a b s t r a c t
The extents of uptake of 0.5e15% of two disperse dyes on woven, knitted and hydroentangled nonwoven poly (ethylene terephthalate) fabrics were compared. The colour strength of the dyeings followed the order: nonwoven > knitted > woven. Differences in surface reflection were not responsible for the observed dye uptake behaviour, as the PET fibres used in the construction of the nonwoven, knitted and woven fabrics were of similar cross-sectional and longitudinal dimensions. The degree of PET fabric
crystallinity could not explain the observed differences in colour strength and comparable melting temperatures were obtained for the three PET compositions. The rate of uptake of C.I. Direct Red 89 followed the orde