Name: kes

Message: I'm considering using "Fiber Reactive Dyes" at home on 
tussah vegan silk, cotton, linen, hemp, soysilk, ingeo, bamboo, and tencel.

Fiber reactive dyes will work on natural fibers, but not on Ingeo, which can be dyed only with the same disperse dyes that are used to dye polyester.

Silk can be dyed like cotton, but other protein fibers should be treated with care and not subjected to a high pH. Use acid dyes, or reactive dyes with white vinegar rather than soda ash, when dyeing protein fibers such as wool or soysilk. (I have never dyed soysilk and am just assuming that it might be damaged like wool by high pH, but I could be wrong. It might be more like silk. It is said to take acid dyes very nicely; acid dyes must be used with extremely hot water.)

Linen, hemp, bamboo, and tencel should all be dyed like cotton, with finer reactive dyes. Tencel, like rayon, is a cellulose fiber that in my experience tends to wear badly due to being very fragile when wet. Hemp is very sturdy. I have never used bamboo fiber.

I wanted to know if using a washing machine to dye my fabrics would make me need to clean it afterwards. Would I have problems with dirty clothing? My mother says she doesn't want me to use it if it causes problems.

Wipe out any obvious dye residue afterwards, and use the same washer for the several washings required after dyeing with fiber reactive dye, and you should have no problems. Some dyers like to wash a load of rags with bleach after dyeing.

I want solid colors.

The washing machine is the easiest way to dye solid colors. See "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?".

We have chorine in the water. 

I have found that dyes fade more when washed in water that has been treated with chloramines than when washed in water that has been treated with chlorine. Anti-Chlor (sodium metabisulfite) used in the rinse water for every washing would help to extend the life of dyes. I do not use it when dyeing, though, only when neutralizing after the use of chlorine bleach (hypochlorite). (Buy Anti-Chlor by mail order from PRO Chemical & Dye, or any good mail-order dye supplier.)

Would various fabrics mentioned above (particularly silk and cotton) be harmed of I whitened them with "Hydrogen Peroxide Bleach"?

Hydrogen peroxide bleach is much gentler to fabrics than chlorine bleach. It should be fine, especially for cotton. Use only the recommended amounts.

How much bleach or dye powder would I need for 1 to 5 yards of cloth or a pound of fiber

It depends on how dark a color you want. For a dark color, you will need 75 grams of Procion MX type dye (2.6 ounces) for a five-pound load of dyeable fabric.

How does one achieve very pale and near-white colors? Is it the amount put in or are the dyes designed to?

It is indeed simply by using less dye in the dyebath. It can actually be difficult to use a sufficiently small amount of dye for a pale color if you are accustomed to dyeing dark colors. Try using one-tenth as much dye for a pale color.

Would gloves protect my hands from getting dye on them so I can eat? Will regular soap do the trick?

Gloves are important for protecting your hands during dyeing. Most fabric dyes have not been adequately tested for safety, and some might penetrate the skin.

Regular soap is fine for hand-washing if you get a hole in your glove. A special hand-cleaner called Reduran is sold for removing dye from the hands, but I have never found it to be very useful.

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