Trisazo dye of general formula where M is selected from the group consisting of H, a metal cation, an ammonium cation N(H k R 5 m), wherein each R 5 is selected from the group consisting of -H, an substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and k is an integer selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and m = 4 - k, where R 1, R 2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a COOM group, a Halogen atom, a NO 2 group, an ester group, an alkyl- or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group or sulfone group each having up to 12 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM, where R 3, R 4 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl- or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group each having up to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM where either A represents a moiety of general formula wherein R 6, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a NO 2 group, a nitrile group, an amino group, a COOM group, a Halogen atom, an ester group, an alkyl or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group or sulfone group each having up to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, Cl, OH, OCH 3, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM; or A represents a moiety of general formula wherein o is 0 or 1 and R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a NO 2 group, a COOM group, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group having up to 6 carbon atom, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM; M is selected from the group consisting of H, a metal cation, an ammonium cation N(H k R 5 m), wherein each R 5 is selected from the group consisting of -H, an substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and k is an integer selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and m = 4 - k, each R 5 is selected from the group consisting of -H, an substituted or unsubstituted, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic group having 1 to 18 carbon atoms, and k is an integer selected from 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 and m = 4 - k, R 1, R 2 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a COOM group, a Halogen atom, a NO 2 group, an ester group, an alkyl- or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group or sulfone group each having up to 12 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM, R 3, R 4 independently represent a hydrogen atom, an alkyl- or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group each having up to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM either A represents a moiety of general formula wherein R 6, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a NO 2 group, a nitrile group, an amino group, a COOM group, a Halogen atom, an ester group, an alkyl or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group or sulfone group each having up to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, Cl, OH, OCH 3, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM; R 6, R 7, R 8, R 9, R 10 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a NO 2 group, a nitrile group, an amino group, a COOM group, a Halogen atom, an ester group, an alkyl or alkoxy group each having from 1 to 2 carbon atoms, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group or sulfone group each having up to 6 carbon atoms, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, Cl, OH, OCH 3, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM; or A represents a moiety of general formula wherein o is 0 or 1 and R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a NO 2 group, a COOM group, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group having up to 6 carbon atom, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM; o is 0 or 1 R 11, R 12, R 13, R 14 independently represent a hydrogen atom, a SO 3 M group, a NO 2 group, a COOM group, an unsubstituted or substituted amide or sulfonamide group having up to 6 carbon atom, wherein the substituents are selected from the group consisting of COOM, OH, OCH 3, NH 2, Cl, COOCH 3, COOCH 2 CH 3, CH 3, CH 2 CH 2 COOM, (CH 2) 3 COOM and CH 2 OCH 2 COOM;