Treating a textile garment with a hydrophobic dye solution

1. A method of treating a textile garment, the method comprising the steps of:

(i) treating a polyester-containing textile with an aqueous solution of a hydrophobic dye, the aqueous solution comprising from 1 ppb to 6 ppm of the hydrophobic dye and from 0.2 g/L to 3 g/L of a surfactant; and

(ii) rinsing and drying the textile,

wherein the hydrophobic dyes are devoid of polar solubilizing groups, and

wherein the hydrophobic dye is selected from a group consisting of benzodifuranes, methine, napthalimides, pyrazole, napthoquinone, a mono-azo dye, a di-azo dye, and a mixture thereof.

2. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises from 1 ppb to 5 ppm of the hydrophobic dye.

3. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 2 , wherein the aqueous solution comprises from 10 ppb to 200 ppb of the hydrophobic dye.

4. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic dye is mono-azo dye, di-azo dye, or a combination thereof.

5. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the dye gives a blue or violet shade when deposited on white polyester.

6. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is a mixture of at least one anionic surfactant and at least one nonionic surfactant, wherein the at least one nonionic surfactant is present in an amount greater than 10 wt % of the total surfactant.

7. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution has an ionic strength from 0.001 to 0.5.

8. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the aqueous solution further comprises an enzyme, a bleaching agent, or both.

9. The method of treating a textile garment of claim 1 , wherein the hydrophobic dye is a di-azo dye.