Name: Guy
Message: I am buying a pair of wool pants for my son for x-mas.  The only colour this garment comes in is dark green (he doesn't like the colour) but likes the army pant look. He is wondering if he can dye the pant black. The supplier indicated this would not be a good idea so I am looking towards people in the know (yourself). Can you tell me if you think the dye would work and if so, can you suggest how to go about doing this task (including the proper dye to purchase). Thank you so much for your time.

Since you are buying the pants new, it really would be best to buy black ones, if you can find an appropriate pair anywhere. There is always a possibility of failure when dyeing clothing that is not being sold PFD (prepared for dyeing). Sometimes the fabric has been treated with a stain-resistant, pill-resistant, or wrinkle-resistant coating that will repel dye and cause it to take dye unevenly. Sometimes different bolts of fabric have been used which match perfectly in color when purchased, but which will dye to completely different degrees of darkness due to variations in the fabric. The biggest problem by far is that wool takes dye best in a hot dyebath, but, as you must know, wool has a marked tendency to shrink dramatically when exposed to heat. In addition, sudden temperature changes or excessive agitation can cause felting.

Also note that nothing can be dyed if it is not washable. Dyeing always involves a lot of washing. If the pants are dry-clean-only, please do not consider dyeing them.

Wool is usually dyed with plenty of hot water and an acid dye. You can mail-order good acid dye in Canada from G&S Dye in Toronto, or Maiwa Handprints in Vancouver, or you can use locally-purchased all-purpose dye for the acid dye that is in the mixture, though the results of all-purpose dye are less predictable. The best way to get a solid color is in the washing machine. I really can't imagine that a hot water wash will leave the pants anywhere near their original size, though; they are likely to end up several sizes too small. I would hate to dye new wool pants.

There is a recipe available at Eastern Michigan University (PDF file) that calls for dyeing wool by painting fiber reactive dye on and then letting it rest in plastic for a day or two, without heating. This has the marked advantage of not requiring heat that would shrink the wool. However, this method will not result in a smooth even color; it is best for multicolored or camoflage effects.

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