Message: What would happen if I tried to dye something that ISN'T white already? Would the colors mix? For example if I had a yellow jacket and I tried to die it blue, would the color just end up green? 

Yes, that is exactly what will happen. All dye is transparent; this means that the original color will invariably show through the added color.

If your jacket is yellow, your choices of colors to dye it are limited by the current color. Yellow garments are easily dyed green, orange, red, or black (assuming that they are washable, made of a dyeable fiber, and not treated to make them water resistant or stain resistant). If the original color is pale and you select a very dark color, the effects of the original color will be less. You can dye a pale yellow item to a dark navy blue, for example; the slight greenish tint supplied by the yellow will be less noticeable than with brighter or lighter dye colors.

An alternative is to attempt to remove some or all of the original color before dyeing. This sometimes works well, and sometimes poorly or not at all; since you can't know what dyes the manufacturer used, it is impossible to predict how well it will work. You just have to try it. If you try chlorine (household) bleach, which contains hypochlorite as its active ingredient, use it only on 100% plant fibers, such as 100% cotton or 100% hemp; do not use it on any synthetic fiber, such as nylon, polyester, or spandex, because hypochlorite will permanently damage these fibers. Safer alternative are sodium hydrosulfite, which is found in Rit Color Remover, or thiourea dioxide, which is found in Jacquard Color Remover; they can be used, with care, on either natural or synthetic fibers. (See "What chemicals can be used to remove dye?".)

Be sure to wash the garment thoroughly after color removal before dyeing. If you use bleach, use a bleach-stopping chemical such as Anti-Chlor or hydrogen peroxide to stop damage to the fabric you have bleached. (See "How can I neutralize the damaging effects of chlorine bleach?".) There is no need for a bleach stopping agent for Rit or Jacquard Color Remover, just washing and exposure to air.

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