Dylon

Dylon is a British consumer brand specializing in textile dyes and related household chemical products. Its range is intended to help consumers refresh, recolour, or otherwise alter the appearance of fabrics at home, using products designed for hand application, washing-machine use, or particular dyeing conditions. The brand is associated primarily with domestic fabric care rather than with industrial textile production. Dylon was established in 1946 by the Mayborn Group. Its history reflects the development of home-use textile dyes as a practical household category: instead of replacing faded garments, curtains, and other fabric goods, consumers could use packaged dyes to renew their colour or change it for aesthetic or functional reasons. The brand subsequently developed several dye formats and colour ranges, including hot-water dyes, machine fabric dyes, hand dyes, and multipurpose dyes. The technical characteristics of the ranges differ. Machine Fabric Dye and Hand Dye are described as containing reactive azo dyes alongside ingredients such as sodium carbonate and sodium chloride. Their reactive components are based on groups including pyrimidine or vinylsulphone. These products are intended for colour application to suitable textiles, with the machine range designed for use in a washing machine and the hand-dye range for manual treatment. The referenced product information identifies 32 colours for Machine Fabric Dye and 21 colours for Hand Dye. Dylon's Multipurpose Dye uses a combination of direct, acid, and disperse dyes. The different dye types are intended for different material groups: direct dyes for cellulose-based fabrics, acid dyes for wool and nylon, and disperse dyes for some plastics. Unlike the reactive-dye ranges, these products are not based on reactive dyes and are described as having lower wash fastness. The Multipurpose range is identified as having 26 colours. The brand's ownership changed significantly in the 21st century. The Mayborn Group sold Dylon International to Spotless Group, a European homecare company, in 2008. Spotless Group was then acquired by Henkel in 2014, making Henkel the current owner of Dylon. This placed Dylon within a larger international homecare portfolio while retaining its specialist identity in household textile dyeing. Dylon products are made in the Republic of Ireland. The brand formerly operated a factory in London; the former industrial site has since been redeveloped as Dylon Works. Dylon has maintained an international presence through market-specific websites and distribution, including activity associated with the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and Turkey. Publicly available reference material provides limited information about the brand's corporate leadership, financial performance, advertising campaigns, or recent product launches, so those areas are not expanded beyond documented ownership and product information.

Dylon was founded in 1946 by the Mayborn Group as a British textile-dye brand. Its early and continuing role has been to provide dye products for household use, allowing consumers to alter or renew the colour of fabrics without relying solely on replacement or specialist textile services. The brand's category sits between everyday laundry care and household chemical products, with formulations and instructions varying according to the type of fabric, the desired colour result, and the application method. Over time, Dylon developed a portfolio covering both manual and machine-based dyeing. Its Machine Fabric Dye is formulated for use in a washing machine, while Hand Dye is applied manually. The referenced product information describes both ranges as containing reactive azo dyes, together with sodium carbonate and sodium chloride. The reactive groups are identified as pyrimidine or vinylsulphone. The same material lists 32 colours for Machine Fabric Dye and 21 colours for Hand Dye, indicating a broad consumer-facing colour selection. Dylon also offered hot-water and cold-water dye formats. Hot Water Dye is described as a high-temperature product using reactive azo dyes, with dichlorotriazine as the principal chemical group. It requires hot fix, identified as sodium carbonate, and common salt, or sodium chloride. Cold Water Dye is listed among the brand's dye categories, although the supplied reference material does not provide a detailed colour count or formulation description for it. The Multipurpose Dye range represents a different technical approach. It combines direct, acid, and disperse dyes, with each component serving a different material purpose. Direct dyes are suited to cellulose-based fabrics, acid dyes to materials such as wool and nylon, and disperse dyes to some plastics. These dyes are not reactive dyes and are described as less wash-fast than Dylon's reactive ranges. The range is identified as having 26 colours. Dylon's corporate history changed in 2008, when the Mayborn Group sold Dylon International to Spotless Group. Spotless was a European homecare company, making the transaction consistent with Dylon's position as a household-products brand. In 2014, Henkel acquired Spotless Group. As a result, Dylon became part of Henkel and remains associated with Henkel's consumer homecare activities. Manufacturing and property history also form part of the brand's documented background. Dylon products are made in the Republic of Ireland. The brand previously had a factory in London, but that facility is no longer operating as the original factory; the former site has been redeveloped as Dylon Works. Dylon has also had market-specific web presences and distribution activity in countries including the United Kingdom, Australia, South Korea, and Turkey. The available reference material does not identify named Dylon executives, detailed annual sales, major advertising campaigns, controversies, or a comprehensive chronology of product launches. Accordingly, the documented history is strongest in the areas of founding, ownership changes, manufacturing location, and product technology.

