Message: Hi Paula,
I am Anna writing from Italy. Please, excuse my very bad English! Thank you very much for all your information on dyeng and painting. 

I have some troubles in understanding how to dye 7/8 yards of silk charmeuse per time for bridal dresses. Silk charmeuse needs to be washed in cold or warm water. From your webpage "basic recipe for Procion MX dyes on cellulose or silk how to use reactive dyes for protein fibers" you are more dedicated to tie dyeing.

I wrote to ProChemical and they suggested to use the procion MX as for immersion wool, and again they forgot the need of not using hot water. I wrote also to Kemtex and they suggested Acid Milling dyes to dye at 95oC to 100oC! What do you think?

Also, if I want to dye the dress instead of fabric, what kind of stitching do you suggest (I mean polyester, cotton, etc.) to let the dress coloured uniformly.

Hi Anna,

It is common practice to dye fabrics at temperatures that are not recommended on their care labels. Silk charmeuse is often dyed at temperatures up to 85°C (185°F). Do not use this method on garments that have already been sewn to size; instead, dye the yardage, and then, if successful, you can use the dyed fabric in your designs.

85°C is said to be the highest temperature that you should use when dyeing silk. Higher temperatures may damage the fabric. Use a good thermometer so that you can be sure that your dyebath is not too hot.

For very level (sold color) results, a good choice would be leveling acid dyes, such as PRO Chemical & Dye's Kiton Acid Dyes. These are not as washfast as other dyes, but for a wedding dress it is usually not considered important to be able to launder the garment frequently. Here is a link to ProChem's recipe. There are many acid dyes that would work for this material. Acid Milling dyes, or weak acid dyes, will work well. I advise that you follow whichever recipe you choose very closely.

I like to dye silk charmeuse at room temperature, using fiber reactive dyes, either Procion MX dyes or Remazol dyes, with soda ash as the fixative. This produces a very washfast result. However, soda ash does affect the silk. It tends to make it softer and a little less shiny, and the silk loses any stiffness. I like the resulting feel and appearance of the charmeuse fabric, but it might not be what you (or your customers) want. If maintaining the sheen and texture of the fabric unchanged is important, it would be better to use acid dyes at the high temperatures. (Note that Procion MX dyes that are used with an acid instead of soda ash function as acid dyes, not as fiber reactive dyes; in that case, you may as well order acid dyes instead of Procion MX dyes.)

If you dye the dress, after it has been stitched together, then you will need to use a dyeable thread. Do not use polyester thread for sewing items to be garment-dyed; polyester thread should be used only on fabric that has already been dyed, using polyester thread of the same color. Silk thread would be ideal, if it is not waxed, because then it will take the same colors of any dye as the silk charmeuse. (Wax on the sewing thread will repel dye.) If you use Procion MX dyes with soda ash, then cotton thread will also take the dye, but it might produce different colors for the premixed dye colors. Procion MX dyes with acid are more true to color, but they do not work on cotton; cotton requires a high pH (not acidic), in order to take the dye. If you choose one of the single-hue unmixed Procion MX dyes, then the cotton thread and the silk will dye the same color, though possibly to different intensities, even if you are using soda ash. See my page "Which Procion MX colors are pure, and which mixtures?", if you want to choose unmixed single-hue Procion MX dyes that will dye cotton and silk to the same colors.

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Message: I have a white nylon or polyester winter jacket, and it keeps getting so dirty, I end up washing it every other day.  My question: is there a fabric dye that I can buy in stores such as Walmart or kmart?  Also, I just want to find a fabric dye that will dye my jacket another color.  Can you help me?

I'm afraid that dye is not going to work out. Fabric paint or transfer crayons might, though.

First, Walmart and Kmart do not sell ANY dye that will work on polyester. They are really not good sources for high-quality dye. You can do better at a crafts store, but for serious dyeing it's best to mail-order your dyeing supplies. See my page listing "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World". Some people tell me they can't order online because they don't want to use a credit card, but companies such as Dharma Trading Company are happy to have you place an order online and then mail them a check or money order.

