Can you dye polyester? What works, what doesn’t and why
Polyester only takes disperse dye, and it needs high heat: 130°C in a dye house, about 100°C at home. What to expect…
Can you dye viscose (rayon)? Blends, shrinkage and what to expect
Viscose dyes easily with the same dyes as cotton, often deeper. The risks are its low wet strength and high shrinkage. What…
Can you dye linen? Linen, linen-cotton and linen garments explained
Linen is cellulose and takes the same dyes as cotton, but it dyes lighter and less evenly. Why, how linen-cotton blends behave,…
Can you dye nylon, spandex and Lycra? Stretch fabrics explained
Nylon takes acid and all-purpose dyes easily; spandex (elastane) takes less dye and is damaged by heat. What to expect for nylon-spandex,…
Does fabric dye wash out? Why colour bleeds and how long dye lasts
Fixed dye stays; loose dye washes out in the first washes. How each dye type behaves in the wash, why deep shades…
Why new clothes bleed dye and how to stop it
New clothes bleed because loose dye was left in them at the factory. Why dark colours bleed, whether salt or vinegar really…
How to remove dye transfer from clothes (whites and colours)
Dye that bled onto other clothes is loosely held and often comes out if you act before drying. The order to try…
How to fix uneven dye on clothes
Blotchy or streaky dye can usually be improved once you know the cause. How to read the pattern, when to re-dye the…
Fiber reactive dye: what it is and how it works on cotton and linen
Fiber reactive dye forms a permanent chemical bond with cotton, linen and rayon, giving bright, washfast colour. How it works, which fibres…
Natural Dyes and Mordants: The Basics
Where natural dye colours come from, what a mordant does, why cotton needs tannin first, how modifiers shift shades, and what to…
About Home Dyeing
Home dyeing fails for the same reasons factory dyeing does: the wrong dye for the fibre, a dirty or finished fabric, too little water, or not enough heat and time. A cotton T-shirt, a polyester jacket and a wool jumper each need a different kind of dye. This section explains the choice in simple terms and gives step-by-step guides for the bucket, the sink, the stove and the washing machine.
Product reviews here are based on real use. Where a product page links to a shop, the article says so clearly.
Questions about home dyeing
Can I dye polyester at home?
Yes, but only with a dye made for synthetic fibres, used close to boiling. All-purpose and cotton dyes give polyester only a pale tint, and polyester blends take up colour only in their natural fibre part.
Why did my home-dyed clothes come out patchy?
Usually the fabric was not washed first, the pot was too small for the fabric to move freely, or the dye and salt were added too fast. Pre-wash, use plenty of water and keep the fabric moving.
How do I stop home-dyed clothes bleeding?
Rinse until the water runs clear, then wash the item separately the first few times. With fibre-reactive dyes, a hot wash with detergent after dyeing removes most of the loose dye.