1. Direct Dyes
• Direct dyes for Cotton, Viscose, Silk & Nylon 
• Easy to dye - require only cooking salt & very hot to boiling water. 
• Dyes have a good light fastness but only moderate wash fastness . 
• It is possible to improve on wash fastness by after-treatment of dyed article with dye-fixing agent. 
• These dyes are principally used for “not so expansive” products or product with fewer washes such as T-shirts, curtains & theatre productions. 

2. Azoic Dyes 
• The word Azoic is the distinguishing name given to insoluble azo dyes that are not applied directly as dyes, but are actually produced within the fiber itself.
• This is done with impregnating the fibre with one component of the dye, followed by treatment in another component, thus forming the dye within the fibre. 

3. Reactive Dyes 
• Reactive dyes are used where bright dyeing with high light & wash fastness is required.
• Cold dyeing is used extensively in batik work.
• Although some reactive dyestuffs have been specially modified to dye wool, their main usage is in dyeing cotton linen & viscose rayon.

4. Sulphur dyes
• An outstanding member of this family is Sulphur black. 
• It dyes all cellulose fibers, but particularly linen & jute, to a lustrous & deep black with excellent wash & light fastness. 
• Sulphur dyes are dyed from a dye bath containing Sodium Sulphide & common or Glaubers Salt, & are oxidized by airing or with some oxidizing agents (Sodium Bichromate or Hydrogen Peroxide) in a fresh bath.

5. Vat Dyes 
• Vat dyes are used in cotton dyeing where high wash & boil fastness required.
• Because of the high alkali concentration in the dye bath, pure vat dyes cannot be used on animal fibers, (wool, natural silk, & various hairs). 
• Bright red is absent in vat dye range. 
• Solubilized vat dyes, not requiring the presence of alkali, can be used for dyeing on animal fibers. 
• Because they are dyed at low temperatures, they are used in Indonesian batik dyeing for green shades.