1. 2014Henkel becomes the owner

   Henkel acquires Spotless Group, thereby acquiring Dylon.

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2. 2008Ownership passes to Spotless Group

   The Mayborn Group sells Dylon International to Spotless Group, a European homecare company.

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3. 1946Dylon is founded

   The Mayborn Group establishes Dylon as a British brand focused on textile dyes and household dyeing products.

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A specialist home-dyeing brand offering consumers accessible products for recolouring and refreshing textiles across several application methods and fabric types.

• Machine Fabric DyeTextile dye for washing-machine application

  A Dylon dye range designed for application in a washing machine. The supplied reference describes it as containing reactive azo dyes, sodium carbonate, and sodium chloride, with reactive groups based on pyrimidine or vinylsulphone. The range is identified as offering 32 colours and is intended for consumers who want to recolour suitable fabrics through a machine-based process.

• Hand DyeHand-applied textile dye

  A manually applied Dylon textile-dye range. Like Machine Fabric Dye, it is described as using reactive azo dyes together with sodium carbonate and sodium chloride, with reactive groups including pyrimidine or vinylsulphone. The documented range contains 21 colours and is intended for hand treatment of appropriate textile materials.

• Multipurpose DyeMulti-material household dye

  A range combining direct, acid, and disperse dyes for different material types. Direct dyes are used for cellulose-based fabrics, acid dyes for wool and nylon, and disperse dyes for some plastics. The range is not based on reactive dyes and is described as less wash-fast than Dylon's reactive products. The documented colour range contains 26 colours.

• Hot Water DyeHigh-temperature textile dye

  A high-temperature dye range using reactive azo dyes. The referenced technical description identifies dichlorotriazine as the main chemical group and states that the process requires a hot fix, sodium carbonate, and common salt, sodium chloride. The source identifies two colours but does not provide a broader product chronology.

• Cold Water DyeLow-temperature textile dye

  A Dylon textile-dye category intended for use without the high-temperature process associated with Hot Water Dye. The supplied reference lists Cold Water Dye among the brand's dye products but does not provide detailed formulation, colour-count, or launch information.

• 2014Henkel acquisition of Spotless GroupM&A

  Henkel acquired Spotless Group, which owned Dylon at the time.

  What changed. Henkel acquired Spotless Group and assumed ownership of Dylon.

  Aftermath. Dylon became part of Henkel's consumer homecare portfolio and remains owned by Henkel.

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• 2008Sale of Dylon International to Spotless GroupM&A

  The Mayborn Group transferred ownership of Dylon International to Spotless Group, aligning the brand with a European homecare business.

  What changed. Spotless Group acquired Dylon International.

  Aftermath. Dylon continued under Spotless Group until Spotless was acquired by Henkel in 2014.

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• 2014Henkel acquires Spotless Group, including Dylon

  Henkel acquired Spotless Group, bringing Dylon into Henkel's consumer homecare portfolio.

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• 2008Mayborn Group sells Dylon International to Spotless Group

  Dylon International was sold by the Mayborn Group to Spotless Group, a European homecare company.

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1. Dylon