Generally basic dyes are considered to be easy to use and can be utilized in a wide variety of dyeing and printing tasks. The fact that a basic dye provides high tinctorial strength and possesses moderate substantivity is significantly responsible for their immense popularity as dyeing agents. In addition, these dyes offer a wide range of shades to choose from and besides being extremely bright are also relatively economical. Another major reason for the immense popularity of these dyes is that they include some of the most exceptional synthetic dyes used in various industries.
However, despite the immense popularity and widespread usage of basic dyes, they suffer from certain drawbacks. The fact that these dyes provide poor shade stability and have a very poor lightfastness, makes them perfect for use only on specific materials. These dyes also have a high acidic content making them toxic enough to cause serious health and safety hazards if handled carelessly. Additionally, the dyes also suffer from the drawbacks of colored backwaters and preferential dyeing, which makes them unsuitable for use on most materials.
Basic dyes are extensively used in the textile industry for dyeing acrylic fibers. These dyes are also used for dyeing leather and in the coloration of paper. Additionally, basic dyes are a popular choice for use in hand-painting on acrylic fiber, mainly because they are bright in color and exhibit a washfast property, when used on acrylic. They are also used for permanent dying of containers, sinks, counters, floors, and wide range of other materials. However, they are not used by beginners and even a large number of experts refrain from using these dyes primarily because of their hazardous nature.