Second, any dye you use on polyester or nylon is going to require a HOT dyebath — not just tap-water hot, but stovetop hot. Nylon is best dyed with acid dyes in a pot heated to 185°F; it cannot be dyed in hot tap water. Polyester needs far more heat, as it must be boiled with special polyester dye, at 212°F or higher (higher temperatures than 212°F can be achieved only with a pressure cooker), for a minimum of half an hour. Both of these fibers will therefore require that you invest in a very large cooking pot that you are never again going to use for food. You can't reuse a dyepot for cooking, because all textile dyes, including Rit dye, will contaminate containers used for food preparation. Your dyepot has to be HUGE, that is, big enough for your jacket to move around in freely, or else the dye will produce patchy results, darker in some  areas and lighter in others. Ten gallons is probably the minimum size for dyeing a winter jacket. Also, you should not use a pot made of a reactive metal, such as aluminum or iron, because it can alter the colors produced by the dyes, sometimes remarkably, and aluminum will degrade in the acid (such as vinegar) needed for dyeing nylon. Your dyeing pot should be made of either stainless steel or enamel. A dyeing pot like this is a great investment if you are going to be doing a lot of hot-water dyeing, but it's far too expensive for a single use. It would cost less to find a coat you like at a resale shop.

However, if your coat is not at all water-resistant (does water bead up on the surface?), then you could paint a design onto it, which would make the dirt much less visible. You must use fabric paint, not ordinary house paint or artists' colors, because only fabric paint will be soft and not scratchy. You cannot get a single solid color, using fabric paints, but you can get a pigment-dyed effect with variations in color intensity, or of course you can paint any design you like. Look for a fabric paint advertised as working on synthetic fibers as well as natural ones. This will work only if your coat does not have any water-resistant or stain-resistant coating on the fabric. For more information on fabric paint, see "Fabric Paints: a different way to color fibers".

Another method that will work on both nylon and polyester is to make designs on paper using disperse dyes or fabric transfer crayons, then iron them on. These fabric crayons work only on synthetic fibers, such as polyester, nylon, acetate, or acrylic. They will not work on natural fibers, because they just wash out of those. Using iron-on transfers you make from disperse dye or fabric crayons, you can even make a repeating design by recoloring the first design and ironing it on again. Crayola Fabric Crayons are made of disperse dye; they look just like ordinary wax crayons, but do not confuse the two! Fabric crayons should never be used for ordinary drawings, and children's wax crayons absolutely will not work for permanently coloring fabric. For an example and instructions for using fabric crayons, see "Iron-on Fabric Crayons for Synthetic Fibers".

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Name: Elisa

Message: Thank you for such a helpful website.  I used search, but did not find an answer.  I understand the importance of the first wash for tie-dye to be cold water only, and thereafter the hottest water possible, with detergent.  My question: this must sound like a stupid question, but when do you untie your tie-dye?  After the first hot water wash?  Thanks, I will try to buy from the vendors linked to your site.

This is not a stupid question at all. The problem is that, when you untie your dyed items, dyes from darker regions can transfer to lighter regions of the same garment. This problem is called "backstaining".

If not all of your dye molecules have completely reacted yet, for example if you use a good tie-dye kit but then untie your stuff after just a couple of hours, then the unwanted dye transfers will be permanent. When there are still some fresh dye molecules present that are capable of reacting with the fiber, it is very important to rinse your items as thoroughly as possible before untying them. 

However, if you allow lots of extra time, or the normal amount of time in a warmer-than-usual place, then all of the dye molecules will have reacted already. Some of the dye reacts with the fiber, as you want it to, and some of it reacts with the water that is present. I like to leave my tie-dyeing to react overnight, or at least 12 hours at 70°F or warmer.

If you do this, then any dye that transfers will stain the lighter regions only temporarily. If you then rinse once in cool water and then two or more times in very hot water, the backstaining will wash out.

Leaving the dyes to react for longer than necessary makes the whole thing simpler and easier. I don't rinse my freshly dyed items by hand at all, in this case. I keep a pair of child's blunt-ended scissors by the washing machine, fill the machine with cool water and Synthrapol, and then cut the ties as I drop the items into the washer for their first rinse.

Note that all of this applies only to fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dyes or the dyes in a good tie-dyeing kit. None of what I have written above is true for all-purpose dyes, such as Rit or Tintex dyes. Backstaining is unavoidable if you use all-purpose dyes for tie-dyeing. I strongly advise you to use Procion dyes for tie-dyeing; never use Rit dye for tie-dyeing cotton.

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Message: I have been given some dylon multi dyes. Which I've since found out are not permanent on cotton, :-(  Can I fix dylon multi tins with retayne? if so do I add it to the dye, or wring it out then soak in retayne?

