Studies on the use of multilamellar lipid vesicles (MLV) of defined size (400nm) containing increasing amounts of cholesterol (CH) as carriers of a 1:2 metal complex dye to untreated wool fibers are described. We investigated liposomes made from egg phosphatidylcholine (PC) containing the C.I. Acid Yellow 129 dye (weakly polar 1:2 metal complex dye) at PC;CH molar ratios ranging from 10:0 to 6:4. The total lipid concentration of liposomes and the dye concentration remained constant (1.25 mM and 1％ o.w.f. respectively). The physical stability of these systems was assessed by measuring the mean vesicle size distribution of the vesicle suspensions after preparation and during the dyeing process. Kinetic aspects involving dye adsorption and bonding on untreated wool samples by means of these liposomes were also investigated. This process led to the controlled exhaustion of dye in wool samples, which was dependent on the liposome lipid composition. Increasing amounts of CH in bilayers resulted in a progressive ri in both the dye exhaustion and in the total amounts of dye bonded to wool fibers. The diffusion properties of wool fibrers as well as the smoothness of the dyed samples given as a measure of the handle of dyed fabrics, were also improved.