How can I overcome problems in dyeing hemp webbing?

Name: Jimena

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Linda Knutson's book
Synthetic Dyes for Natural Fibers

Country or region: Peoria, IL

Message: Hello! I'm writing to you, because after reading and reading and trying different things, I still haven't obtained the result I'm looking for. I'm trying to dye hemp webbing (for now, only into black, but I would like more colors in the future). I've talked to the manufacturer that's supplying me the material and he told me it would be almost impossible for me to get a good result, but I used to get hemp webbing dyed black from another manufacturer that had a wonderful quality product, but decided not to carry the product anymore, so I know it's possible to dye natural hemp webbing. Any suggestions?

Some hemp certainly can be dyed well, because it is a cellulose fiber. This particular manufacturer, however, could be selling webbing that will not dye well. Take a sample of just a few yards, wash it, and try dyeing some of it with a good fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye, following a good recipe such as one of the ones you will find on my site. If that doesn't work very well, try cleaning the hemp more carefully before dyeing, using very hot water or even boiling the hemp webbing, along with some detergent and some extra soda ash or washing soda, for extra cleaning power. Try dyeing the more carefully cleaned hemp with the same good dye, and see what happens.

There are several possible reasons why your new source of hemp webbing may not be capable of dyeing as well as those from other sources. Is it truly 100% hemp, and not part or wholly synthetic (in spite of the fiber claim made by the manufacturer)? Has it been chemically altered in a way that prevents it from reacting with dyes (as bamboo rayon and soy silk sometimes are)? Does it still contain too much unprocessed plant material, such as natural waxes? Has it had a surface finish applied that will prevent the dye from fully accessing the fiber? Problems could come from something that was applied in manufacture (e.g. spinning oils), or a resin to prevent pilling, or a stain-resistent or wrinkle-resistant treatment (though it's hard to imagine wrinkle-resistance as being big for hemp). It might be a slightly lubricating finish, to make webbing wind on and off of rolls better. Starch and other sizings can interfere badly with dyeing, in different ways. Any of these factors can make a big difference in whether a product is suitable for dyeing. Some can be removed by careful washing or boiling, but that won't work for others. Some finishes can be removed only with muriatic acid, a process that I do not want to recommend.

What kind of dye are you using now? Depending on what you are using, a change in dye might bring big improvements. Some dyes are much more effective and higher in quality than others. Do not bother to dye cellulose fibers, such as cotton or hemp, with all-purpose dyes, such as Rit dye. All-purpose dye is overpriced and diluted with large amounts of salt and detergent, and its requirement for simmering water makes it less convenient to apply, but, more importantly, it never really bonds well to the fiber, so it washes out quickly and tends to bleed color when wet. There are commercial dye fixatives that improve wetfastness, but they tend to accelerate the fading caused by sunlight.

The best choice for hemp, in most cases, is a fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye. In some unusual circumstances, the use of some of the more light-resistant vat dyes may be preferable, but for most purposes, fiber reactive dyes are the best.

There are several steps to take to get the most intense color possible on hemp. Is it very tightly woven? If so, an overnight presoak in water with just a drop of liquid detergent may help the dye to penetrate. This step is often helpful when dyeing any tightly woven canvas, but is unnecessary for looser weaves that are easily penetrated by dye. For the deepest colors, whichever dye and technique you choose, you will need to be sure to follow a good recipe correctly. Dyeing with Procion MX dye should take place at a minimum of 70°F; warmer temperatures are even better. Hard water needs to be corrected by adding a specific water softening chemical, sodium hexametaphosphate, which is carried by most dye suppliers.

For a very deep, dark black, you will need to use a lot of dye powder. To determine how much dye to use, take your length of hemp webbing and weigh it, while it is dry. Your small test piece might weigh only 20 grams, while your entire spool of webbing, which you will need to unwind and tie up in loose bundles, might weigh a pound or more. However much you are dyeing at a time, you will want to use up to 10% of the dry weight of the hemp in dye powder. Much less dye is required for lighter shades, but black requires a lot of dye. If the hemp you are dyeing weighs 20 grams, you will need to use 2 grams of Procion MX dye powder; if it weighs 454 grams (that's a pound), you'll need to use 45 grams of dye powder, for the deepest darkest result. For a color that is paler than black, you might need no more than a tenth as much as that.

Will you always be wanting to dye your webbing in plain solid colors, or will you sometimes want mottled or tie-dyed combinations? There are many different ways to apply the dye, for different effects. Rainbow dyeing works great with the same recipes used for tie-dyeing. For a perfect solid color, you'll want to use a larger amount of water so that the webbing can move freely as you stir it in the dye, in which case the recipe will also call for a large quantity of salt. It's important to find a good dye recipe for the technique you're interested in, so you can avoid the mistakes that result in reduced color intensity.

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Posted: Friday - September 16, 2011 at 09:20 AM

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How can I overcome problems in dyeing hemp webbing?

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