Buzz
Polyester fabric is among the most challenging materials to dye, particularly when it is 100% polyester. Essentially, polyester is a synthetic fabric made from petroleum, and in its production process, it is essentially plastic. As a result, polyester is hydrophobic and lacks ionic properties. However, you can still find a few products capable of dyeing polyester and polyester blends.
Steps
Dyeing Polyester Using Rit's DyeMore Product
Weigh the fabric to determine the amount of dye needed. Typically, one bottle of DyeMore can dye approximately 1kg of fabric.
- Dyeing very light or very dark garments requires at least one additional bottle of dye, so you should prepare for this scenario.
- Polyester fabric requires an extra bottle of DyeMore due to its synthetic composition.
- The darker you want the final color, the more dye you will need to use.
Wash the fabric before dyeing. This helps remove any coatings that might prevent the fabric from absorbing the dye. Use warm soapy water for washing.
- Use a sink or small basin for smaller items like ties and short-sleeved shirts.
- Use a bucket or large basin for bigger items like long-sleeved shirts, jackets, and pants.
Tie the garment if you want to create a tie-dye pattern. You can create various designs, such as flowers, rays, spirals, etc. Here are some ideas to get you started:
- For a simple crumpled effect, just scrunch the garment into a ball and secure it with a few large rubber bands.
- For a striped effect, twist the garment into a long roll and secure it with rubber bands spaced a short distance apart.
- For a ray or spiral effect: grab the center of the garment (like a shirt or handkerchief) and twist. Continue twisting and rotating until the garment resembles a rolled-up waffle. Secure it with rubber bands.
Boil about 11 liters of water in a large pot. Due to the difficulty of dyeing polyester, the stovetop method is recommended for effective dyeing through high heat.
- After pouring about 11 liters of water into a large pot, cover it and set the stove to high heat. Heat the water until it’s nearly boiling.
- A kitchen thermometer is helpful, as the dyeing process requires a consistent boiling temperature of around 82°C. The thermometer ensures you maintain the water at this temperature.
Pour one bottle of DyeMore into the pot when the water is simmering. Shake the DyeMore bottle before pouring to ensure the dye is dissolved. In addition to adding DyeMore, include 1 teaspoon of dish soap and stir the mixture thoroughly with a ladle.
- If you want to dye white fabric into a soft pastel shade, start with half a bottle of DyeMore. You can easily add more dye later.
- If using multiple colors to dye the fabric, add the lightest color to the water first. Also, prepare additional water for other colors.
Test the color on a small piece of white cotton fabric. This helps you determine if the dye has the tone you desire.
- If the color is too light, add a bit more dye to the mixture. You’ll need about an additional bottle of dye. Test the color again with another piece of white cotton fabric.
- If the color is too dark, add more water. Then, test the color again with a new piece of white cotton fabric.
- If you need to add more dye, don’t forget to shake the second bottle of dye before using it.
Submerge the garment in the dye bath. Stir the garment slowly in the dye bath for at least 30 minutes. Polyester requires this minimum soaking time to allow the dye to penetrate. Use tongs to lift and move the garment around the pot. Wear rubber gloves to avoid staining your skin.
- If dyeing the entire garment, fully submerge it in the dye bath. Ensure it is completely covered.
- If dyeing only a portion of the garment, dip that section. You can drape the rest over the edge of the pot.
- Continue soaking even if the desired color is achieved before 30 minutes. Insufficient soaking may cause the dye to wash out, resulting in a lighter shade.
Remove the garment from the dye bath once the desired color is achieved. Squeeze excess dye back into the pot. Keep wearing rubber gloves, as the dye can stain your skin. Remember, the color will appear lighter once the garment dries.
- If rubber bands were used for a tie-dye effect, carefully cut them off with scissors.
Rinse the fabric with warm water. Gradually cool the water as you rinse. Continue rinsing until the water runs clear.
- For a multi-colored effect, you can dip the garment into another dye bath after rinsing. Always rinse after each dye bath.
Wash the fabric again with warm soapy water. Rinse thoroughly after washing. This removes any remaining dye residue.
Wrap the garment in an old towel to absorb excess water. Lay the towel flat and align the fabric’s edge with the towel’s edge. Roll the fabric and towel together into a long bundle. Press gently and squeeze to remove as much water as possible.
- For large or thick garments, repeat this step with a dry towel. Thicker fabrics retain more water than thinner ones.
