Is it possible to dye a jacket which is 100% baumwoole?

Name: Tracy

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Dylon Machine Dye
Navy Blue

Dylon does not market their Dylon Machine Dye in North America, though it is widely available in Europe, but it is sometimes imported. It contains fiber reactive dye and is slightly easier to use than Procion MX dye, but less versatile in color, and more expensive.

Jacquard Products Procion Four Color MX Dye Set with Soda Ash

Procion MX fiber reactive dyes can be used to mix any color you wish. Must be used with soda ash or washing soda as a fixative; machine dyeing also requires salt.

Country or region: Kent, England

Message: Is it possible to dye a jacket (Oska) which says it is 100% baumwoole? The inside feels like cotton but the outside is brushed for a wool effect. Will a cold water dye be ok, or a machine dye. What would you recommend? The major dyes in England tend to be made by Dylon. Or perhaps I'm not up to date with what is available. Thank you for your time. Tracy

Baumwolle is simply the German word for cotton, so yes, IF it is washable, this jacket may be dyeable, regardless of how the fabric has been brushed. 100% cotton is a good fiber for dyeing.

Cotton does shrink, so a cotton jacket marked "dry clean only" (or the German equivalent) will probably not do well in dyeing. (See "Can I dye clothing that is labeled 'dry clean only'?".) Lined jackets, in particular, can be problematic, as the cotton will shrink more, when washed, than the usually synthetic lining material, ruining the shape of the garment. Dyeing always involves a lot of washing. If you have washed the jacket already, without a problem, then prospects are good.

The Dylon dye company makes good fiber reactive dyes, and also less satisfactory all-purpose dyes. Both Dylon Machine Dye and Dylon Hand Dye contain good fiber reactive dyes. Dylon Machine Dye is likely to be your best bet. (Dylon does not make their Machine Dye available in North America, but it is widely available in the UK; sometimes it can be purchased in the US at very high prices from a company that specializes in UK imports.) Dyeing in the washing machine is a good way to get the smoothest, most solid-color results possible, without the bother of stirring by hand for an hour, as you must do for best results when hand dyeing. Follow the packet instructions carefully.

If you don't happen to like any of the colors available in the Dylon Machine Dye line, then it is possible to obtain Procion MX fiber reactive dyes from several suppliers in the UK; see my page, "Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World", and look at my page, "How can I dye clothing or fabric in the washing machine?". The process is slightly more involved, since Procion MX dyes are sold without the dye activator (soda ash or washing soda) included in the Dylon Machine dye packet, and salt must be added, as well, but it is not difficult.

There is always a chance that dyeing will not go well even if you do everything right, so you should dye a garment only if you can accept a risk. Sometimes clothing that is not sold specifically for dyeing will do funny things when dyed. There may be a wrinkle-resistant finish that will reduce the overall color intensity, as it interferes somewhat with the dye's ability to access the fiber in the fabric. Never try to dye anything that has a stain-resistant finish, since dye is resisted the same way as stains. Sometimes one panel of the fabric, though matching perfectly in color before dyeing, will end up taking the dye much more intensely than another panel does, due to having been cut from a different bolt of fabric. If there is an invisible stain on the fabric, it might show up more obviously after dyeing. Usually, however, a machine-washable cotton garment will dye acceptably. Be sure to pre-wash the jacket thoroughly before dyeing, to reduce the risk of uneven dyeing.

Note also that color choice is important. If the jacket is white, you can dye it almost any color, though you should be aware that the stitching that holds commercial garments together is almost always polyester, which will not take any cotton dye and will remain the original color. It's important to keep in mind that, if the jacket has a color already, you can dye it only to a darker color. Because dye is transparent, the original color will always show through, combining with whatever color you add.

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Posted: Friday - July 05, 2013 at 09:23 AM

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Is it possible to dye a jacket which is 100% baumwoole?

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