Name: amy
Message: Can faux suede be dyed? I have faux suede window coverings (swags) that are a dark sage green color. We would like to dye them to a rust color. Is this possible? Can it be done in the washing machine with Rit Dye? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Since all dye is transparent, it is impossible to dye any dark green to make a medium brown. You can use dye to change to a darker color, but never to a lighter one. To see what colors are possible, mix some watercolor paint to your shade of dark sage green, and then try adding other colors to it. (Some fabrics can be bleached before dyeing, in order to achieve a lighter color, but this does not always work, and synthetic fibers cannot be bleached at all.)

You failed to indicate what fiber your faux suede is made of. It is impossible to give advice about dyeing anything whose fiber content is not known, because each fiber has its own dye requirements.

Ultrasuede® is one brand of artificial suede, manufactured from 100% polyester microfiber. Like all polyester, it cannot be dyed with Rit® brand all-purpose dye. No matter how you apply any brand of all-purpose dye, it will simply wash out of polyester.

The only dye that can be used to dye polyester is disperse dye. See "Dyeing Polyester with Disperse Dyes". Solid shade dyeing with disperse dye requires extensive boiling with a carrier chemical, and is not a suitable project for the dye novice. In contrast, dyeing cotton with fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dye, is a much easier and more satisfying project that is far more likely to yield desirable results.