Name: Jennifer
Message: Is it possible to dye satin dresses that already have color? I can't find anything that says it is, but that doesn't necessarily mean it isn't. If you know I'd appreciate the info or any referals on where to find out.

What fiber are the dresses made of? The word "satin" tells nothing about what the dresses are really made of. Satin is a weave that can be made from cotton, polyester, acetate, nylon, silk, etc.; these various different fibers require at least three completely different types of dye, each of which will not work on the others.

Silk satin is by far my favorite, much nicer than polyester satin, and dresses made from it can even be machine-washable, if the material is pre-washed before the dress is sewn. Silk, nylon, rayon, linen, and cotton are much easier to dye than polyester or acetate; polyester and acetate must be boiled for an hour with a special dye, while the others require other dyes which are easier to use.

In general, colored garments can be dyed a different color, but, because dye is transparent, the resulting color must always contain the original. You can dye to a darker color, but never a lighter one. If you apply blue dye to a yellow dress, for example, you will get green, just as though you were mixing paints. Sometimes one section of a dress will dye a lighter or darker color than another, though the different sections appeared identical before washing. Another problem is that the stitching used in clothing on cotton, silk, and nylon satins is usually polyester, and thus will stay the original color when the fabric is dyed, sometimes producing a very odd effect.