Dylon Multi Purpose dye, unlike other Dylon dyes, is an all-purpose dye, like Rit All-Purpose Tint and Dye, and Tintex  Easy Fabric Dye. (See "All Purpose Dyes".) Other Dylon dyes, such as Dylon Cold Dye, Dylon Permanent Dye, Dylon Machine Dye, and Dylon Hand Dye, all contain various sorts of fiber reactive dyes, and therefore are far more washfast and permanent on cotton.

An all-purpose dye is a mixture of leveling acid dye, which is the least washfast of the popular acid dyes for wool, plus direct dye, which is a rather poorly washfast dye class for cotton and other cellulose fibers, and which also dyes silk.

Retayne, or another similar cationic dye fixative, is the perfect answer for your problem, at least for dyeing things one single color each. First, you use your dye and then wash your dyed material as instructed on the package, to remove excess dye. Then, to apply the Retayne, you fill the washing machine or a large bucket with HOT water (140°F, or 60°C). Use a thermometer to check the temperature of your washing machine water; ProChem says to boil water on top of the stove and add it to your washing machine, if necessary, to reach the recommended temperature, as Retayne will not work if applied in merely warm water. Add the recommended amount of Retayne (one teaspoon for each yard of fabric, or about one tablespoon per pound) or other cationic dye fixative and stir, then soak your garment, or yarn, or whatever it is that you've just dyed, in the Retayne bath, for twenty minutes to half an hour, stirring to allow even access of the Retayne to all parts of the material. Finally, wash the garment in cold water to rinse out any excess Retayne.

Items whose dye has been set with Retayne are quite reasonably washfast. They will last without fading many times longer than the same dyes without a cationic dye fixative. Unlike salt and vinegar, Retayne actually works to bind the loose dye particles to the fiber. However, hot water can cause Retayne to let loose its hold on the fiber; use hot water only when applying the Retayne. Afterwards, it is best to launder the dyed items in lukewarm water, to extend the lifetime of the Retayne.

There are other brands of the same product as Retayne, which can be used as a substitute, such as Rit Dye Fixative (if you can find it!), Dharma Dye Fixative, Aljo Pro-fix PCD, Raycafix, Dyefix, Deka L fixative or Fixitol P. Choose whichever of these cationic fixatives is easiest for you to find from your dye supplier or local quilt shop. 

For more information, see "Commercial Dye Fixatives".

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Name: nille

Message: Hello
I have some yarn which are a mixture of wool and viscose. What type of dye do you recommend? And should I use vingar or salt or something else to get a permanent result on both the wool and the viscose?
Thanks for all the very usefull information you give.
Kind regards
Nille

I see from your address that you are in Denmark. A good source for dyes in Denmark is Granat Farvekompagniet.

One possibility is to combine the use of direct dyes for the cellulose fiber (viscose rayon, like cotton, is made of cellulose) with acid dyes for the wool. It is possible to use both direct dyes and acid dyes at the same time, in the same dyebath; this is what you do if you use an all-purpose dye mixture, such as Rit All Purpose Tint and Dye, Tintex Easy Fabric Dye, or Dylon Multi Purpose dye. Note that Dylon Machine dye and Dylon Hand dye contain fiber reactive dyes, along with a high-pH chemical that is not suitable for dyeing wool; if you buy Dylon dye, make certain that the label recommends its use for wool.

All-purpose dyes have some drawbacks. All purpose dyes contain both direct dyes for cellulose and acid dyes for wool. Direct dye, as a rule, is poorly washfast; it tends to bleed in the laundry and fade relatively quickly. The type of acid dye used in all-purpose dye mixtures is Leveling Acid dye, which is the least washfast of wool dyes. If you use all-purpose dye to dye anything, you must be prepared to launder whatever you dye gently, in cool water, by hand, separately from other colors, for the life of the item.

You can correct for the poor washfastness of all-purpose dyes by soaking your dyed yarn in hot water with a cationic dye fixative, such as Retayne, after you have finished dyeing and rinsing out. It's worth asking your dye supplier if they carry this or a similar product. All the major dye suppliers in the US and Australia do, and the textile industry all over the world uses similar cationic dye fixatives for direct dyes.

With any acid dye, including the acid dye in all-purpose dye mixtures, it is important to add some acid to the dyebath. If you are using an all-purpose dye mixture, add 100 ml of distilled white vinegar (which contains 5% acetic acid) for every four liters of water (that's about 7 tablespoons per gallon). The acid is useless for dyeing viscose or cotton, but not harmful, and it is important for dyeing wool. Add salt only if it is called for by the recipe supplied with the dye that you purchase. 

