
DYEING
We have a wide range of services and are constantly adding new industry-leading offerings as the market demands.
We are routinely able to process fabrics faster than other Canadian dye houses while being able to meet the wide range of load sizes and quality standards demanded in today’s market.
We are a leader in the development and use of non-toxic dyes and chemicals. Over the past 60+ years, we have been able to minimize the environmental impact of each of our dyeing processes.
Fabric types

Utilizing over 75 state of the art high-temperature, high-pressure, computer controlled jet and airflow dyeing chambers ensures we have the capability to process a wide variety of traditional, specialty and newly emerging fabrics. These fabrics consist of any tubular, open-width, and garment fabrics, such as:
- Polyester
- Nylon
- Cotton
- Nomex
- Spandex
- Cotton Poly
- Bamboo cotton
- Cool Max
- AND MANY MORE…
Reactive Dyeing

This dyeing process involves using any of a class of highly coloured organic substances that attach themselves to their substrates by a chemical reaction that forms a covalent bond between the molecule of dye and that of the fibre. The dyestuff becomes a part of the fibre and is much less likely to be removed by washing than dyestuffs that adhere to adsorption. Reactive dyes are the most permanent of all dye types and are the most common type of dye used on cotton and other cellulose fibers.
Direct Dyeing

This dyeing process involves applying a dye directly to any cellulosic fabrics without the aid of an affixing agent. In this method, the dyestuff is either fermented (natural dyes) or chemically reduced (synthetic vat and sulfur dyes) before being applied. Direct dyeing is considered one of the easier methods of dyeing because it can be applied directly to the textile. The result is good brightness and fastness.
pigment dyeing

This process of dyeing involves applying color to fabrics in solid particles (pigments) that cover the surface. Pigments are insoluble in water and exist in the form of finely ground molecules, milled for garment dyeing purposes into a paste. When anionic dispersing agents are added, a slightly negative charge is present, thus the foundation for pigment dyeing is born. When a positively charged cationic pre-treat is added to the fiber a magnetic bond is formed. The process is complete when a cationic binder is added to “lock” the pigment into place. In pigment dyeing no actual chemical reaction takes place between the dye and the fabric.
The advantages of pigment dyeing are its applicability to a wide range of textiles and colors, its affordability, less toxic and environmentally harmful chemicals, and color fades after repeated use.
colour blocking

This is a chemical applied during dyeing to keep the colours from bleeding during laundering. The ability of a fabric to maintain its color, resist transferring its colorant(s) to adjacent materials, and resist fading when exposed to water/washing, sun, light, atmosphere, or other environmental conditions.

FINISHING
As a Canadian dye house, we additionally offer an extensive range of finishes and treatments. Our finishing department boasts some of the most modern and versatile finishing equipment in the industry that allows us to meet the stringent quality and performance demands of the textiles market.
Through planned expansion, modernization and research & development, we are capable of finishing knitted and woven fabrics in tubular and open width constructed from traditional, specialty and emerging fabrics.
Resistances

