Name: Lou

Message: I purchased a brand name pair of denims and found that the color rubs off on my other clothes while wearing them.  How do I stop the blue denim color from running?  Thank you so much in advance for your time on this issue.  

Try washing them several times in hot water. If this does not work, then your jeans have a manufacturing defect and should be returned to the store from which you bought them.

When dye rubs off of a dry garment, this defect is called 'crocking'. It is usually a sign that the dye was applied incorrectly. Indigo dye should be applied in multiple dips in a weaker dye solution, rather than a single long dip in an overly strong dye solution.

Since the molecules of indigo dye have a neutral charge, they will not attract a molecule with a positive charge as most dyes will. This means that cationic dye fixatives such as Retayne will not work. It is only by proper dyeing procedure that the molecules of indigo dye can become lodged within the fiber for permanent dyeing.


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