An alternative for dyeing a wool/cellulose fiber blend is to use a fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye or Remazol dye, at a pH which is not as high as generally desired for dyeing cellulose fibers, but not an acidic pH. Do not add vinegar or any other acid if you take this approach. Instead, mix sodium bicarbonate (also known as baking soda or NaHCo3, not soda ash, which is Na2CO3) with water, approximately 250 ml per 4 liters of water in the dyebath, and, using pH paper, check the pH. You want a pH of around 8 or 9 for this purpose, high enough to permit some reaction of the viscose with the fiber reactive dye, but low enough not to damage the wool, as the usual pH for fiber reactive dyes on cellulose would do. USe more or less sodium bicarbonate as needed in order to reach a pH between 8 and 9. You do not need to heat the dyebath to boiling as you would do with acid dyes and direct dyes, or with the all-purpose dyes that contain them; instead, aim for the ideal temperature for the fiber reactive dye you choose. For Procion MX dye, this would be 35°C to 45°C (95°F to 105°F); for Remazol dyes, this would be 40°C to 60°C (104°F to 140°F). Since the dye reaction will not proceed as quickly at a pH of 8 to 9 as it will at the optimal pH of 10.5 to 11.5, you will need to make sure that the temperature is optimal, that you use enough dye powder, and that you allow more time than you normally would, preferably overnight. (For ideas on how to warm your dye reaction, see  the page "What is the effect of temperature on fiber reactive dyes?", scrolling down to the section on "Ways to increase your reaction temperature".

For more information on the question of how to simultaneously dye blends of animal fibers with plant fibers, see "Two ways to dye wool/cotton blends", in the Dye Forum from October 2008.

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If the vest is 100% wool, it can probably be dyed black. However, the dyeing process requires hot water, which will probably shrink the vest. It is best to dye wool items before sale, so that shrinkage does not render the garment unwearable. This sweater vest might be suitable only for a much smaller person after you have dyed it.

The most difficult and expensive aspect of dyeing wool clothing is that you will need a dyeing pot. This pot has to be large enough for the garment to move freely when stirred in the dye, as you heat it. It must not be made of a reactive material such as aluminum or iron. Only stainless steel or unchipped enamel will do. This pot will be a significant investment, because you can't just use a pot that your family uses to cook food. Textile dyes, including Rit dye, are not safe to use in cooking pots; once you have used a pot for dyeing clothing, you should not reuse it for food. A five-gallon or larger dyeing pot made of stainless steel will cost perhaps $100, which is probably more than you'd spend to buy a new sweater vest.

If you happen to have a suitable cooking pot to use, which will not need to be reused for cooking food, then you can consider the question of dye. The very best dye for hand-dyeing wool is Lanaset dye. It's very hard to buy this dye locally, but easy to buy it by mail-order from a good dye supplier. The black Lanaset dye is very rich and black, and, unlike most other dyes, it will not wash out in the laundry, even if you use hot water. The next-best choice, at half the price, is Pro Chemical & Dye's WashFast Acid Dye in Jet Black. The worst choice is an all-purpose dye such as Rit, but even this will work, if you use two to four times as much dye as the package instructions require, and add six tablespoons of white vinegar to every gallon of water you use in your dyebath. (That's 100 ml of vinegar in four liters of water.)

To dye the sweater, first dissolve the dye in hot water, then let it cool. Add the vinegar or other auxiliary chemicals require in the dye recipe. Place the wool vest in the pot and stir very gently as you gradually raise the temperature of the wool to almost boiling. Continue to stir very gently and hold this temperature for half an hour or an hour, or as indicated in your dye's instructions. Then let the dyebath cool gradually to room temperature, and rinse out the excess dye as indicated in your instructions. You must avoid sudden temperature changes or careless rough stirring, because either of these will tend to make your wool turn to felt.

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[This answer was first posted, by me, on Yahoo answers, on October 12, 2008.]

Depending on what dye was used to color you cloth, there are many different chemicals that will remove it. To start with, though, just try soaking and washing in hot water. That will remove loose dye. In many cases there is no need to do anything more than wash in hot water. Make sure that the water in your washing machine is at least 140°F, for maximum effectiveness.

If your cloth is 100% cotton, linen, or hemp, you can use household chlorine bleach to break apart the dye on the cloth. Don't even try bleach if your cloth is made with any synthetic content at all, though, such as spandex, nylon, or polyester. Chlorine bleach will destroy synthetic fibers. Don't use it on animal-type fibers, either, such as wool, cashmere, or silk, because they will just dissolve in bleach.