Stain Resistant
This finish includes the application of special additives and coatings to fabric surfaces. Our stain resistant finishes can withstand discolouration caused by contact with liquids, including oil and grease, and/or solid surfaces. Commonly a liquid stain occurs because of a fibre being Hydrophilic, where the liquid gets absorbed by the fibre, and on drying the fibre becomes unintentionally discoloured i.e. stained. The basic objective of stain resistance is therefore to prevent liquid absorption and fine particles adherence to both fibre and fabric surfaces.
This technology is now being widely marketed on children’s clothing and workwear, making for easier laundering, and giving garments extra life. Water and stain resistance are highly common functionalities added to upholstery, rugs, and carpet.
Soil Release
Some fabrics, with specialty treatment, allow for stains to be removed more easily during laundering than possible with most common untreated fabrics. This treatment includes the application of chemical coating on fabrics to improve soil removal during cleaning. Soil release finishes are necessary because hydrophobic fabrics, including fabrics treated with durable press finishes, have exceptionally low water absorbency. In these cases, soil release finishes accomplish the tasks of making the fibres more absorbent (hydrophilic), thus permitting better wettability for improved soil removal.
This mechanism is obtained by chemicals such as PVA, caprolactam oligomers, ethoxylated products, sulfonates, and polyacrylic acids. It is achieved by having anionic polymers like polyacrylates, CMC, or sulfonates, which repulse the negatively charged soil particles. Increasing the carboxylic and hydroxyl groups of the fiber also helps enhance repulsion between the fiber and soil, making the removal of the soil easier.
Soil release finishes are particularly suited for active wear and leisure wear markets. They are also particularly useful where the market demands for white and pastel coloured garments. Industrial uniforms are an example of a market area where soil release is a desirable product feature.
Water Repellence
This finish provides durable liquid repellence (water and oil) without compromising the natural feel of cotton. With proper chemical treatment and selection of fabric construction, garments can be produced that provide a host of benefits to the wearer, such as staying clean longer, faster drying, and protection from rain and snow. A spilled drink will just bead on the surface, allowing you to wipe it up with a clean, dry cloth. Spills like ketchup, mustard, and grease come clean with a little soap and water.
Safety apparel usually requires a water/stain repellent finish, where the focus is on a high degree of water repellency.
Ajax Textile’s water repellant services include our 200 Wash and 25 Wash offerings.
Bacterial & fungal protection

Antibacterial
This finish gives the fabric protection against odor-causing bacteria. The purpose of this finish is to make garments hygienic, to prevent cross infection of pathogenic micro organisms, to control the infection of microbes, to safeguard the textile products from staining, discoloration and quality deterioration, and to stop the metabolism of microbes.
As hygienic problems and harmful diseases become more prevalent, the demand for this finish grows. Antibacterial finishes can be used within the health care sector, within water purification systems, in food packaging systems, within the dental sector, and more. While antibacterial treatments will prevent bacterial growth, they do not protect against other odour-causing and damaging microbes to the extent that antimicrobials can.
Antimicrobial
This finish controls microorganisms and reduces odour from perspiration, stains, and other soil on textile material. This finish is sometimes known as Ultra-Fresh™. Antimicrobial treatments may provide an additional line of defense against microorganisms beyond what antibacterial treatments can offer. Antimicrobial fabrics provide both antibacterial and antifungal protection. Therefore, your products and materials are further safeguarded from odor and stain-causing mold, mildew, algae and/or dust mites.
Antimicrobial textile products continue to increase in popularity as demand for fresh smelling, skin friendly, high performance fabrics goes on. Some other applications for Antimicrobial finishes are to reduce the risk of cross infection being carried by feet from ward to ward in hospital, to control spread of disease and danger of infection following injury, and to control the deterioration of textiles particularly fabrics made from natural fibre caused by mildew. Antimicrobial products have long been used in health care environments for hospital gowns, patient clothes, curtain, bed cover, etc.
Sanitized™
This finish protects fabric from the formation of fungi and algae, reduces dust mites and odors, and provides long-lasting material protection to polymers and paints. Sanitized™ is an example of a commercially available product for antimicrobial finishing, like Ultra-Fresh™. This is an eco-friendlier way of achieving an antimicrobial finish than the standard chemicals used. Sanitized™ harnesses the natural antiviral and antibacterial properties of silver.
Antifungal
In recent years, the demand for antifungal-finished textile products has increased with the increasing level of cleanliness in the living environment, and correspondingly, various antifungal finishes have been developed. Textile materials face common mold problems in store, in packed garments or in shipment containers.
This finish is for industrial or outdoor end-uses that often require antimicrobial treatment for mold. Antifungal treatments control the growth of fungi, mold, and mildew.
Fire Retardance

We provide a specialized fire-retardant finishing treatment for materials that have inherent flame and heat resistant properties do not meet required specifications.
Flame retardant (FR) chemicals are applied to the fabric as finishing treatments. This is a finish applied to fabric surface to reduce its tendency to burn and reduce flame spread. Flame-retardant finishes work either by quenching the flame or by producing char that interferes with the combustion process. Finishes for nylon and polyester contain bromine that reduces the generation of flammable gases. Durable finishes for cotton and cotton-blend fabrics are phosphorus compounds that react chemically with the cellulose fibers and inhibit the production of compounds that fuel the flame.
Our durable flame-retardant treatment can be applied to a variety of fabrics, including cotton, nylon, polyester. Our finishing will cause little to no effect on a dyed shade or pigment printed material. The application of this product followed by subsequent curing will produce a desirable feel to the fabric. Napping treatments are also available.
Wicking

