The first question is, why did it turn out splotchy? If it's because you did not stir the garment enough during dyeing (it's really essential to stir A LOT), or if you did not wash it before dyeing it the first time, then yes, you should redye it, because you can do better next time. If that's not the case, though, then maybe you should not. It might not work any better when you try again.

Redyeing commercial garments can be a gamble. If the garment has an invisible stain, or a permanent-press or anti-pilling finish that was applied unevenly by the manufacturer, then it may not be possible to avoid a repeat of the same problem.

Did you carefully prewash the garment before dyeing? It's very easy to miss seeing a stain, as there are many stains that are simply invisible. Invisible stains don't matter unless you are dyeing, when suddenly they matter hugely, since they can affect how well the dye can access the fiber you're trying to color. It's common for a garment that looks clean, but which has not been thoroughly prewashed, to have stains of this sort.

It would probably be a good idea to try to remove the dye now on your sweatshirt before dyeing it again. This is because any additional dye you apply will not entirely cover the difference in color that you have now. All dyes are transparent and will show the original blotchiness, to some extent.

First prewash your sweatshirt in the hottest water it can tolerate. For a 100% cotton garment without special finishes, if it's been preshrunk (which by this time is very likely), this can be as hot as you can get. It's best to use wash water that is 140°F or higher (that's 60°C). Use detergent, and add some extra soda ash or washing soda for additional cleaning power. This "pre-scouring" is an essential step before doing any sort of dyeing. Since Tintex is an all-purpose dye, it is poorly washfast; a significant amount of dye will come out when you wash it, especially in hot water.

Next, use a color remover treatment. Household chlorine bleach, which is based on hypochlorite, is one option. The other option is a product specifically made for this purpose, such as Tintex Color Remover or Rit Color Remover, which are gentler to the fabric than hypochlorite bleach, and are also safe to use to synthetic fibers that will be destroyed by bleach. (See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?". It is impossible to predict whether any of these treatments will remove some or all of the color in your sweatshirt, since some dyes resist any means of removal, but chances are pretty good that they will at least lighten its color.

Finally, when it comes time to redye your shirt, consider using a higher quality dye. Any dye will produce splotchy results when things go wrong, but there are other respects in which a better quality dye will give far better results that your Tintex ever could. All-purpose dyes, such as Tintex, are known for fading badly in the laundry and ruining anything you wash with them. The color of all purpose dye inevitably fades quickly. You will get much longer-lasting results if you choose a fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye or Dylon Permanent Dye. For the smoothest color, it is best to do your dyeing in the washing machine, which will not harm the machine; see "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?". You can buy Procion MX dyes in Canada by mail-order; see "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World", for a wide range of mail-order suppliers.

If you decide to again use the all-purpose dye, there is a way to prevent it from fading in the future. This is by treating it afterwards with a commercial dye fixative. You can buy this treatment by mail-order from any good dye supplier; popular brands include Retayne, iDye Fixative, Dharma Dye Fixative, and Raycafix, depending on where you shop for it. See "Commercial Dye Fixatives".

Don't listen to the claims of the ignorant that vinegar or salt can be added to make all-purpose dye more permanent; neither will help. You should add salt only if the package instructions tell you to, and use vinegar only if you are dyeing wool, silk, or nylon, never if you are dyeing cotton. To make garments dyed with all-purpose dye stay dark for a long time, you must use Retayne or a similar product.

I did not stir or mix while the garment was being dyed.  Should i try again and keep mixing for a half hour this time?

Yes, but wash it first in very hot water, and, optionally, use Tintex Color Remover before dyeing it again. You will get better results if you use the Color Remover first, because otherwise the lights and darks of the splotches you have now will show through.

this is great to have you as a sounding board.  The reason i dyed the sweatshirt is because i got bleach on it.  The tintex covered the bleach stain, but because I didn't stir it the wholel time, while dying it, it had splotches on the back.  Do i still need to use the colour remover and then dye it again.  Someone said RIT is better then tintex..is that true.
 
If you just dye it really dark, you can probably get by without using the color remover.

Rit is not one bit better than Tintex. They have the same problems: they ruin everything else in the same laundry load, and they fade quickly. I much prefer Procion or Dylon dyes. You can find Dylon dyes locally, or mail-order Procion dyes from G and S Dyes in Toronto or Maiwa Handprints in Vancouver.

sorry to bother you again, but where can I get the procion or dylon dyes.  i just need a small package of dark navy.  I live in Montreal.  Can I buy it in a store or do I have to order it on line?  Is one product better then the other?  Thank you again.  Ellie

I have heard that, in Canada, Dylon dye can be bought in many of the same stores that sell Rit or Tintex dye, but I don't know how true that is, or whether it's true for only some regions in Canada. I live in Texas, where Dylon dye is not so easy to find. Rit dye is sold here in every grocery store or pharmacy, but for Dylon dye we have to go to the fabric sewing store, and for Procion dye we're lucky if the best crafts store in our area carries it at all. The art and craft supply stores do usually have tie-dye kits that contain Procion type dyes, but less frequently the single-color packages of Procion dye. Mail-order dye suppliers charge much less per gram of dye.

If you have a fabric store nearby, trying going there, or calling first, to ask what brands of dyes they carry. If they don't have navy blue, but do have other colors, you could combine half a packet of black with half a packet of blue.

If you can't find a convenient local source for Procion or Dylon dyes, the closest mail-order place to you that sells Procion MX dyes is G&S dye, in Toronto. They have a good web site and a good selection of dyes. Dylon dyes have the additional chemicals you need already mixed in with the dye, but for Procion dyes you will also need washing soda or soda ash to set the dye, plus ordinary table salt for dyeing in a large volume of water.

One last point. Even if you use the exact same Tintex dye as before, you will have much better results if you stir throughout the dye process this time. Keep in mind that all-purpose dyes perform best at 190°F (that's 88°C), so the stovetop method works best, though you really should not plan to ever again reuse your dyepot for cooking food. Rit and Tintex dyes, like other textile dyes, are not considered safe to use in your cooking pots. 

And, if you do not use a commercial dye fixative such as Retayne, you should always hand-wash each garment that you dye with Tintex or Rit dye, separately from other garments, in cool water. Retayne allows you to machine-wash your all-purpose-dyed garments with your regular laundry, without fear of ruining your other clothes, and it makes the dye last in the fabric for a much longer time. Retayne is not needed when you use a superior dye such as Procion MX or Dylon Permanent.

Please let me know where you end up finding your dye.



(Please help support this web site. Thank you.)