Name:  Richard
Message: Hi Paula,
I did a search for dyeing and came across your website chock full of information. I'm a young screen Printer in every sense of the word. One of the blank shirts i used to print on is the Anvil Chromazone (pigment dyed tees). I don't know if you're familiar with them but they have that faded look, no bright colors. Those anvil ringer tees have been discontinued so I'd like to do my own. Could you say what kind of dye may be used to give a similar effect.

Pigment 'dyeing' is the solid-color dyeing of garments using fabric paints, or pigments that are adhered to the fiber using a glue-like binder. See "Fabric Paints: a different way to color fibers", on this page:
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/fabricpaints.shtml 

Fabric paints do not permeate fibers, as dyes generally do, so even a small amount of wear looks like a lot. The result is an appearance of instant age.

On their Product Instructions page, the excellent dye supply company PRO Chemical & Dye gives a link to their page on "Pigment Dyeing using PROfab Color Concentrates"; this can be used to pigment dye 5 pounds of garments at a time in the washing machine. See
http://www.prochemical.com/directions/PigmentDyeing.htm.

You can also get dull colors with real dye, instead of fabric paint, by mixing any color you like of dye with a tan or brown dye color mixture, or mixing any two 'opposite' dye colors, such as red and green, or blue and orange. Of course this will not give you the rapid fading of pigment dyed garments, though.

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Name: Nixie
Message: Can I dye sheets that are 90-95% cotton and 5-10% polyester?

Yes, this will work fine. The polyester threads will not dye (they will stay white), but the cotton will dye nicely. Results are bright on fabric that is at least 80% cotton. You can get only pastels by dyeing 50% cotton 50% polyester. It is best to avoid dyeing blends that contain less than 50% cotton.

For good results, use a cool water fiber reactive dye such as Procion MX dye - do NOT use all-purpose dye! For a list of different companies around the world from which you can mail-order Procion MX dye, see "Sources for Dyeing Supplies" at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtm .

It is very important to avoid buying sheets treated with stain-resistant treatments, because they will resist dye as well. Prewash the sheets in the hottest possible water twice, using detergent and extra soda ash to help remove fabric treatments. (This soda ash will wash out in the rinse and will NOT substitute for the soda ash that you use in a later step to fix the dye.)

For a single solid color, follow instructions found on the "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?" page, at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/washingmachine.shtml. For more interesting mottled effects and combinations of color, and an even easier method, try low water immersion dyeing; see http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/lowwaterimmersion.shtml. Sheets can also be tie-dyed to excellent effect; see "How to Tie Dye - Complete Instructions", at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/howtotiedye.shtml.

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Sharpie brand markers may not be totally ideal, as they can eventually wash out, but they are vastly superior to ballpoint pens for this. I've had ballpoint pen ink disasters that washed out quite well in the laundry, exactly the opposite of what you want in this case. Use only black Sharpie pens, not the colored Sharpie pens, as the latter tend to wash out more quickly. When my sons have brought home class t-shirts that were signed with black Sharpie pens by their classmates on the last day of school, the markings seemed to hold up pretty well in the laundry. It is best if the Sharpie pens marks can dry on the shirts for a week or more before getting the shirts wet to wash or dye them, but that may not be practical in your case.

It is better, if time permits, to get a marker specifically made for fabrics, such as Identipen or Setaskrib fabric markers. A good crafts store will probably have several different choices. Some may require heat-setting by ironing to make them permanent, so be sure to check for any manufacturer's instructions. It is probably best to write on the shirts only after they have been dyed, washed and dried, but it should work okay to do the writing first, before dyeing. Tell them to be sure to turn the shirts inside out so the writing does not wear off as quickly in the dryer. (You can easily tie-dye shirts that are inside-out - it makes no difference.) I expect you'll send home the dyed shirts still wet, in plastic bags, with instructions to wash them out the following day.