Other dye removers are gentler to the fiber and can be used on synthetics with care. Try Rit Color Remover, Tintex Color Remover, or Jacquard Color Remover. All of these work best in very hot water, and none will work well in cool water. See What chemicals can be used to remove dye? for a full discussion of different chemicals used for removing dye from cloth.

Not all dyes can be removed at all. Some dyes are resistant to all methods of color removal. You can't know whether the dyes in your cloth are removable until you try it. Some dyes can be removed with bleach but not color remover, and some can be removed with color remover but not bleach. It's a trial-and-error process.

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[This answer was first posted, by me, on Yahoo answers, on November 9, 2008.]

Nylon can be dyed with acid dyes, which are the same type of dyes that work on wool, or with disperse dyes, which are the only kind of dye that works on polyester. Acid dye is better for nylon because it is more washfast (wash resistant) than disperse dyes, on nylon.

All-purpose dye, such as Rit, contains acid dyes in addition to direct dyes for cotton, so it can work on nylon. Unfortunately, the kind of acid dyes used in Rit is not very good. It tends to wash out and fade faster than the best acid dyes. If you're in a hurry and don't want to wait to mail-order a higher quality dye, though, Rit is a good choice.

To get good results with Rit dye on nylon, you must follow the right recipe. It will not work in cool water! First dissolve the dye in a pot of water and add white vinegar, about 100 ml per four liters (or 7 tablespoons per gallon). Use a large non-aluminum cooking pot which you intend to never again use for food, since Rit dye is not safe in food-use containers. Add your shirt to the pot of dye and heat, stirring constantly, until the dyebath reaches a low simmer, no more than 185°F (85°C). Keep the dyebath at this temperature and continue to stir constantly for half an hour or an hour, or less time if the fabric takes the color very quickly or if you want a paler color. Allow the nylon to cool in the water, then wash it very thoroughly in cool water. To launder, always hand-wash it separately, in cool water, because Rit dye tends to bleed in the laundry.

The very best dye for nylon is Lanaset dye; WashFast Acid dyes are also good. These dyes can be purchased only by mail-order, unless you have an exceptionally good crafts store nearby. These dyes will last longer on the fabric than Rit dye , and they can be washed in warmer water. The dyeing method is the same for all acid dyes.

See "How to dye nylon:" http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/nylon.shtml

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[This answer was first posted, by me, on Yahoo answers, on November 9, 2008.]

Message: I have a sari in  light pink and I wish to dye it to a dark pink, or another colour is it possible? If so, which color dye should I use? Also, the sari is made of a hard net material. thank you

In order to dye fabric that is a light pink to a dark pink, I would just use dark pink or fuchsia colored dye. A light pink can be dyed to almost any color besides light green or yellow.

What do you mean by a hard net material? What fiber is it made from? Is it nylon, or polyester, or silk, or what? You must match the type of dye you use to the fiber your fabric is made from. Dyes that work on polyester will not work on cotton, and dyeing recipes that work for cotton will not work for nylon.

Nylon net is easy to dye, if it does not have any sort of surface coating, by heating it in water with an acid dye plus a mild acid such as vinegar.


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Is there a way to dye hemp so it can look colorful? Do I just rub dye on it?

Hemp contains cellulose and lignin, two fibers which are best dyed with any fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye. Although you can color hemp with an all-purpose dye, such as Rit dye, the color will fade quickly and will bleed whenever it gets wet, so you will be much better off if you use fiber reactive dyes.

To dye hemp with Procion MX dyes, follow any good recipe for tie-dyeing. You will not be able to buy good dyes at the grocery store, but you can find them at any good crafts store. The best way to start is to buy a good tie-dyeing kit, such as one of the kits made by Jacquard, Rainbow Rock, Tulip, or Dylon. Presoak your hemp in water mixed with soda ash, then paint or pour on the tie-dye dye. (Some kits contain the soda ash already mixed in with the dye powder; in that case, just follow the instructions closely.) Allow the dye to react with the hemp overnight in a warm place, then wash out the excess unattached dye by rinsing once in cool water and then washing two or three times in very hot water, 140°F or hotter.

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[This answer was first posted, by me, on Yahoo answers, on September 20, 2008.]

Name: Valeri

Message: Hi, I found your site when searching about Remozol and Procion MX. I am on a holidays in Brazil and can only get Remozol locally, so I am wondering if I can use Remozol just as I normally use Procion MX (powder) or if they can't be switched? Thanks alot, valeri.

