Can I use Procion dyes with vinegar to dye play silks?

Name: Pam

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Country or region: USA, Virginia

Message: Can I use Procion dyes on silk if I use the same method that I would with acid dye, i.e., use vinegar in the solution? I have been dyeing play silks with food coloring and they tend to fade and to wash out when washed. Is my best bet acid dye only? Many thanks, your site is really good!!!

My choice for play silks is Procion MX dye, or any other fiber reactive dye, used with the exact same soda ash recipe that you use for cotton. Silk, unlike wool, deals quite well with the high pH of soda ash. It may become slightly softer and less shiny, but it does not lose all of its shine.

You can't beat the permanence and safety of the bond between the fiber (silk or cotton) and the fiber reactive dye. It's the best choice, in my opinion, for fabric that might get chewed on by children, once you've thoroughly washed out any unattached excess dye, using hot water.

Procion MX dyes do work as acid dyes, when you substitute an acid such as vinegar for the soda ash, but they are not as wash-resistant as the same dyes that have been fixed with soda ash. The chemical bonds are different because of the different dyeing conditions. (See "Fiber reactive dyes on protein fibers".) I recommend this method for silk scarves only if they're going to be worn by adults or older children, since high washfastness is not as critical then.

There are other acid dyes that are more wash-proof than acid-fixed Procion MX dyes, but there's no need for you to invest in them for children's playsilks, when the Procion MX/soda ash method works so very well for them. It's worth noting that even the most washfast of acid dyes, the Lanaset dyes, are less washfast than soda-ash-fixed Procion MX dyes.

I had the same experience as you with play silks that we dyed with Kool-Aid. The washfastness of food dyes is rather poor, requiring gentle hand-washing in cool water. Food coloring can never compare to Procion MX dyes for excellent washfastness.

Note that if you ever find that you've dyed more silk scarves than you need, they make excellent reusable gift wrapping, especially if your scarves are 35" inches square or larger. You can tie the silk around a box, without any need for tape. My children loved it when I dyed them each their own silk satin pillowcases.

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Posted: Friday - April 08, 2011 at 09:59 AM

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Can I use Procion dyes with vinegar to dye play silks?

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