Can I use fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat?

Name: Pam

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Country or region: USA

Message: I have searched your site, and can not find info. on using fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat. The hat is a Sunday hat type that women wear to church. Kind of a bowl shape with a wide brim. It has a woven, straw look to it. Can you use fabric paint to change the color?

No, I don't expect fabric paint to adhere well to polypropylene. Polypropylene is a remarkably hydrophobic material, which means that it repels water extremely well. It will not absorb fabric paint like other fibers do, so the paint will tend to flake off rather quickly. The best way to color polypropylene is to add insoluble pigments to it while it is still in liquid form, before it is extruded into a fiber.

If a short-lived paint job will be good enough for you, I recommend that you experiment with Krylon Fusion for Plastic, which is a spray paint intended for use on difficult-to-paint plastics, specifically including polypropylene. The effect is certainly thicker than a good thin fabric paint, but still manages to show the original texture surprisingly well. It does eventually flake off, however, though not nearly as quickly as less suitable paint formulations. Buying multiple colors could quickly get expensive, at $6 per can. You can buy Krylon Fusion for Plastics in hardware or paint stores, or mail-order it from suppliers such as Mister Art.

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Posted: Tuesday - April 12, 2011 at 07:54 AM

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Can I use fabric paint on a 100% polypropylene hat?

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