M. Feiz - Assist.Prof. Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran
S. Salimpour - Master of science student Department of Textile Engineering, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Silk yarn was dyed using three commercial basic dyes. An aftertreatment with a commercial syntan was appliedto dyeings and the aftertreated dyeings were further treated with metal salts and different enzymes in an attemptto improve wash fastness properties still further. Untreated, syntanned and syntanned/backtanned specimenswere subjected five times according to ISO CO6 wash tests. The fastness, to repeated wash testing, of silk whichhad been dyed with the three dyes was improved. However, aftertreatment of the dyeing using tannicacid/enzymes system showed greatest wash fastness improvement toward wash testing. Further, significant ,improvement in wash fastness was secured by the subsequent treatment of the syntanned fibre with the metalsalts. Also, the dyed samples (untreated /treated) were washed according to ISO CO1 wash tests (Grey scalesystem for assessing change in colour and staining), it was found that the aftertreatments provided animprovement on change in colour and staining. In addition to, reduction in strength (K/S) due to loss of dyeduring the wash fastness test were determined. The corresponding colorimetric data revealed that aftertreatedwith complexing agents and different enzymes improved wash fastness to some extent. Also , light fastness wasmeasured , according to ISO BO2 light test, it was found that syntan/metal salts aftertreatment decreased lightfastness of dyeings but the other aftertreatments (syntan & enzymes) increased light fastness of basic dyeings

Silk , Syntan , Wash Fastness , Light Fastness , Aftertreatment , Basic dyes