Do not use all-purpose dye, such as Rit brand dye, for room temperature tie-dyeing! It is a very common mistake, but it's very sad when much of the dye washes out afterwards. Instead, you need to use fiber reactive dyes. Get some Jacquard Tie-dye kit (not a Rit tie-dye kit!!), if you can find them in your local crafts store or fabric store, or several Rainbow Rock tie-dye kits, or buy many packets of "Dylon Permanent" dye. If you have enough time, order a Procion MX tie-dye kit from one of the dye suppliers listed on my page of Sources for Dye Supplies Around the World, at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml; these kits are typically far more economical per student and gives excellent results. (While you're at it, order some good fabric markers from them, for writing on the shirts.) Also, please be sure to buy only 100% cotton t-shirts to dye, as polyester will not take the dye, and avoid stain-resistant t-shirts at all costs.

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Name: Suzie
Message: Dear Paula, I love your site.  Someone gave me some sabracon dyes.  I dye with mx dyes currently, but want to try the gift.  Can I use hot water or must it be heated over a period of time?  My experience is limited using the mx dyes which seem to be destroyed with heat. 

Sabracron dyes, from PRO Chemical & Dye, are the same as Cibacron F dyes. Use them exactly like Procion MX type dyes; you can even use them together with your Procion MX dyes, at the same time, even mixing colors together. They work very well at a warm room temperature, say 80 degrees Fahrenheit or above. You should avoid using hot water, just as with Procion MX dyes; they are slightly less sensitive than the Procion MX dyes, but their reactivity will be used up very quickly at a high temperature. Dissolve them in room temperature water. If you microwave them with soda ash, they will react very quickly; this can work okay for rapid setting, however, for both classes of dyes, if they are first well absorbed into the fiber you wish to dye.

The Cibacron F dyes have some possible advantages over Procion MX type dyes. The different colors are all of the same color strength, which makes color mixing easier. They last longer after being dissolved in water than Procion MX dyes do, as long as they do not get any soda ash in them. One of my very favorite single color dyes is the Sabracron Intense Blue F-GF; it's a lovely glowing royal blue color.

There's more info on my site under Fiber Reactive Dyes; see http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/fiberreactive.shtml .

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  I came across your website in a search for safety issues with dyeing.  Thank you for sharing all your expertise.
  My questions is about Jacquard dyes.  An artist friend swears by them, claiming they are less harmful then other dyes.  Is there any truth to her claims?  Most of the information on your site and in books such as Complex Cloth, etc. all refer to MX Procion dyes, not Jacquard.

It makes no sense to claim that Jacquard dyes are safer or more dangerous than any other popular brand of dyes. Let me explain why.

Jacquard is an excellent dye company that sells many different kinds of dyes. One of the types of dye they sell is labeled Jacquard Procion MX dyes. These are exactly the same dyes, no safer and no more dangerous, as the Procion MX type dyes sold by other companies, such as PRO Chemical & Dye, Colorado Wholesale Dyes, Earth Guild, Dharma Trading Company, etc. Incidentally, these dyes are not necessarily manufactured under the Procion name, even if they are labeled as such. Procion MX is the brand name under which the dichlorotriazine type of fiber reactive dye was first introduced, a brand name currently owned by Dystar, but now that they are out of patent, many different manufacturers make them. Currently, 'Procion MX' as a name is being used by many of the dye retailers to refer to dyes that contain the same dye molecules, but which are made by different manufacturers who actually have no legal right to the name. (PRO Chemical & Dye avoids this problem by renaming their Procion MX type dyes "PRO MX dyes"; Dharma Trading refers to them as "Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion Dyes".) No one brand of Procion MX dyes is safer or more dangerous than another. Jacquard brand Procion MX dyes are essentially the exact same thing as any other Procion MX dye. In fact, according to rumor, Jacquard sells dyes to other major retailers, such as Dharma Trading Company, and Jacquard has bought their dyes from companies such as Standard Dye. I don't know whether Standard actually manufactures dyes, or merely imports them. There are many manufacturers of dichlorotriazine (Procion MX type) dyes in Asia.

Jacquard also sells many other types of dyes. They sell acid dyes, basic dyes, Procion H dyes (which are different from Procion MX dyes and must be heat-set), and Remazol type dyes (the vinyl sulfones).

