Name: Bonnie
Message: Can you dye 55% cotton and 45% polyester materials?  If so, which product should I use?  These are dining room chair slip covers in ivory. Thank you.

Are they washable? You can't dye them if they're not washable. Be careful to avoid shrinkage, as slipcovers become useless if they are too small to fit well on their furniture.

The 45% polyester will not dye with any easy-to-use dye. See "Dyeing Polyester".

The 55% cotton can be dyed with cool water fiber reactive dyes, such as Procion MX dyes. However, dyeing only 55% of the fibers in a blend will result in a paler color, less intense and less bright. If you want a peach color, use a bright orange dye; if you want grey, use a deep black dye. If you want a bright color, forget this project, because you cannot get one on 45% polyester fabric.

Whatever you do, avoid all-purpose dye. All-purpose dyes are hot water dyes which work best when the fabric is simmered with the dye for half an hour at a temperature just below boiling. This temperature will shrink most cottons badly. Even then, the colors of all-purpose dyes tend to be dull, and the dye washes out with every laundering, forever. You will be much better off if you order some Procion MX dye by mail-order, or use Dylon Permanent brand dyes, which you might be able to find in your local fabric or crafts store.

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