Message: Hi, I searched for this on your site & didnt find what I was looking for, so, I hope that this hasnt already been answered. I'm getting ready to dye a White tuxedo type trenchcoat. I wanted the Black one, but it cannot be found anywhere & isnt made anymore. So, I want to buy the White one & permanently dye it solid black. (Here is a link to the coat.)

I'm a complete newb who has only ever dyed a thing or two in my life. I'm looking for the simplest, most permanent way to dye this coat deep black. Also, will the coat hold its shape if dyed?

Thanks for taking the time to read this. :)
Michael

I have to warn you that polyester is a major pain to dye. You cannot dye it with the same dyes you use for other fibers. Dye that works on cotton will not stick to polyester; if you wash it, the dye will all wash out, but if you don't wash it, the dye will rub off onto other clothing and furniture, ruining it, so not washing is simply not an option. Other fibers are much easier to dye. Beginners will do much better to stick to dyeing cotton. Polyester can be dyed only by using the correct type of dye and the correct method.

The best way to dye polyester is to get an enormous cooking pot, not the size you might use for actual cooking, but far larger, say 10 or 20 gallons in size, and boil your garment in the pot, stirring constantly, with a special polyester dye, called disperse dye. You can buy this dye by mail-order from Aljo Mfg in New York or from PRO Chemical & Dye in Massachusetts. Don't forget to also order the smelly carrier compound, which ProChem calls "PRO Dye Carrier NSC", as without it you will only get a medium gray, at best; you must have the carrier chemical (or an enormous pressure cooker) in order to get the full depth of color. 

There are two big risks to dyeing polyester by boiling it with the disperse dye: one is that boiling might damage or shrink your garment, and the other is that you might not stir enough to get a perfectly smooth color, in which case some areas will be gray while others are black, not giving the perfect look you want at all.

I think you should contact Manhattan Dyeing Service to see what it will cost to get them to do your dyeing for you. They are the only company I know that will dye a white polyester garment to another color. Their contact information is listed on my page "Where can I find someone to dye my clothing for me?". Few other dyers will consider dyeing polyester.    

An easier way to color polyester is by using fabric paint, instead of dye. See "Fabric Paints: a different way to color fibers". This makes a great answer for those who wish to tie-dye a tuxedo, but it will not produce a single solid perfect black, so it's probably not an answer for you.

For more information, please read my page "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes ".

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