Name: Khalil-ur-Rehman
Message: Dear sir, How to dye milk protein fiber and which dyes and processing aids are suitable for its process. 

Milk protein fiber, which I have seen commercially marketed as 'Silk Latte', can, like real silk, be dyed with either acid dyes or reactive dyes. However, in neither case does it dye as well as real silk. The colors are very noticeably less intense on milk protein fiber than on real silk. I observed a similar result with soy protein fiber.

I have tested with a leveling acid dye (a food dye), Procion MX reactive dye, and vinyl sulfone reactive dye. I do not know if another acid dye might give superior results; I know that neutral acid dyes are supposed to do less well on soy protein fiber than weak acid dyes do. So far, my best results have come from vinyl sulfone reactive dye, using soda ash as the dye fixative, heated to a simmer for only a minute and then allowed to cool. My experiments have been far from exhaustive, however.

For pictures of one of my very small-scale tests, see the following:
http://www.pburch.net/drupal/?q=node/133

For more information on vinyl sulfone reactive dyes, see:
Vinyl Sulfone Fiber Reactive Dyes

(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)