When Tub (solid color) Dyeing, if you have a scale and want to know how much dye to use for any color or fabric weight, our Fiber Reactive Dye Yields Estimator will do the math for you. 

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This yield chart is helpful for Tub (vat) Dyeing as well as Tie-dyeing, for advanced dyers who want to control and repeat their results. The first 3 columns are how much dye we used, under controlled conditions to get the colors on our color chart. The info below the chart is for those of you who don't want to mess with scales or weighing dye. You will find, if you look at the numbers, that a lot of times if you weigh the dye, you will end up using less dye for many colors than if you use the teaspoon or cup method, which is more economical in the long run if you are in production. Though the chart was developed for tub dyeing, it is also applicable to tie-dyeing, as you use the same amount of dye in an 8 oz squirt bottle as you would to dye a lb of fabric. It also shows, If you weigh the dye using the OWG%, how many squirt bottles of dye for tie-dye you can make of each color. All colors have a different density, so whether you weigh the dye, or use the teaspoon method, each 2 oz jar of each different color will yield a different number of pounds of fabric you can dye or how many 8 oz. bottles of dye mix for tie-dye you can make.

Keep in mind that if you need specific colors, you must do Testing! If it comes out too dark, use less dye, if it comes out too light, use more dye. Dyelots, conditions, fabric, timing, water, and techniques will vary and can cause color shifts, especially with mixes. Also computer monitors and colored printed charts are not always as accurate in depicting your final color outcome as we would all like.

Table of Owg (% of Weight of Goods) Values - i.e. how much dye by weight to dye a lb of fabric

The "easy" method: If you just want to make it easy, or don't have a scale, or don't want to weigh messy powder, forget the chart above. Use this: Colors without a star try 1 level Tablespoon (1/4 to 1/2 oz.) for each lb. of fabric to get close to the color card for most colors. That's about a half cup of dye per 20 gallon washing machine load dyeing 8 lbs of fabric. Adjust that as necessary to get a color darker or lighter. For tie-dye with these colors, use 2 level teaspoons per 8 oz water.

Colors with * require 2X as much dye, ie. 2 Tbs., 1 cup/machine load, or 4 tsp. for tie-dye/8 oz of water

Colors with ** require 4X as much dye, ie. 4 Tb./lb fabric, 2 cups/machine load or 8 tsp./8 oz water

2 exceptions to the above are:

Ivory #114 - use half as much dye, or 1/2 Tb/lb fabric, 1/4 cup dye in washing machine, 1 tsp/8 oz water for tie-dye Deep Water** - #C17 - use 3 times, or 3 Tbs/lb fabric, 1 1/2 Cups/machine load, 6 tsp/8 oz water for tie-dye

Colors marked (T) contain #25 Turquoise. These colors:

1. Contain a small amount of copper compound to give it that incredible color.
2. Warmer tap water (up to 130F) when vat dyeing, can sometimes yield deeper shades.
3. Using Glauber's salt instead of plain salt when vat dyeing can also improve results - it increases the turquoise that bonds to the fabric, and will really bring out the turquoise in color mixes containing it.

Black dyes: There are 5 blacks. Each has a different color cast. All work well in direct application methods like tie-dye where the fabric is kept moist long enough for the dye to develop full depth but you will see some differences depending upon which you use and your particular situation and techniques, especially in how they bleed. On the other hand, when vat dyeing (solid shade dyeing), there are some clear differences, and those can even vary from batch to batch. See our article about our black Fiber Reactive dyes for more info and pictures here. #250 and #275 are Hot water colors. They require Hot tap water to get the deepest color, so work best in dye baths as opposed to tie-dye.

Some tie-dyers like to combine #44 and #300 in equal portions. Our new Raven Black is winning over a lot of those folks. Others use the expensive #250 in hot water, then cure their tie-dyes under a heating blanket or black plastic in full sun! Must have to charge more. Let's face it, black is difficult. You have to look at it relative to your other colors. If it looks black next to the other colors, you have done well. Just remember, you always have to use way more dye to get black, as in the chart above. Extra salt helps a lot when tub dyeing - 1.5 to 2 times as much. A final soak of Dharma Dye Fixative or Retayne will help tub dyed garments be even blacker, and have less dye washout.