Yes, you can use them almost exactly the same way, but be sure to place the freshly dyed fabric (still wet with dye and soda ash) in a warm place to allow the dye to react with the fabric. Remazol dyes need more warmth to react than Procion MX dyes do. The ideal temperature for Procion MX dye is about 30°C (86°F), though it can be used at temperatures as low as 21C (70°F); in contrast, the ideal temperatures for Remazol dyes are 40°C to 60°C (between 104°F and 140°F), though they can probably be used at room temperatures as low as 30°C (86°F).

If you do not give your Remazol dyeing projects extra warmth, then you can expect your colors to be paler than if you give them the optimum reaction temperature. There are many ways to increase the temperature for your dyeing reaction without heating your whole house excessively; see "What is the effect of temperature?", and scroll down to "Ways to increase your reaction temperature". (Also see "About Fiber Reactive Dyes", "Vinyl Sulfone Fiber Reactive Dyes", and a discussion on how to use Remazol dyes in the Dye Forum.)

You can substitute another high-pH chemical for soda ash, such as trisodium phosphate or sodium silicate, but soda ash (sodium carbonate) will work fine. The ideal pH for Remazol dyes to react with cotton is about 11.5.

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Name: Isis

Message: I am going to purchase a dress that is rayon/spandex blend. The majority of the dress is black and there are areas at the top of the dress that are a bone color. I want the dress to be all black. How can I achieve this without ruining the fabric? I am desperate and leary...I have seen so many conflicting sites and information. Thanks! 

There is no guarantee that a dress that you buy will dye well, unless it is sold marked "PFD" (for Prepared For Dyeing), which this dress is not. The best blank dresses for dyeing are sold specifically for that purpose, by companies such as Dharma Trading Company (which sells a great many different styles of dresses).

There is one type of dye that can be safely used to dye a rayon/spandex blend, but the black may turn out to be a different shade. Try comparing different items of clothing you have now that are black. If you put them side by side, you will see that there is a lot of variability. Would it look right if you get a different shade of black?

Another problem is that any stitching on the dress that is now bone colored will remain that color after dyeing. Almost all clothing is sewn together with polyester thread at the seams. Look closely at the dress you want to dye to see if there is any light-colored stitching that will ruin the look you want.

If you do dye this dress, you must avoid all hot water dyes, since the dress contains spandex. Do not use an all-purpose dye, such as Rit or Tintex, because these dyes require hot water, but hot water is very bad for spandex. The dye you want to use is fiber reactive dye, such as Procion MX dye. You will probably need to buy this dye by mail-order, unless your local crafts store carries either Procion MX dye or Tulip One Step Fashion Dye in the color you want. (Tulip One Step Fashion Dye contains Procion MX type dye.)

If you want the bone-colored parts of your dress to become a perfectly smooth solid black, you must stir it constantly, for something like an hour, in a five-gallon bucket with the dye, salt, and soda ash, or you can dye it in the washing machine, though the machine will require that you buy a much larger quantity of dye. Since rayon is very fragile when wet, you must be careful not to strain the fabric in any way while it is in the dye bath.

See also the following two pages:


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Message: Hi Paula, not sure if you have ever heard of Susan Rex. She has published two books on dying. First one was "Dyeing Wool And Other Protein Fibers: an Introduction to Acid Dyes" and the second is "Complex Color, Color Mixing For Washfast Acid Dye" I am going to be purchasing them soon, but in the meantime, I was wondering if you may know what the 8 Jacquard dyes are that Susan uses in her second book "Complex Color" as I would like to be able to purchase the dyes so that I have them when my books arrive. (Can you tell I'm not a very patient person, lol) Thanks, Barb 

Hi Barb,

I don't know which specific dyes Susan Rex uses in her book Complex Color: Color Mixing For Washfast Acid Dye, but I can tell you that they are not Jacquard dyes. There are only a few dyes that are found in both the WashFast Acid dyes and the Jacquard dyes. There is not a lot of overlap. The dyes are similar but not quite the same.

If you want to buy dyes to go with Susan Rex's book, Complex Color: Color Mixing For Washfast Acid Dye, I strongly recommend that you buy WashFast Acid Dyes, since that's what she specifically wrote the book about. It will be easier to apply what you see in the book. She has mentioned elsewhere, online, using Jacquard dyes, and she describes them in Dyeing Wool And Other Protein Fibers: an Introduction to Acid Dyes, but they are not what Complex Color is about, judging from the title. You can buy WashFast Acid Dyes from Maiwa Handprints in Vancouver, PRO Chemical & Dye in Massachusetts, and from Paradise Fibers in Washington. All of these suppliers sell by mail-order, as well.