Perhaps what your artist friend really means is that Procion MX type dyes are safer than other classes of dye. This may be true. One great advantage of Procion MX dye is that it tends to react immediately with surface layers of skin, and so it is less likely to be absorbed into the body than some other types of dye. Some types of dye can be absorbed directly through the skin, which makes them more dangerous. However, breathing or swallowing particles of dye powder exposes living cells within the body to the dye, which is why it is so very important to wear dust masks or respirators when working with undissolved dye powders, or with fine aerosol mists of dye solutions, in order to prevent breathing in any of the dye. Procion MX dye is known to cause allergies and asthma in people who breathe too much of it. It is also theoretically possible that people who are exposed to large amounts of the dye by repeatedly breathing it or swallowing it might have an increased risk of cancer, primarily bladder cancer. We're not sure that they are not, at any rate.

None of the dyes we use have been fully and properly tested for safety, with the exception of food coloring, which can be used as a textile dye only on protein fibers such as wool, never on cellulose fibers such as cotton. Some dyes are suspected of being somewhat or slightly dangerous; those which are not suspected are certainly not proved safe, however. Even 'natural' dyes include some poisonous chemicals (produced by plants rather than chemical factories), and many of the mordants used with natural dyes are dangerous. What we must do is be reasonably cautious in our use of all dyes - avoid breathing in dye powder, wear gloves while working with dyes, never eat or smoke before washing the hands, and clean up spills promptly - and avoid the more dangerous classes of dye altogether.

Some people think that all-purpose dye, such as Rit brand dye, is the safest type of dye, for no other reason than the fact that it is sold in grocery stores and pharmacies. However, there is no reason to think all-purpose dyes are safer than other types of dyes intended for home use. In fact, into the 1970s, all-purpose dyes for home use are known to have contained some quite dangerous direct dyes. The most hazardous dyes include derivatives of the chemical benzidine, including direct black 1, direct red 28, direct black 38, direct blue 6, direct green 6, direct brown 95, direct brown 2, direct blue 2, and direct black 4. (See the government document "Benzidine and Dyes Metabolized to Benzidine" [PDF].) Some employees of dye manufacturers in the past suffered from bladder cancer that was caused by exposure to benzidine and benzidine-based dyes. (Employees of dye companies are exposed to much higher levels of dyes and their chemical precursors than anyone else.) Fortunately, there are no benzidine-based fiber reactive dyes, which means there are no benzidine-based Procion MX dyes. 

It is no longer the case that benzidine-based dyes are permitted to be used in all-purpose dyes, such as Rit brand dye; unfortunately, all-purpose dye is not labeled as to which specific dyes are included in them, so it is impossible to be sure what they contain. The MSDS for Rit powder dyes [PDF] indicates that they do "not pose a significant risk to health when used according to instructions and with appropriate protective measures"; however, the MSDS ends with the disclaimer that "the company cannot make any warranty or representation respecting the accuracy or completeness of the data, and assumes no responsibility for any liability or damages relating thereto or for advising you regarding the protection of your employees or others. Users should make their own tests to determine the applicability of such information or the suitability of any products for specific use." It seems entirely unfair to expect the average consumer to be able to make tests to determine whether the dyes they use are safe or not, especially when the specific names of the dyes themselves are not disclosed.

Some of another class of dyes, known as basic dyes, are too dangerous for me to want to use them at home or in class, or to recommend that other people use them, as some are carcinogens or mutagens. I know that Jacquard sells basic dyes in their line of Wood & Reed Dyes. I do not know if any of the basic dyes they sell are at all hazardous. It would be safest to assume that they are unless there is evidence to the contrary.

Another dangerous class of dyes is the naphthol dyes (also known as napthol, naphtol, or naptol dyes), which include a number of known or suspected carcinogens among their componants. I won't allow naphthol dye components in my home. They belong only in properly safety-equipped laboratories or studios. Jacquard does not sell naphthol dye components.

