Use of liposomes as auxiliary products in hide dyeing process

Reduced dye penetration constitutes a problem in the dyeing process of thick hides. Liposomes have been successfully used as auxiliary products in wool dyeing as well as in sheepskin dyeing giving rise to dyeings of high levelness and very soft leathers. In this work, the possible application of some liposomes as auxiliary products in the dyeing process of 2 mm hides has been studied. The effect of the liposome use on dye penetration, on dyeing levelness and on dye exhaustion has been compared with the influence exerted by other commercially available chemicals such as: a chemical based on a sodium salt of a condensed naphthalenesulfonic acid and a chemical based on an ethoxylated fatty amine. Two pro-liposome formulations, from different supplier, containing soybean phospholipids were considered. Some parameters were improved by the use of liposome formulations when compared with the results obtained with the other chemicals considered.