Name: jo
Message: my daughter for senior school project wishes to dye pantyhose(recycled) and create a braid rug. What is the best dye and procedure for this. We are in Sydney Australia.

Pantyhose that are made of 100% nylon are the best for this, because the nylon is easily dyeable with acid dyes and heat. Pantyhose made with a blend of nylon and spandex may be damaged by heat, but with care you should be able to use them in a rug as well. Do not attempt to dye nylon with cold water dye recipes.

In order to preserve the original character of spandex fiber in a garment, it is best to keep it at cool temperatures, 40°C (104°F) or lower; this is important when dyeing whole garments. When dyeing pantyhose for a rug, however, it is not important to maintain the original shape of the garment, so warmer temperatures may be used. Spandex will accept some acid dyes at temperatures up to 60°C (140°F). Higher temperatures than that will tend to degrade Spandex and must be avoided, even for rug-making.

An ideal source in Sydney for a wide range of high quality dyes is Batik Oetoro (see their link under Australia on my Sources for Dyeing Supplies Around the World page at http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dyesources.shtml). They sell two ranges of acid dyes, the regular one which should be used at almost boiling temperatures (87°C or 190°F) or above, and a "low temperature" range which will produce pale shades at 50°C (120°F) or dark shades at 70°-75°C (160°-165°F). You can also use an all-purpose dye, because all-purpose dye contains an acid dye as well, though the results are less certain than with a high-quality acid dye; look for Tintex High Temp Dye or Rit brand dye.

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