Jacquard sells a nice wide range of acid dyes. Some acid dyes are suspected carcinogens or are contaminated with carcinogenic dyes. Jacquard may have avoided including suspect dyes in their acid dye range. They have, laudably, listed the Colour Index names for the exact dyes used in their acid dyes. They say that:
       "Jacquard Acid Dyes are non-toxic when used properly. 
       Common sense and good housekeeping should be used when 
       handling any dye or chemical. Jacquard Acid Dyes are 
       fully certified and conform to ASTM D4236-86."
Unfortunately, it is difficult for the consumer to determine exactly what ASTM D4236-86 says, and they do sell Rhodamine B, a dye whose MSDS page indicates that it may be dangerous. It is still important to be appropriately cautious when working with these dyes, avoiding breathing or swallowing these dyes (including smoking while using them) and carefully avoiding all skin exposure.

Jacquard dyes are not safer or less safe than other brands of dyes used at home and by artists and craftspersons. Procion MX type dyes, including Jacquard brand Procion MX dyes, are safer than some other dyes, but not safe enough for careless handling of dye powders or mists. Since we don't know that they are completely safe, we will assume that they are hazardous, just because we would rather not find out the hard way, years later, that we were mistaken not to do so.

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Name: JANE
Message: I HOPE YOU CAN HELP ME. I HAVE BEEN TRYING TO FIND SOME BLACK DYE TO DYE MY SON PANTS BLACK FOR WORK. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING ALL OVER TOWN AND OTHER TOWNS TOO. NO ONE HAS BLACK DYE. I HAVE BEEN LOOKING A LONG TIME WHAT CAN I USE INSTEAD. PLEASE HELP ME.

You can find better dye, at a better (bulk) price, by mail-ordering it. First you should decide what kind of dye you want, though.

All-purpose dyes, such as the kind you can find in grocery stores or pharmacies, tend to work poorly on cotton, washing out a little every time they are washed, so they do not stay dark for long. I do not recommend their use. They are also expensive since each box will only dye a single garment. If you try to dye anything black with all-purpose dye, use four to eight times as much dye as the package recommends, and simmer your garment in the dye plus water for half an hour. Then apply a commercial dye fixative such as Retayne. Salt or vinegar will not set the dye.

"Dylon Permanent" brand black dye is an excellent cold water dye, sold in some crafts stores or fabric stores, but each packet costs almost $3 and will dye only a single adult-sized t-shirt. However, the dye is extremely good quality, it is very black, and it lasts very well in the wash. You can mail-order it from Amazon; if you use the following link, they will give my site a small percentage of the cost, at no additional cost to you: Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye - Black

The best prices by far on dye, however, are obtained by mail-ordering from a company that specializes in selling dye. I recommend PRO Chemical & Dye. Their MX dyes are the best dyes for cotton, very dark, long-lasting, and easy to use (no boiling needed!), and their instructions on their website are top-notch. Their Liquid Fiber Reactive Dye in black is the same dye that is found in the black Dylon Permanent Fabric Dye, but you need only a single teaspoon of the dye for each shirt, instead of a whole packet. You can find contact information for PROchem and other dye suppliers listed on my page of Sources for Dye Supplies Around the World at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml.

For instructions on how to dye in a washing machine, see http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/washingmachine.shtml. For dyeing anything black, always use four times as much dye as you would use to get a lighter shade in some other color.

What are your son's pants made of? You cannot dye them yourself if they are polyester, but if they are cotton it should not be at all difficult to dye them with fiber reactive dyes. Nylon is possible to dye with acid dyes, but you will need more information in that case.

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fine... how do I fix this...?

The correct answer would be that the garment is defective and should be returned to the store from which you bought it, in exchange for another whose dye is more permanent. If that is not possible, then you might consider trying to dye it, but the results may or may not be good.

What is the jacket made of? What kind of fiber is the embroidery done in? You cannot know what dye to select if you do not know what it is made of. A dye must be carefully matched to the fiber content of whatever you are trying to dye.

If the jacket is made of cotton, you can dye it with a cool water fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX or Drimarene K dye, at room temperature with soda ash; if the stitching is made of nylon or another synthetic thread, it will not take the dye and thus will not be ruined. You could try Dylon Washing Machine Dye, since you are in the UK, using water of about 80° Fahrenheit (27°C). If the fabric and the stitching are made of the same fiber, however, they will both be dyed.

