Name: Courtney
Message: I want to dye some blue jeans a deep dark wash (similar to the look of premium denim), can Procion MX Fiber Reactive type Dye be used for this(cold water in a plastic tub), and how would I accomplish this?  Can I dye many "Layers" if results are not achieved in the first dye attempt?  I have never used these types of dyes.  Thank You!

Procion MX dyes work great on the cotton fiber in denim, and a large plastic tub will work fine, since these dyes do not require hot water. (You will have to do a lot of stirring!)

You need to be aware, however, that you will not be able to get a true denim look. Denim is a twill weave in which the threads that go in one direction are white, while the threads that go in the other direction are dyed, usually with indigo vat dye. When you dye denim, all of the threads will be dyed. The threads in one direction will be darker, since you are dyeing on top of dark blue, than the threads in the other direction, since those you will be dyeing on top of white, but the color will still be more of a solid color than you expect to see in denim.

If, after you wash out the excess dye, you find that the color is not as dark as you'd like, you can always dye again, using the same method as before. A heavy fabric like denim can be dyed many times, at least five or six, and yet still take more dye when you overdye it.

Note that the stitching used to hold the garment together is almost certainly polyester. Polyester will not take the dye, so the threads at the seams will remain the original color. Will this be a problem for you? Often the result looks fine.

You will need to follow a good recipe for immersion dyeing fabric. The easy way to do it is in the washing machine, but the bucket-dyeing method is performed in exactly the same way, you just have to do the stirring yourself. See "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?". There are links to good recipes on that page.

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