Look at my page, "Which Washfast Acid colors are pure, and not mixtures?". The only Jacquard Acid Dyes that are also found among the WashFast Acid dyes are as follows:

WashFast Acid Dyes that you *CANNOT* buy from Jacquard are as follows:

In addition, you cannot buy any of the WashFast Acid Dye premixed colors from Jacquard. Premixed colors will be different when mixed by one company instead of another. PRO Chemical & Dye sells a great many premixed colors of WashFast Acid dyes, in addition to the pure unmixed single-hue dye colors. (The premixed dyes sold by Paradise fibers are the same as the dyes of the same name from ProChem.)

If you call or email ProChem, I'll bet they can tell you which colors they sell that are in the book. For that matter, you could email Susan Rex herself and see if she'll tell you. Her email addresses are on her page about the book.

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Name: Manini

Message: I have this design lab that I have to plan for grade 12 chemistry. The only thing my teacher indicated was it has to be about the factors of the dying process. She said the only thing we cannot do is concentration and time. I was wondering what can I do which makes one dependent variable, one independent variable and rest of them as controls? Thank you for reading through my message. 

I like chemical variables, such as pH.

First choose a good dye. Don't use a dye that you don't know what chemical it is, such as Rit or Tintexdye, whose dye ingredients are all secret. Use a fiber reactive dye, or an acid dye. (Fiber reactive dyes are good for cotton, and acid dyes are good for wool and nylon.) 

If you go to a good crafts store (not the grocery store!), you should be able to find fiber reactive dyes in the form of a good tie-dye kit. Avoid the tie dye kits made by Rit and by Magic Strings; look for a tie-dye kit containing the colors turquoise, magenta, and yellow. I can tell you what chemicals the dyes are. Don't get a kit with true red and royal blue, because the dyes in these colors are premixed colors, not chemically distinct. Although Dylon dyes include some good fiber reactive dyes, they are in most cases mixtures, so not suitable for an experiment. If you're very lucky, your crafts store might carry Jacquard Procion MX dyes, so you can choose unmixed colors among them. (They don't say which are unmixed on the label, but I can tell you which are good.) Or, if you have time to mail-order (it only takes a week or so for delivery), you can order from a company such as Dharma Trading Company or PRO Chemical & Dye. You can mail them a check if you don't want to use a credit card.

If you choose a fiber reactive dye, you could vary the pH of your dye reaction, or you could vary your fabric (see how much better cotton dyes than polyester), or you could vary the dyeing temperature (fiber reactive dyes require warm temperatures and will not work in ice water).

You can use an acid dye instead of a fiber reactive dye, for your experiment. There are lots of different kinds of acid dyes, and I recommend, as with fiber reactive dyes, that you choose a known dye, with a known chemical structure. Food colorings work well for this; they are not the best textile dyes, but they can work on wool, and you can find pure unmixed food colorings. Again, as with fiber reactive dyes, varying pH will have dramatic effects, though in the opposite direction. While fiber reactive dyes require a high pH on cotton, acid dyes require that you add an acid, such as vinegar, to your dyebath. They also work best with some boiling, so another option would be to vary temperature: room temperature versus hot water versus a boiling water bath as your independent variable. Use acid dyes on wool, silk, or nylon, never on cotton (unless you independent variable is fiber content and you are comparing cotton to one or more of the fibers that acid dyes actually work on). 

Alternatively, the most convenient natural dye to use in your experiment would be turmeric, since it is a spice that is readily available at the grocery store. It's not a great dye because it fades in the light and must be redyed fairly often, but it's very easy to use. It works better with an alum mordant than without one, but it does work without a mordant. If you get some alum mordant (which I can explain to you), you could compare how well turmeric works as a dye with and without mordanting the fabric first.

In every case, your dependent variable will be density of color on the fabric (or yarn) after you dye it and then wash out the unattached dye. Get some pH paper and dye with your selected fiber reactive or acid dye at a pH of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12. You can make nice graphs with the numbers you obtain for the color intensity of your dyed fabric.

I strongly advise you to read through the entries on my "All About Hand Dyeing Q&A" blog under the topic "schoolwork" for ideas, and also to find the article explaining how to turn your different intensities of color into numbers that you can make graphs of.

