Aqueous dye solutions

Concentrated aqueous dye solutions (A) and (B) contain NOTLESS 5 wt.% red disazo dye of formula (I), formic acid or a 1-4 carbon (C) alkylcarboxylic acid, water and optionally other additives. Concentrate (A) also contains a solvent aid, whilst (B) contains no solvent aid and < 1 wt.% alkali halide; (where R, R1 = hydrogen (H), chlorine (Cl), methyl (Me) or methoxy (MeO); R2, R3 = H, Me or MeO; R-4, R5 = H or 1-4 C alkyl; A = alkylene, optionally with oxygen (O) in the chain; R6, R7 = H or 1-6 C alkyl; or NR6R7 = an optionally substituted 5-, 6- or 7-membered ring, which may contains other hetero-atom(s)). Preferably the solvent aid is selected from: (i) alkali metal and ammonium salts of 1-4 C alkylcarboxylic acids; (ii) low molecular acid amides; (iii) low molecular lactams or lactones; and (iv) alkanolamines or their reaction products with ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide. Especially suitable compounds are sodium or ammonium acetate, formamide, urea, epsilon -caprolactam or a compound of formula N-ÄCH2-CH2O-(CH(R8)(R9)CH-O)pCH3 (II); p = 1-6, especially 1; one of R8 and R9 = H and the other = H or Me. The solution contains 6-20, especially 8-10 wt.% (I) and 3-20, especially 6-15 wt.% 1-4 C alkylcarboxylic acid. The amount of solvent aid in (A) is 1-5, especially 1-3 wt.% (i) or 3-20, especially 6-15 wt.% (ii), (iii) or (iv).