Name: Sharon
Message: How did you discover which dyes are pure, and how do you determine if a dye offered by one company has a counterpart at another company?

You can (and should) always request an MSDS for each dye you purchase. Sometimes these sheets indicate the actual generic name of the dye. In general, though, I have determined which dyes are pure, and what their generic names are, by asking the company representative, while ordering dye over the telephone. I found the names of different MX dyes to look for by browsing through my university's old printed copy of The Colour Index.

ProChem has always been particularly helpful in sharing information about the generic names of their pure dyes; their technical support has always been superior to that at most companies. Of course, no dye supplier will tell you which dyes they use in their proprietary mixed colors, as these are trade secrets.

My web site includes a list of pure MX fiber reactive dyes, a list of pure washfast acid dyes, and a list of pure Lanaset dyes.