This finish is designed to pull sweat and moisture away from the skin toward the outside of the fabric to evaporate quicker. Wicking is accomplished by a combination of the fiber used in the fabric and the weave or knit used in the manufacturing process. A textile needs to have reasonable hydrophilicity, high wicking speed, and high drying rate to be effective in maintaining a pleasant microclimate and comfort. This finish helps provide all day comfort by allowing air to pass through the garment to cool the wearer. This helps keep the wearer dry and comfortable. It also helps to prevent the odor and irritation sometimes experienced with perspiration.
Wicking fabric is the perfect material for any kind of sportswear, active wear or clothing used in outdoor pursuits. In hotter parts of the world, it’s also becoming popular for everyday wear, underwear and even bedding. Sheets treated with repelling technology wick moisture away from the body to the other side of the sheet. There it spreads for rapid evaporation to enhance a good night’s sleep.
“Feel & touch”

Anti-wrinkle
This is a finish applied to fabric that keeps wrinkling to a minimum. This is achieved by the addition of a chemical resin finish that makes the fiber take on a quality like that of synthetic fibers. Fabrics treated with this finish retains its smooth appearance, shape, creases, and/or pleats after laundering. In such garments, little or no ironing is required, particularly if the garment is tumble dried. Also known as durable press finish.
Synthetics like polyester, nylon, acrylic and olefin, have a natural resistance to wrinkles. The advent of synthetic fibres also created an urgency to produce wrinkle free of durable press cotton garments. Ironing is a tedious task that tops the list of unpopular household chores. Therefore, there is always an inevitable need for effective means of reducing wrinkles in textiles.
Aloe Vera Finish
This is a finish that provides the fabric with a pleasant feel to the touch, is lightweight, highly absorbent, and thick and crease-resistant. It features excellent antibacterial and anti-allergenic properties. Aloe vera is a natural plant, gives maximum extent of is aloe gel which has particularly good anti microbial effects together with other functional properties suitable for textiles. It exhibits 200 or more different biologically active substances. It can be used on fabrics of any kind of fibre and does not impair the handle.
The materials with this finished effect could be used to produce many valuable garments such as baby garments, formal and non formal garments, and home furnishings.
Resin Finish
This is a finish that is applied to the fabric to add water repellency, resistance to crushing or luster. It also improves a fabric’s crease resistance, reduces shrinkage during laundering, and improves comfort to wearer in different climates. We use chemicals to impart durable press properties in a fabric or garment. Synthetic resins are complex organic products of high molecular weight.
Resin results when several simple molecular or low molecular weight become jointed together and to form much longer molecules which may be linear or linear molecules cross-linked. The process of applying resins on textile material so that they cross link inside the amorphous region, block the free hydroxyl groups, prevent the H-bond formation, and thus improve resin finishing. It may be applied on the surface of the material to form a coating or it may be applied to the amorphous region of the material to impart a crease resisting property. It is a permanent chemical finishing.
Silicone Based Softeners
This is a finish which is applied to make it resistant to water and oil-borne stains. Silicone finishing is becoming increasingly important in textiles as it imparts an incredibly unique soft handle with supple, pliant, sleek, and fluffy effect. It also enhances smoothness, flexibility, drape, and pliability of the fabric greatly.
Silicone softeners are also applied with permanent press finishes to improve garment wear life and permanent-press finish durability. It can also be used with other finishing agents for multifunctional finishes, for example, it can be used in resin finishing to have a soft wrinkle resistant fabric.
Enzyme
This is a washing process that uses a cellulose-based solution to give a look and feel of a stonewashed or acid washed fabric. This is easier on the fabric than stonewashing or acid washing. It makes the fabric soft on the surface; and it also
This finish uses cellulase enzymes to modify the surface of cotton fabrics. Pilling (lint balls on the fabric) is reduced, colour retention is improved, and stronger, longer-lasting fabrics are produced.
Fine finishes

