This commercial product increases the washfastness, wetfastness, resistance to perspiration staining, and resistance to seawater fading. Works with several (but not all) kinds of dye and any natural fabric or blend. Reduces bleeding of improperly fixed or improperly washed out dye jobs. Particularly valuable to quilters when bought fabrics are bleeding or when new clothing is bleeding all over. This product can often "fix" these loose dyes to prevent color bleeding in the future. Test if possible, because it doesn't work on all dyes. Works on most dyes for cotton and other plant fibers, like Fiber Reactive Dye (see next paragraph), Direct Dyes, "All Purpose" dyes and also sometimes helps Leveling class Acid Dyes to be more fast on silk. Does NOT work on Basic Dyes, like Jacquard's Basic Dyes.
You can also use this product to add washfastness to your own dyeing or to get darker colors. Works great with Dharma Fiber Reactive/Procion dyes in this manner, especially as an after soak when dyeing black, for example. (NOT a substitute for normal fixative, Soda Ash, etc., rather an enhancement.) Use it after draining the dye bath, but before rinsing and washing.
For all solid colored fabrics, use 1 oz per lb. of fabric in a HOT soak for 30 minutes to help fix the "fugitive" dye, then, for complete safety, wash after with HOT water and Synthrapol to get out any remaining unfixed dye. Any fading you get at that point is dye that would have come off anyway and gotten all over. But if you don't want further fading, wash in cold water and Synthrapol, and cold water for the life of the fabric.
To increase washfastness, resistance to perspiration and seawater in multicolored items like tie-dyes, batiks, etc, you do have to wash out the excess dye first, with your normal rinsing and HOT water wash with Synthrapol detergent, which keeps the colors from staining each other and/or the white areas. After this, just add 1 oz. of Dharma Dye Fixative per lb. of fabric to new COOL water rinse, soak for 15 minutes, then rinse and dry.
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*Current batch is running more of an orange amber color. Light yellow to amber is a normal variation.
Dharma Dye Fixative Instructions
GENERAL INFORMATION AND USE
Dharma Dye Fixative, a commercial grade product, increases the washfastness, wetfastness, resistance to perspiration staining, and resistance to seawater fading. Works with several kinds of dye and any natural fabric or blend. It is particularly useful to quilters when purchased fabrics “bleed” meaning there is excess dye still on the fabrics. This product can often "fix" these loose dyes to prevent color bleeding in the future. Test if possible, because it doesn't work on all dyes.
You can also use this product to add washfastness to your own dyeing. Works great with Dharma Fiber Reactive Procion dyes dyes as an after soak. It is not a substitute for normal fixatives like Soda Ash. It is used after the dyeing process. We highly recommend this product when dyeing black solid color to slow down fading. When using on solid colors use it after draining the dye bath, but before rinsing and washing.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE
SOLID COLOR DYEING - Use 1 oz of Dharma Dye Fixative per 1lb of fabric in a HOT water soak for 30 minutes on solid colored fabrics after the dye bath and before rinsing and washing, then wash in hot water and Dharma Dyer's Detergent to get any remaining unfixed dye out For best results, rinse should have a ph of about 7. Works with several kinds of dye & any natural fabric or blend. Keeps it from fading. Reduces how much Fiber Reactive comes out in the rinse considerably, including Procion-H after it's been steamed, thereby enhancing the depth of color you end up with.
MULTICOLOR DYEING - To enhance or retain more color in tie-dyes or other multicolored items, you need to wash out the excess dye first (rinse under running water, then wash in hot water with Kieralon) Then use this product in a COOL bath adding 1 oz of the Dharma dye fixative soak for 15 minutes then rinse and dry.
ADDITIONAL USES:
Does a good job with fabric that's been dyed with indigo!! Will also help you maintain better color when dealing with all-purpose (store-bought) dye colored items.
DHARMA COMMENTS:
Well worth the extra rinse!