Also check my FAQ, for questions such as "What is the effect of pH? What is the optimal pH?", or "What kinds of chemical bonds hold dyes to fibers?", or "What is the chemical structure of Procion type dye?".

Thank you for taking the time to read my message and emailing me. I like the idea of density of colour vs. pH. I have read through your other Q&A pages and I think I can measure the density of the colour through the process you described for Photoshop elements. My question for pH is how would I vary it? To maximize the amount of controls, I would need everything to be constant except the amount of hydrogen ion concentration (e.g. pH). Do you have any idea how to go about this procedure?

Yes, that's the easy part.

For an acid pH, use distilled white vinegar (which is 5% acetic acid). For a moderately acid pH, use a dilute solution of white vinegar in water. You can also buy citric acid in the canning department of the grocery store or at a wine brewing supply store. Dyeing supply stores sell additional chemicals for this purpose, but vinegar or citric acid should be sufficient for your needs.

For a mildly basic pH around 8, use sodium bicarbonate (baking soda), about one teaspoon per cup (5 ml per 250 ml). For a more basic pH round 9, mix sodium bicarbonate with sodium carbonate (soda ash). For a pH around 10.5 to 11.5, use sodium carbonate in water, about one teaspoon per cup (5 ml per 250 ml). Sodium carbonate is sold in the hardware store among the swimming pool supplies, as a pH increaser. Be careful that they do not sell you bicarbonate when you want carbonate. You can also use washing soda, if it is free of dyes and perfumes. This is often sold in the grocery store. (See "What is soda ash, and what's it for in dyeing?".) For a pH of 12, use trisodium phosphate, sold in the hardware store as a cleaner to use on outside walls before painting. You would use sodium hydroxide or hydrochloric acid in the lab, but these household chemicals are easier to work with safely.

You will need to get pH paper. I like the pH paper at Ward's Natural Science, but first check and see if your science teacher can supply you with pH paper. Mix your pH solutions, without adding the dye, and then check their pH carefully with the paper. Obviously, you cannot use pH paper to test the pH after adding dye, but testing your solutions without dye works fine.

You can buy quart canning jars from the grocery store or some hardware stores to do your dyeing in. They work very well. If you are using a hot water dye such as any acid dye, you can place several canning jars inside a cooking pot with about two inches of water in the pot, without contaminating it. Do not use your dye chemicals directly in household food preparation containers, unless you are using only certified food coloring as a dye.

Be sure to use a 100% natural-fiber fabric without any permanent press or stain-resistant finishes. Prewash your fabric in HOT water with detergent and extra soda ash (washing soda) to help remove interfering factors that will prevent even dyeing. Use cotton, linen, or hemp fabric for fiber reactive dyes; use wool fabric for acid dyes. (Nylon and silk can also be dyed with acid dyes, but not as well.)

If you have additional specific questions I will probably be able to help you with them.

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Name: joanie

Message: I'm looking for a water based dye GREEN that I can spray on my lawn --- that will last and not kill my grass-- ever been asked this one????---any help will be appreciated

This is an interesting question, and no, I've never been asked it before. You must live in a very dry place, if water-soluble dye will meet your needs. If I applied a water-based dye to my own lawn, it would soon be washed away by dew or rain!

The answer you're looking for is a product called Turf Colorant. It is claimed to be completely safe for turf. It is not a true dye, but instead a pigment, which is suspended in water rather than dissolved in water; this makes it a paint, not a dye, but because the paint is transparent, it is often called a dye. Brands include Earth's Balance Dogonit Green Turf Colorant, Grass Greenzit, Regreen Turfgrass Colorant (this one's based on a phthalocyanine pigment), GrassBGreen, and Green Lawnger. None of these products are available at the big-box hardware stores I've checked, but they can be purchased online.

I've seen some mention of the phrase "vegetable dyes" for this usage, obviously intended to reassure people that they are made from plants, but in fact it must only be dye intended to apply TO plants. Vegetable-derived green dye, which contains chlorophyll, turns brown very quickly, within hours or days. That's not something I can recommend. A good green vegetable dye would have to be made from a blue dye (indigo is the only plant-based choice) plus a yellow dye, but plant-based yellow dyes have a marked tendency to fade away in ultraviolet light, so they are unsuited for outdoor use. Any acceptable dye or pigment will have to be chemically synthesized. As you recognize, you want something that is not toxic, but that does not mean that it must be plant-based.

I have not tested any of these products, so I'd appreciate it if you'd let me know later on how the product you choose works for you.

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