed that when 1% liposome was used in the dyeing process, dye uptake at the beginning of the dyeing process was slowed down compared to dyeing without using any additives and the color yield at the end of the dyeing was higher compared to dyeing without using any auxiliary. Dyeing levelness (%) was found to be 96.7, 98.0, and 97.6 for dyeing without auxiliary, with 1% leveling agent, and with 1% liposome, respectively. Beyond this, no significant difference was observed in terms of fastness of dyeing. It can be said that liposomes can be used as a leveling agent in dyeing alpaca fibers. It is thought that this issue is promising for environmentally friendly production in today's conditions where the use of more environmentally sustainable chemicals has gained great importance.