Name: Phyllis
Message: Is there a method for immersion dyeing wool yarn with synthetic dyes, but without applying heat? I'm thinking of something that would produce level results (so the usual cold batch technique doesn't seem to fit the bill). I saw a few articles about Nest Rubio's experiments with natural dyes where she soaked the fiber in alum for many days and then immersed it in a madder dye bath, leaving it there at room temperature for as long as a week. I was wondering if there might be a synthetic dye version of this technique (for patient dyers). One of the advantages of this method is how well it protects the softness of the fiber. I work mostly with cashmere, so this is especially appealing to me. I'd be grateful for any comments or advice you might be able to share.

I'm afraid I have no useful information to share. I have never attempted high water ratios in dyeing wool, at any temperature, let alone room temperature as you hope to accomplish, and I have never seen instructions on this, either. The instructions I have seen for rainbow dyeing of wool always call for at least some heat, such as the heat of the sun as focused in a solar oven made from an aquarium, or as accumulated by use of a black plastic garbage bag, which absorbs the sun's heat. While the aquarium-based solar oven might work for immersion dyeing, with some modifications, it would still involve the use of heat, and therefore affect the hand of your cashmere.

It is certainly possible that some synthetic dyes would attach adequately to wool at room temperature, using techniques similar to Nest Rubio's madder dyeing. Many synthetic dyes are chemically similar to natural dyes. However, you will have to use trial and error to test how best to do this, and which dyes work best, etc. It would be best, of course, to do the preliminary experiments with a cheaper sort of wool, as there is no guarantee that you will be at all successful. I would be very interested to know the results of any experimentation that you do.

I have seen a page about cool-water wool dyes at Batik Oetoro in Australia. However, the definition of "cool" may not be what most people usually think of; these are acid dyes and are recommended for dyeing at 50 degrees C (122 Fahrenheit) for pale shades, or 70-75 degrees C (158-167 F.) for dark shades. 70 degrees C. is well above scalding temperature. Without experimentation, we don't know whether many days of dyeing at 90 degrees or so F. might have a similar effect to an hour's dyeing at the boil.