Name: Helen

Message: Hi there
I have been looking through your site for information on fixing dye.  I bought a queen size bedspread in Vietnam that was handmade in a local village.  It is dyed with indigo.  It has panels of red fabric and other coloured sections, with the main bulk of it being the indigo dyed cotton-type fabric.
The dye is not fast and my local dry cleaner said they couldn't help.  Would it be safe to put the bedspread in the washing machine with a product like Retayne?  I don't want to ruin this unique handmade item!
Many thanks in advance for your advice.

No, I'm sorry, indigo is the one type of dye in common use that cannot be fixed with Retayne. The problem is that, unlike most dyes, indigo and other vat dyes have a neutral electrical charge. Retayne contains positive ions which are attracted to the negative ions of most dyes, but they are not attracted to indigo.

Poorly applied indigo is not only not fast to washing; it also shows a defect known as crocking. Crocking is when dye rubs off from the dry fabric onto whatever it is touching. Indigo is the most technically demanding kind of dye to apply properly, so that it is both washfast and resistant to crocking.

It would be best to use this quilt only next to linens that will not much show the indigo that crocks off on them. Maybe you could find some blue sheets and pillowcases that will match the indigo. Material onto which the indigo crocks can best be cleaned by washing in very hot water. Do not put the quilt onto upholstered furniture or anything else which cannot be washed.

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