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in 2 days!!! what can I do??

Oh, my, that's a bad one. The true answer is that you must TEST your crafts ideas several weeks in advance of the class. It's not much use to you to be told that now, though, is it?

Your shirts are the big problem. Polyester should NEVER by subjected to chlorine bleach, because the hypochlorite in the bleach will permanently damage the polyester fiber. The same is true of all synthetic fibers, as well as animal fibers such as silk and wool. The dye in the polyester will often be unaffected by the bleach; it is only the fibers themselves that will be damaged. This means that only half of the fibers in the shirt are even potentially bleachable. Even the dyes in cotton are often unbleachable, however. Never embark on a dye discharge project without testing the specific dye/fiber combination you intend to use. Good results, as you have unfortunately seen, are not always possible.

Even overdyeing the shirts is not a good idea. 50% polyester shirts do not take dye at all well; at best, you will get only pastels.

What I would recommend is that you switch to a project that involves the use of fabric paint. Have the children write their names or a bible verse or something. Unlike dyes and bleach, many fabric paints work on synthetic as well as natural fibers. Go to your local crafts store or sewing store and find out what kinds of fabric paints are available. Be sure to buy enough bottles to go around. Transparent fabric paints will not show up well on a dark background; only darker colors will shiow up, unless you buy *opaque* fabric paints. Metallic fabric paints, pearlescent fabric paints, and glitter fabric paints should work on any color of fabric, as should "slick" or "puffy" fabric paints, or else find plain fabric paints the specifically say "opaque" in a prominent place on the label.

Note that many fabric paints require heat setting. The easiest way to do this is to let the shirts dry throughly after the paint is applied, then run them in an extremely hot commercial clothes dryer for half an hour. "Slick" or "puffy" fabric paints must not be placed in a hot dryer, so be sure to follow the instructions on the label carefully.

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many wool festival sites.

Actually, the phrase "Wool Festival" in that sentence was *itself* the link to the instructions. You can just click on it.

http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/fooddyes.shtml contains the link to
http://www.woolfestival.com/articles/koolaid.htm


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Message: Is it possible to dye a bathing suit? I'd like to buy a white bathing suit and dye it a shade of red or maroon. Would the dye withstand chlorine, high temperature, and salt water? Would it run?

If you are going to dye a bathing suit, the first and most important issue is to get a dyeable bathing suit. You can buy white cotton/spandex bathing suits at Dharma Trading Company which are very easy to dye. Do not try to dye a bathing suit made of polyester; and although nylon is dyeable, the dyes used for dyeing nylon at home may be less resistant to fading, especially since you must not use very hot water to dye anything that contains spandex (Lycra). Only cotton/spandex bathing suits are likely to do well.

If you acquire a cotton/spandex bathing suit, it is easy to dye with fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dyes. You can also use "Dylon Permanent" brand dye in a bucket, or "Dylon Machine Dye" in the washing machine; see "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?" at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/washingmachine.shtml.

Do NOT use hot water dye, such as all-purpose dye! These dyes will run a little whenever they get wet, and the heat required will ruin spandex . You must acquire a high-quality dye. Avoid all brands of all-purpose dyes.

To find a company from which to buy clothing blanks (dyeable clothing) and high quality dyes, see my page listing dye suppliers around the world at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml.

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[Updated April 7, 2008]

I'm a student doing B.D(bachelor of design). I'm now in 7th semester & during 7th sem, we have thesis (detail study on one topic). I want to do this under ur guidance. Can i do it? PLZ reply as soon as possible

I'm afraid I can't imagine how this could work. How could I supervise you if I cannot even meet you? And what sort of remuneration would I get for the hours of time that this would require? I believe that this will require a faculty member from your own or a nearby institution, but I don't even know what institution you are attending.

I am sorry to be of so little help.

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Name: angel marco
Message: 
Dear Sirs
We need 3 tons of Procion Blue MX4GD (C.I. Blue 168). If you have in stock please contact us urgently and tell us available quantity and price.

