Solid Color Dyeing Instructions for Dharma Hot Water Fiber Reactive Dyes

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Tub Dyeing

Use this method to dye fabric or clothing, made of natural fibers one uniform or solid color. Also called Garment Dyeing or Vat Dyeing, this method can also be done in a washing machine. Fiber Reactive Dye, either the Procion cool water type, or the HOT water type, is the dye of choice for all cellulose (plant) fibers, like cotton, Rayon, hemp, linen, Tencel, Modal, bamboo, etc. (For dyeing silk, wool and other protein fibers, see Dyeing Wool and Silk with Fiber Reactive Dyes) The chemical bond of these dyes is permanent, so once all the excess dye is washed out an infant can chew on the fabric and it will not come off! Dharma's Hot Water Fiber Reactive Dyes work best in HOT tap water, 130-150ºF or warmer. Some folks will turn their water heater up to high just for machine dyeing, but IMPORTANT to turn it back down again after and warn the family - don't want anyone scalding themselves!!! Lots of newer machines do not allow the water to get really hot as a safety - to get more color you can try using more salt and agitating longer after adding the soda ash to compensate.

Step by Step Instructions:

Pre-Wash your fabric. Use HOT water and 1/4 cup Synthrapol or Dharma Professional Textile Detergent (PTD) per machine load. This will remove any dirt, grease, or other gunk. Use Enzyme detergents to remove starch and most other sizings. Fabrics treated with permanent press, conditioners, sizing that won't come off, or water proofing, etc., are not recommended. This is a very important step. Pre-washing really can make all the difference. We even recommend always pre-washing so called PFD (Prepared For Dyeing) fabrics, as you never know "where they've been". Even fingerprints can cause blotchy dyeing. Be sure the fabric is still wet when proceeding to the dye bath.

Dissolve your dye. Paste up the Dharma Hot Water Fiber Reactive Dye with HOT tap water, smashing it with a spoon, like making gravy. Next, add about a cup of HOT water (more if you are dissolving lots of dye, like with black) to the dye paste to make a well dissolved slurry. Finally, add to the tub or bucket that is already filled with HOT tap water, as hot as you can get it, and stir to mix evenly. For all the colors except Blacks, to get a brilliant medium shade, you can use 2% OWG (of weight of goods) or 1/2 oz. per lb of fabric by weight. A less accurate method (because all dye powders have a different density from each other, and it can vary from lot to lot) is 1 TBS per lb of fabric. For all Blacks**, the **means quadruple this.

Note: If you have any trouble with a color being harder to dissolve than others, especially some reds (including mixes with red in them, like purples, blacks, browns, etc.), use approx. 1 TBS of Urea dissolved in 1 cup warm water to make your dye slurry as above. Urea is an excellent dissolving agent.

Pour the required amount of the Non-Iodized Salt* into the dye bath (1 cup/gallon of water for most colors except Blacks (for blacks, use 1.5 to 2 cups salt/gal of water). Add Calsolene Oil (Optional - breaks surface tension for more even, less streaky results; highly recommended for large loads).

Add your wet fabric. Stir gently, but frequently, for 20 minutes. In a washing machine, set it to agitate. Don't let it drain out! - with most machines you have to keep setting it back to the beginning of the cycle. Use a timer so you don't loose track - nothing worse than losing your dye down the drain before you're done! The washing machine is recommended for large loads, when you are too busy to stir frequently enough, or for the most even results.

Add the Soda Ash. Dissolve Soda Ash with warm water and add slowly, over about 15 minutes, to the dye bath while stirring. Don't pour it directly onto the fabric (concentrated Soda Ash solution touching the fabric can leave darker splotches!) When using a washing machine, turn it off and use something to move the fabric over to one side while adding the Soda Ash in to the otherside. Mix the soda ash solution into the water before stirring the fabric around or turning the machine back on. Stir frequently or set machine to agitate again - 30 min. for light colors, up to 1 hour for deep colors.

Rinse & wash out excess dye. Use cool running water until it runs almost clear, or put it through a couple of rinse cycles in the washing machine. Then wash in HOT water using Synthrapol or Professional Textile Detergent to finish washing out the excess dye. With some of the darker colors, like blacks or reds, a second wash may be necessary. Additionally, using Milsoft (a concentrated, professional fabric softener) according to its directions will restore a luxurious softness to fabrics that have been dyed.

Measurements / FAQs:

How much dye do I need?

The easy way: If you don't have a precise scale, and don't care about color matching or repeatability: for medium shades of most colors add 1 tablespoon of dye per 1 lb. of fabric (3 gallons of water), or 1/2 cup (two 2o z jars) of dye per 8 lb. washing machine load (20 gallons of water). Please note: Blacks, marked with ** next to the name, require 4x those amounts to get a deep dark Black.

For more exact shades: Weigh your dye with a small scale to get the correct amount, a percent of the dry weight of the fabric you are dyeing. Dye densities can vary from lot to lot, so weighing is much more accurate than measuring out tablespoons and cups. For repeatable shades, keep careful records of the proportions you end up using and keep track of any "tweaking" you do. Also, try to get enough of one dye lot for your whole project (hugely important as dye lots sometimes can vary).

For lighter shades: reduce the amount of dye, significantly to get pastels, and for even deeper shades, increase the dye.

If color is really critical, always do a test before embarking on your main project! Keep in mind that colors can vary based on many different variables, and the color charts are only a guide (color chart printings and computer monitors aren't always accurate either). Colors can vary depending on fabric, water (ph, hardness, etc), dyelot, and many other things.

*How much Soda Ash and Salt do I need?

The amount of Non-Iodized Salt and Soda Ash are a function of the amount of water used. For each pound of dry fabric you will need about 3 gallons of warm water. The water must cover the fabric with enough room for thorough, tangle-free stirring; otherwise you get uneven dyeing and streaks. For each 1 1/2 gallons of water use 1 1/2 cup of Non-Iodized Salt and 1/6 cup of Soda Ash. For black dyes, use 2X the amount of Non-Iodized Salt.