Name: Gillian
Message: Hi. I wonder if you can help me with my disaster. I dyed a brand new pair of white linen trousers in the washing machine, with an indigo dye. The stitching has remained white, so they are completely ruined. Is there anything I can do? Thank you.

It is common for the polyester stitching used to sew garments together to remain undyed. See "Why did the thread stay white when I dyed clothing?", from the FAQ section of my website. 

The best way to avoid white threads, in dyeing, is to purchase PFD (prepared for dyeing) clothing that has been sewn with cotton thread.

If the white thread looks very bad on your linen trousers, I'm afraid the only practical solution is to remove the dye. I recommend Rit brand Color Remover, or similar products sold under the Carbona or Dylon brand names, in preference to chlorine bleach.

These products are not appropriate for use on real indigo dye, which is a vat dye, but you probably did not use real indigo dye, since the process is very difficult and complex. They are fine for attempting to remove an indigo color of all-purpose dye or cold water dye. They work very well on some dyes, but not at all well on others; unfortunately, we cannot predict which without knowing which exact dye you used.

Chlorine bleach will also remove many dyes, but it is more damaging to the fabric.

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