Sorry, I can't help you. The form you filled out was on my site of dye information for individual artists and craftspersons. I do not sell dye. 


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Can this be done?

No. you cannot dye anything that cannot be washed. It can't be done professionally, either. "Dry clean only" also means "you can't dye this."

Some garments that are marked "dry clean only" can actually be washed, but never if it has a separate outside and lining. The lining and the outside layer will shrink at different rates, ruining the shape of the dress.

Furthermore, polyester can only be dyed with a special type of dye called Disperse Dye, which requires that you boil the dress in it for an hour, but even a minute of boiling will ruin the lycra, which is a thermoplastic polyurethane. See http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dispersedye.shtml.

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Sorry, I can't sell this dye to you. This particular dye, reactive red 6 or rubine MX-B, is available from Colorado Wholesale Dye company as their "#14 Cherry". Their contact information is included under "North America" on my listing of Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World, at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml .

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Leta

We're in Texas here and know all about soda ash. Soda ash is sodium carbonate. Go to the hardware store or swimming pool supply store and buy sodium carbonate, NOT sodium bicarbonate, which is baking soda. Read this page:
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/sodaash.shtml

Don't even bother if you are using Rit dye, though. Soda ash will do nothing to help all-purpose dye. All-purpose dye is no good for tie-dyeing at room temperature (you have to almost boil the shirts in it for it to work reasonably well!). You should use a fiber reactive dye such as Procion MX dye. Jacquard Tie-dye kits are good, as are Rainbow Rock brand tie-dye kits. Avoid Rit tie-dye kits. Dylon Permanent dye works well and can be found at many fabric stores.

Dylon Permanent dye already has soda ash or its equivalent mixed in, but it costs more per shirt. Procion MX dye is very economical if you plan a couple of weeks in advance so that you can mail-order a "Tie Dye Party Pack" for fifty or a hundred people from PRO Chemical & Dye, in Massachusetts (see the bottom of their MX dyes kits page at http://www.prochemical.com/catalog/mxkits.htm).

Also see the recent blog entry:
"WE ARE CLASSROOM TEACHERS THAT WILL BE TIE-DYING WITH OUR FIRST GRADERS, AND WANTED TO KNOW THE BEST WAY TO KEEP THE COLORS BRIGHT", which has similar advice.

Question - why are you asking me about this only now, and not a month ago? It's kind of late to be just now getting the basic information about what you are doing. I very much fear that you don't yet have the dye you need to make this work.

Adapt the instructions on the Dylon dye package. Is it "Dylon Permanent" or "Dylon Cold Water" or "Dylon Multi Purpose"? There are different types of Dylon dye.

"Dylon Permanent" has the soda ash or equivalent already mixed in. (In some cases it contains TSP instead.) Once you mix it with water, you must use it immediately - don't premix it with water before the kids show up. You could place it in the bottles first and have premeasured bottles of water sitting ready to hand, to save time. Add water, shake the bottle up, start applying to the shirts. No need to presoak the shirts since the fixer is already mixed with the dye.

"Dylon Cold Water" dye needs the soda ash added separately, such as by presoaking in water with one cup of soda ash dissolved in each gallon of water, exactly the same as the recipes for tie-dyeing with Procion MX dye indicate.

"Dylon Multi Purpose" dye is the same type as Rit brand dye and must be applied to the shirts by dropping tied shirts for half an hour into a simmering pot of water mixed with dye, or at least the very hottest tap water you have access to. This could be a huge pain for a tie-dyeing class.

Good luck with your project. It must be very frustrating to get your supplies list at the last minute.

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Name: Pamela
Message: How can I reach instructions for painting upholstered furniture by Deb Horowitz?

There is a link near the bottom of my page on "Can furniture be dyed successfully?", which is in the miscellaneous section of the FAQ area of my web site. You probably looked right at it, as it is the words 'painting upholstered furniture.' Here's the address:
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/furniture_painting.shtml

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Thanks!

