How can I dye a dry-clean-only silk skirt?

Name: Judy

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Message: I have read your website, but I am feeling nervous about dyeing silk. Just wanted to make sure I use the correct method and product. Just purchased a couture Herve skirt with a long train (probably the equivalent of 4 yard of fabric) The tag only states 100% silk. The fabric is slightly see through but it isn't as sheer as silk chiffon. Currently it is dark grey and I want to dye it black. The label also states dry clean only. I don't mind having it dry cleaned. I need to know which process would be best. My dry cleaner had mentioned that silk may spot if wet with water. I have also experienced hand washing a silk item caused it to become slinky (lost body). I want to keep the body of the fabric the same and have very even color.

There's no way to get around this fact: if you can't wash it, you can't dye it! You must prewash the silk before you dye it, to remove invisible stains and finishes that will prevent good dyeing, and you will have to wash it a lot after you dye it, too, in order to remove the unattached excess dye. There is no hand dyeing process that will make washing unnecessary.

Silk is a very old fiber; the solvent-based dry cleaning system is much newer. Silk itself can tolerate water washing very well, and immersing silk all over is a good way to remove water spots. However, as you've seen before, some silk fabrics are treated with water-soluble finishing products, so that, after washing, the body and feel of the silk are different. If you're not willing to risk the body of your silk skirt, you should not even try washing it.

Even if you can wash it successfully, there is always some risk when you dye a commercial garment. Sometimes the different parts of the garment have come from different bolts of fabric, which match before you overdye them, but end up different shades after you overdye them. There's no way to predict whether or not this will happen. It's also possible that a blotch of some fabric finish, which is currently invisible, will, even after prewashing, prevent the dye from reaching the fabric evenly, resulting in a random splotch of lighter color.

Another problem with overdyeing a formal garment is that the stitching that holds the skirt together at the seams is almost invariably made from polyester, which will not take dye and will remain the original color; the contrast of the old thread color against the new fabric color may not give the look you want.

As a result, I can never recommend that anyone dye an expensive garment, even if it is washable, unless it is useless in its undyed state. There is always a real risk that you will not like the results. It's better to dye something that you won't mind losing if things don't work out. For hand-dyeing very expensive clothing, it is best to start by dyeing the unsewn yardage, and only then, after succeeding in dyeing it, arrange to have it professionally sewn into the garment you want.

If none of this dissuades you, then, after prewashing thoroughly in hot water, you should dye the silk using acid dye, in an enormous non-aluminum cooking pot that is large enough to permit the skirt to move freely. The auxiliary chemicals used with acid dyes produce less of a change in the hand of the fabric than the high-pH auxiliaries used for most reactive dyes, and a high volume of water and constant stirring help to produce a smooth solid color. The most satisfactory black silk dye for use in hand dyeing is Lanaset Jet Black, available by mail-order from dye suppliers including PRO Chemical & Dye, Earth Guild, and Paradise Fibers. Special auxiliary chemicals, such as Albegal SET, are also required, to make the color more level and solid. Follow your dye supplier's instructions very closely. Good luck.

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Posted: Tuesday - May 03, 2011 at 08:29 AM

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How can I dye a dry-clean-only silk skirt?

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