Compacting
This is a process that reduces space between open-width and tubular fabric fiber pockets. It uses a mechanical process that causes the fabric to be reduced in length resulting in shortening and thereby less length shrinkage. This is the advanced version of calendering and is suitable for knitted fabrics. We can gum at the compacting machine and are capable of precision folding tubular fabrics.
Calendering
This is a process that involves folding a fabric in half and running it between a pair of steel rollers or calenders. While the fabric is pressed under these rollers, it's heated. The combination of heat and pressure creates changes to the fabric's surface, smoothing and compressing it to give it a flat glossy finish. This is a less advanced version of compacting.

TREATMENTS
We have worked diligently with our customers to develop and establish dyeing, finishing and treatment processes and procedures on traditional and new emerging fabrics. We are constantly investing in R&D along with utilizing our onsite Lab to help ensure we are always providing the services that are demanded.
texture Treatments

Napping
Sometimes a smooth texture isn't what's desired. Napping is a process that involves running open-width and tubular fabric through revolving cylinders with short barbs or wires to lift short loose fibers and create a textured surface. This is often done to woolens to make them heavier, softer, and warmer. It creates the comforting surfaces of textiles like blankets, sweaters, and flannel. Our Nappers are second to none due to the exemplary loft achieved on 2 and 3-end fleece.
Shearing
This is a process by which the extra protruding fibers are removed from the fabric surface so that it looks smooth. This eliminates the fabric’s tendency to pill. We remove the protruding fibres by shaving them off. We can shear it a small amount (tip shearing) or several times to give a greater effect.
Emerizing
This is the technique whereby an open-width fabric is given the surface effect of a brushed or napped appearance. It is achieved by loosening and pulling out the individual fibers from the yarns so that they protrude. The surface fibers are lifted by means of sharp teeth imparting hairiness, softness, and warmth. The result is a velvety material surface.
fabric washing

We have the capabilities to wash any open-width, tubular and garment fabric goods. Washing can be done before or after fabric production. Fabric being washed before can be done so that shrinkage can be reduced.
Drying

Drying
We have the capabilities to dry open-width, tubular and garment fabrics in a very controlled environment to ensure the fabric isn't heated too much. This is done to ensure the removal of moisture from a substrate.
Continuous Super Relaxed Drying
This method of drying uses a low-tension fabric dryer that hangs open-width and tubular fabric in vertical loops over continuously moving bars through a heated oven. The action on the fabric is even and gentle. Relaxation drying is the drying of a fabric under tensionless conditions.
Continuous Suction Drum Drying
This method of drying is done by placing a tubular fabric against a large perforated drum and either pulling hot air through the fabric and then the drum (suction) or by blowing the hot air through the perforations and then fabric (air impingement).
Tenter Frame Heat Setting & Drying
This process is done by using a continuous machine that applies heat uniformly to an open-width fabric while maintaining a desired width. This can be used for drying, curing, and heat setting.
SOME OF OUR unique treatments

Padding
This is a wet process where open-width fabric is passed through a trough that contains a bath and then passed through rubber rollers that squeeze out excess liquor. We use a horizontal padder machine.
Stripematch
This is a process that is done to match any coloured stripes on open-width fabrics.
Donuts
This is a process where we tumble dry fabrics for shrinkage, then roll them around a tube to be able to ship it this way. This is an excellent way to save storage space for flat textiles.
Rolling
We are capable of rolling, weighing, and measuring the dimensions of open-width and tubular rolls. We can roll small and large fabrics.
Heat Set
This is a process of heat finishing that will stabilize many manufactured fiber fabrics to inhibit any subsequent change in shape or size. Heat-setting of synthetic fabrics eliminates the internal tensions within the fiber, generated during manufacturing, and the new state can be fixed by rapid cooling. This fixes the fabrics in a relaxed state, and thus avoids subsequent shrinkage or creasing of the fabric.
Gumming
This process is done to keep the edges of an open-width fabric from curling when being cut on the cutting table. This can be done on the compacting machine.
UV Absorbent
Also called sun-protective treatment. Is a treatment done to minimize the degradative effects of sunlight on the fabric fibers or the colour.