Can it be subjected to heat? If so, all-purpose dye will dye both the cotton and the nylon in one step, if you add the vinegar required by the nylon. The results will not be washfast until you apply a cationic dye fixative such as Retayne. Read both of these pages:

http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/allpurposedye.shtml
http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/fixative.shtml

Fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye or Remazol dye, can be used and gives much more permanent results on cotton, but it requires two separate steps: one at a high pH, with soda ash, for the cotton - see http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/howtodye.shtml
for more information on that - plus another step at a low pH with heat, to dye the nylon - see http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/reactivedyesprotein.shtml

Note that dyeing black requires two to four times as much dye as is recommended by the manufacturer. All-purpose dye often makes colors that are not quite black. Fiberr reactive dyes on nylon may result in an off color, too, such as olive green. The best black dye for nylon is Lanaset black dye, from PRO Chemical & Dye, but it will have no effect on cotton. The best black dye for cotton is either the MX Cotton Black, sold by PRO Chemical & Dye, or their black Liquid Fiber Reactive Dye, which is a Remazol type dye - see http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/remazol.shtml . Remazol black should also make a good black on nylon, since it is that rarity among fiber reactive dyes, a single-hue unmixed black, and thus should come out the same color on different fibers.

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Name: linda
Message: I lead a small youth group and we were having a lock in. We decided to do tie dyes, so I bought a bunch of white t-shirts, rubber bands, and rit dye. The night before the lock-in, I decided to look up some different ways to tie the shirts. I found your website, and read up on how to do tie dyes (since I had never done them before). I took all your advice to heart, and went out the next morning and bought procion mx dyes, urea, sodium carbonate, and synthropol. I could not be happier with the results. Thank you so much for your help! You were really a blessing to us!

It is so nice to see this. Thanks for letting me know. I was afraid, when I started to read your message, that this was going to be yet another sad email about disappointing results with all-purpose dye, so it was a surprise and a pleasure to get to the happy ending.

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[Note: new entries in this column will resume on June 18.]

Name: Chris
Message: We are classroom teachers that will be tie-dying with our first graders, and wanted to know the best way to keep the colors bright, and if there is a special name brand detergent that would work best.  Should we soak the shirts in vinegar after we dye to keep the pattern from bleeding into the white areas?

No, do not soak the shirts in vinegar! There is no dye you can buy for cotton for which this will help at all. Detergent cannot make dye permanent, either; all it can do is remove excess dye.

The single most important thing is to use good dye. DO NOT USE ALL-PURPOSE DYE! All-purpose dye bleeds a little whenever it gets wet. I have received hundreds of heart-broken e-mails from people who tie-dyed with all-purpose dye and then saw their results fade as soon as they washed them.

The dye you want to use is fiber reactive dye; the most popular of these dyes for tie-dyeing is Procion MX, also sold as Procion Dyes or MX dyes. I would advise you to mail-order a "Tie Dye Party Pack" for fifty or a hundred people, however many you have, from PRO Chemical & Dye, in Massachusetts (see the bottom of their MX dyes kits page). Alternatively, you can buy a number of Jacquard brand Tie-Dye Kits from many crafts stores; the small Jacquard kit will do five adult shirts, while the large one will do ten to fifteen. The large-volume ProChem kits will cost less per shirt, however, and the dye may be fresher than what's been sitting around in a crafts store for a while. Since the shirts you will be dyeing will be small, you can probably do twice as many as the kit indicates, since the numbers are based on adult-sized t-shirts.

This may seem to be a large upfront investment, but your cost per person will be far lower than if you buy enough all-purpose dye to dye the same number of shirts, the process is easier and safer (since no boiling water is required), and the results will be tremendously better in every respect.

Be sure to also acquire enough size extra-small thin rubber gloves for every student, as well as disposable plastic aprons (or garbage bags with holes cut in them for the heads and arms), and plastic dropcloths to protect tables and possibly floors. When you buy the shirts, make sure that they are 100% cotton, and absolutely not the stain-resistant type, then prewash them in hot water before you dye them.

