Skein dyeing dates back to early European civilizations. In the skein process, Gaywool dyes, jacquard acid dyes or dye extracts from plants color lengths of yarn. The yarn is wound and tied off in a way that allows untying without tangling before immersing it in pigment. The skein process dyes nylon or wool or fleece. Its advantages are its ability to allow for color control and definition, as well as the mixing and matching of numerous colors. However, natural dyes fade quickly when used.
Space dying is a modern process where dyeing is done by machines without immersing in a solution of pigment. It includes processes like knit-de-knit (KDK) and warp printing. In KDK, a length of yarn is knitted, dyed and de-knitted to achieve a pattern only possible through this particular process. In warp printing, dye is applied to parallel strands of yarn to produce straight and multicolored yarn. The problem with warp is that the yarn may get broken, tangled or wasted in the process.
Beck dyeing is also a modern machine process used to dye already woven fiber. Fiber is placed in a wheel inside a beck, which is a compartment filled with chemicals, dyes and water. The wheel turns continually inside the beck applying the dye evenly as the yarn rolls. The liquids in the vat are heated to 200 degrees Fahrenheit, and the process takes 30 minutes.
Continuous dyeing is also used to dye already woven fiber such as carpets. Rolls of fiber pass through huge machinery where they are wet and scoured. After extracting some of the water, the carpet moves under a dye applicator, and the dye flows into it. The carpet is then put in a wet-heat steamer to fix the dye before washing and drying.