Name: michelle
Message: i bought a white sarong mesh, am not sure what kind of fabric it is.. i want to dye it and turn it into purple.. what should i do to make it chlorine resistant since i'll be using it for a pool party.. thanks.. i hope you can help me...

I can't really tell you without knowing what kind of fabric it is. The fiber content should be clearly marked when you purchase a garment.

If it's polyester, you probably don't want to dye it. You'd have to get a large non-aluminum pot to use for dyeing, and never use it for food again - rather a large investment for an occasional dyer. Also, you cannot dye polyester/spandex because spandex is easily damaged by heat, whereas polyester requires heat to dye.

The best sarongs for dyeing are made of cotton, rayon, or silk - all 100% natural fibers. PFD (prepared for dyeing) silk, cotton, or rayon sarongs cost from $6 to $10 at Silk Connection or Dharma Trading Company (see contact info on my Sources for Supplies links page). You can dye them with cool water Procion MX dyes, which are fairly resistant to chlorine. I would recommend against the use of all-purpose dye on these fibers, because it often produces dull colored results, and it bleeds a tiny bit every time it gets wet, so it does not last.

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