Name: Robert k. Tompsett
Message: I'll be very specific. I have a military Army Camo pattern field jacket 50% cotton, 50% Nylon. I would like to dye it solid black to wear as a civlian jacket. what type of dye do you recommend?

All-purpose dye, used in the washing machine with the hottest water available or on the stovetop in 190 degree water (87 degrees C.), followed by the use of Retayne, which is a fixative to make the dye more permanent.

I prefer cool water fiber reactive dyes when dyeing 100% cotton, but all-purpose dye is preferable for your purpose. All-purpose dye will work on both the cotton and the nylon portions of your garment at the same time. See "All Purpose Dyes".

Brands of all-purpose dye include Tintex Hot Water dye, Dylon Multi-Purpose Dye, and the ubiquitous Rit dye, which is readily available in most US grocery stores and pharmacies, Walmarts, etc. Results will be best if you use plenty of dye, perhaps twice the amount recommended on the package, plus the recommended amount of salt, and, for the sake of the nylon, 1 cup (250 ml) of white vinegar per 10 liters of water. (Vinegar has no effect when dyeing cotton, but is important in dyeing nylon.)

Retayne is a product that will prevent the all-purpose dye from bleeding badly in the laundry. You can buy it at your local quilt shop or by mail-order from most dye suppliers, such as Dharma and ProChem (See "Sources for Supplies" for contact information).