Hang the garment to dry. Place it on a hanger in a well-ventilated area, such as a balcony. If this isn’t possible, hang the garment in the bathroom with a fan running. Place newspaper or an old towel underneath to catch any dripping dye. Some dye residue may still remain.
- Use regular hangers for shirts and jackets.
- Use pants hangers or clip hangers for pants, skirts, ties, and handkerchiefs. Avoid placing the garment on other surfaces while drying.
Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dye
Clean the fabric before dyeing. You can do this in two ways, but the key is to ensure the fabric is clean so the disperse dye can penetrate effectively.
- Wash the fabric in a washing machine on the hottest setting with ½ teaspoon of sodium carbonate and ½ teaspoon of synthrapol. Synthrapol cleans the fabric, preparing it for dyeing.
- Soak the fabric in water heated on the stove with ½ teaspoon of sodium carbonate and ½ teaspoon of synthrapol.
Use rubber bands to tie the garment for a tie-dye effect. You can create various patterns, such as flowers, rays, spirals, etc. Here are some ideas to get started:
- For a simple crumpled look, scrunch the garment into a ball and secure it with large rubber bands.
- For a striped effect, twist the garment into a long roll and secure it with rubber bands spaced evenly.
- For a ray or spiral effect: grab the center of the garment (like a shirt or handkerchief) and twist. Continue twisting until it resembles a rolled-up waffle. Secure it with rubber bands.
Dissolve the disperse dye in 1 cup of boiling water. Stir the dye powder into the boiling water and let it cool to room temperature. Once cooled, stir again. Then, filter the dye through two layers of cheesecloth before adding it to the dye bath. The amount of dye powder depends on the desired shade. Here are some starting points:
- Light/pastel: ¼ teaspoon
- Medium: ¾ teaspoon
- Dark: 3 teaspoons
- Black: 6 teaspoons
Dilute 2 tablespoons of dye solvent in 1 cup of boiling water and stir. Dye solvent is essential for creating deep colors but is optional for light or medium shades. You’ll add the diluted solvent to the dye bath in a later step.
Pour about 7.5 liters of water into a large pot and heat to 49°C. Add the following ingredients in order once the water reaches the correct temperature. Stir the mixture after adding each ingredient.
- ½ teaspoon of Synthrapol
- 1 teaspoon of citric acid or 11 teaspoons of distilled white vinegar
- The diluted dye solvent mixture, if used
- ¾ teaspoon of Metaphos, optional unless you have hard water
- The dissolved and filtered disperse dye
Add the pre-washed garment to the dye bath. Give the mixture a final stir before placing the garment in.
Heat the dye bath until it reaches a rolling boil. Stir the mixture continuously as it boils. Be careful to avoid excessive wrinkling of the fabric, as this can lead to uneven dyeing.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and stir occasionally for 30-45 minutes. The longer the garment soaks, the deeper the color will be. Stir gently to prevent wrinkles and ensure even dye absorption.
Heat a second pot of water to 82°C while simmering the dye bath. Once the fabric reaches the desired shade, remove it from the dye bath and transfer it to the second pot of hot water.
- Ensure the water reaches 82°C, as lower temperatures can cause unpleasant odors and residue on the fabric.
- Make sure the fabric is fully submerged to rinse it thoroughly.
Discard the dye bath and add water at 71°C to the pot. Prepare a mixture to wash the fabric again before drying.
- Add ½ teaspoon of Synthrapol to the water and stir.
- Transfer the dyed fabric from the rinsing pot to this pot. Stir occasionally for 5-10 minutes.
Rinse the fabric thoroughly in hot water. Once the water runs clear, remove excess water by using a towel or wringing it out.
- Smell the fabric after rinsing and wringing. If it still has a solvent odor, repeat steps 7 and 8 to eliminate the smell.
- If there’s no odor, hang the fabric to dry.
- If rubber bands were used for a tie-dye effect, cut them off before rinsing.
Tips
- In addition to rubber gloves, other protective gear includes old clothes, an apron, and safety goggles. A mask is also recommended for Method 2 to avoid inhaling disperse dye powder.
Warnings
- Do not reuse dyeing equipment for cooking purposes.
- Ventilate the dyeing area by opening windows to prevent dye odors from lingering.
- Avoid dyeing fabrics labeled "dry clean only," as the dyeing process may damage them.
- Only dye garments in stainless steel or enamel pots. Other materials may absorb dye and get ruined. This also applies to tongs and stirring tools, which should also be made of stainless steel.