Once you have dyed the shirts, they must be left at a warm room temperature (70°F or higher) overnight, for the dye to make a permanent bond to the fiber. You will already have added the dye fixative (soda ash ) to the shirts by presoaking them in it, so that the dye attaches well. The next day (or even a day or two after that if it's more convenient for you), wash the excess dye out of the shirts, once with cold water and no detergent (or with Synthrapol, a special dye-removal detergent which is included with the ProChem kits), then two or three times in the hottest water available, with detergent. Your colors will be bright and permanent.

For instructions (in addition to those in the ProChem kit), see my page on "How to Dye"; information on everything else in this message is spread around my site. Be sure to check out the FAQ section.

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Name: Julia
Message: Help! I tried to hand dyed a pale pink silk patterned dress to black. It is machine washable on a gentle cycle.I dyed it in my kitchen sink using a hand dye, unfortunately the dress is now grey and looks dreadful. Is there anyway I can dye it to dark rich black? Thank you.

First wash out as much of the all-purpose dye as you can, using hot water, so you don't have to worry about it bleeding in the laundry later on. It is best to avoid the use of all-purpose dye.

Is the dress 100% silk? If it is polyester, you can't dye it.

I recommend buying "silk black" Procion MX dye, plus soda ash, from PRO Chemical & Dye, or for the best and richest blacks on silk, I recommend Lanaset black dye, from the same source; you must use mail-order to obtain these dyes. 

Another good form of dye to use, especially for blacks on cotton, is Dylon Permanent. This kind of dye is very expensive per pound of fabric, but for a single garment you need only buy two packets for each pound (weigh your dress first!) Follow the package instructions carefully. It produces a very good black if you buy enough packets for the weight of your garment.  You can buy this dye at some fabric stores, such as Joann's. 

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Name: Win
Message: I am looking to dye hockey gloves. The glove's outer material is a tough, but supple nylon material similar to snow pants. What is the best way to do this?
Should I use markers - if so, what kind?
Should I use dyes - if so what kind?
Thanks for your help

Nylon can be dyed unless it is water-repellant, in which case the coating will resist the dyes and prevent them from taking. The dye you should use for nylon is called acid dye. It must be used by immersion with very hot water, preferably simmering. See About Acid Dyes.

If markers will work for you, that may be preferable. I recommend fabric markers, such as Setaskrib or Marvy, rather than all-purpose markers such as Sharpie, those those might work in a pinch. Be sure to check the label of the fabric markers before buying to determine whether the markers need to be heatset. A good arts supply store should carry fabric markers, or you can check a mail-order dye supply company such as Dharma Trading Company.

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Name: Seane
Message: Water was spilled on a batik design (on cotton) I have.  The water made the colors bleed and you can see the perimeter of the water mark.  Is there any way to fix this?  Thank you.

I'm afraid the answer is probably just the same as if you had spilled water on a watercolor painting. If unfixed dye colors have bled, there may be little you can do about it.

A properly done batik has its dye colors permanently attached to the fabric, and all excess dye washed out, so that there is no danger from getting wet. From your description, it seems that one of these essential steps was omitted.

Perhaps if you wash the batik in hot water, you will be able to remove all of the excess dye. This will work if the dye was fixed properly but not adequately washed out afterwards. If the dye was not fixed at all, though, you will remove the design. It's a very bad situation. I'm sorry.

Some people swear by the use of a special dye removal detergent called Synthrapol for removing excess dye. It is an excellent detergent, but it will probably make very little difference to your results.

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Name: katy
Message: I am looking for somebody who could possibly print my driving instructor's motif onto a plain navy blue tie. It would need writing and a picture of a VW beatle all over it. I obviously  don't want to pay a fortune and I only want the one tie. Is it possible?

It's actually not that hard to do yourself, if you can get some opaque iron-on inkjet transfer paper. Don't get the regular transfer paper because the ink will not show up on the dark blue; be sure to get the opaque type for dark fabrics. Your local crafts supply store might carry this. If it does not, you can purchase it by mail order from Dharma Trading Company.

You might also call your local copy shop, such as Kinko's, to ask whether they will do this. They might not have the opaque transfer paper. They certainly do transfers to light-colored fabric.

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