What dye do I use for an acetate/spandex blend? Can it be done?

Name: Dee

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Message: I soaked a 90% Acetate/10% Spandex black skirt in oxyclean and it turned a dark purple/brown color. I want to dye it back to its original black color. What dye do I use for this blend of fabric? Can it be done?

I don't have a good feeling about the idea of redyeing your skirt. What does its care instructions label say?

Usually, spandex-containing clothing is marked as being suitable for washing in cool water only, no warmer than 105°F. This is because the spandex is heat-sensitive, and may lose its shape, or worse, if subjected to higher temperatures.

Unfortunately, acetate requires very hot water for dyeing. The best dyes for acetate are the disperse dyes, which are used only for dyeing synthetic fibers. You can buy disperse dye in the form of Jacquard Products's "iDye Poly" (don't confuse this dye with plain "iDye", which is for natural fibers only), or by ordering from Aljo Mfg or PRO Chemical & Dye, in the US.

Although acetate will take some color when dyed with disperse dye in merely hot water, in my experience it does not get really dark in color unless you heat it to simmering, 180°F-190°F. It seems very likely that these temperatures would ruin the spandex in your skirt.

In addition, dyeing anything in hot water for the first time requires a significant investment, because you would need a very large cooking pot, 12 quarts or larger, either stainless steel or enameled. You should not reuse this pot for food after you use it for dyeing clothing. A dyeing pot is a good investment if you will be dyeing more things in the future, but it's too expensive for a single use.

Given all of this, I recommend against trying to restore your acetate/spandex skirt by dyeing it. I think it's not worth the effort and expense.

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Posted: Tuesday - February 07, 2012 at 02:58 PM

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What dye do I use for an acetate/spandex blend? Can it be done?

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