Dyeing Clothes made from Polyester Fabric – George Weil (2024)

Here we include tips on how to dye polyester clothing with Fibrecrafts Disperse Dyes and Jacquard iDye Poly Dyes.

Things to Consider when Dyeing Polyester Clothes

  1. Firstly you need to be absolutely certain about the type of fabric and select a dye which will work on it. Polyester has to be dyed using Disperse dyes in boiling water. These dyes are formulated to dye polyester or nylon but will not dye natural fibres such as cotton thread that may have been used to sew the garment.
  2. Patterns, stains, logos, bleach marks, and faded or worn patches may still be discernible after dyeing, even if dark coloured dyes are used.
  3. The base colour of the fabric will affect the final colour. Understanding colour theory will help you to understand what the final results will be. For example, dyeing yellow fibres blue will result in a shade of green. In addition, the end colour of the chosen dye colour will vary by how much dye is used and the length of time the fabric is in the dye bath.
  4. The fabric needs to be prepared for dyeing. This means that starches, sizing or finishes need to be removed from the fabric.

Dyeing Polyester Clothes that have been previously dyed

Fabric that has been dyed yellow will turn to a shade of green if it is dyed with a blue colour. The shade of green will vary depending on the shade of yellow and blue that are combined.

Polyester is a popular fabric for designers because pleats and shapes can be fixed in the fabric with heat. Dyeing polyester garments, such as the dress below, may alter the heat-set shapes because the Disperse dye needs boiling water to make the colour permanent.

Dyeing Clothes made from Polyester Fabric – George Weil (1)

Mixing Dye Colours

Dyeing Clothes made from Polyester Fabric – George Weil (2)

This tie-dye shows how combining colours will create other colours. It is cotton fabric which has been dyed using Procion MX dyes.

Yellow and blue have combined to make green, blue and pink have combined to make purple, and yellow and pink have combined to make red. This colour theory also applies to disperse dyes when used on polyester and acid dyes when used on silk or wool.

If you would like to experiment with disperse dyes, undyed polyester is available from the website. The fabric is suitable for heat-moulding and 3D shibori techniques, or it can be painted using heat transfer paints which are made from disperse dyes.

Which Dyes for Polyester Fabric?

If you would like to dye polyester, George Weil sell Fibrecrafts Disperse Dyes and Jacquard iDye Poly Dyes. You will find colour charts on the website which are provided as an indication of colour.

Please note that as there are many factors to consider when dyeing ready-made polyester garments the end results are beyond our control.

Dyeing Clothes made from Polyester Fabric – George Weil (2024)

FAQs

Dyeing Clothes made from Polyester Fabric – George Weil? ›

Polyester has to be dyed using Disperse dyes in boiling water. These dyes are formulated to dye polyester or nylon but will not dye natural fibres such as cotton thread that may have been used to sew the garment.

Can you dye 100% polyester clothing? ›

If dyeing 100% polyester or trying to achieve a very bolder color, double the dye quantity. Fiber content and weight affect how color appears. If you are in doubt as to whether your fabric will accept dye or achieve the color you want, we recommend testing a swatch first.

What method is used to dye polyester fabric? ›

Dying polyester with disperse dye is performed by using temperatures around 130°C, by dyeing at boiling temperature in the presence of a carrier, or using supercritical CO2 fluid dyeing.

What to add to Rit dye for polyester? ›

Fill a stainless steel pot with three gallons of hot water. Add 1 teaspoon of dish detergent to help promote level dyeing. As a general guideline, one bottle of Rit DyeMore will dye up to two pounds of dry fabric. If dyeing 100% polyester or trying to achieve a very bold color, double the dye quantity.

What is the leveling agent for polyester dyeing? ›

Dyewell-002 is a levelling agent and dyeing accelerator with diffusion property for high temperature polyester dyeings.

What happens if you use Rit dye on 100% polyester? ›

Very often the thread used in the manufacturing of clothing is 100% polyester. While Rit DyeMore dyes polyester, Rit All-Purpose Dye does not. Accordingly, if you are using Rit All-Purpose Dye, the thread will remain its original color.

Does tie-dye work on 100% polyester? ›

Polyester can be tie dyed, but it does not absorb color nearly as well as cotton. Because of this, creating vibrant tie dye color combos is nearly impossible on polyester. If you want to give it a try, you will need to use dispersible dyes and boiling water.

What dye is best for polyester? ›

Qualia Dyes for Synthetic Fabrics are perfect for dyeing polyester, acetate, acrylic, nylon, spandex, lycra, etc. These dyes do not dye Natural fibers like wool, silk, cotton, linen, hemp, jute, etc. Qualia Dyes for Synthetic Fabrics can also dye synthetic materials like plastic, buttons, fake wigs, croslite and more.

What makes polyester hard to dye? ›

Polyester is an extremely difficult type of fabric to dye, especially if the garment is 100% polyester. This is because polyester is a synthetic fabric made from petroleum, and due to the manufacturing process, it is essentially plastic. Therefore, polyester is hydrophobic and lacks ionic properties.

What temperature do you dye polyester? ›

Dyeing temperatures are 50°C for nylon 6 and 110°C for polyester.

What fabrics does Rit Dye not work on? ›

What will Rit not dye?
  • Fiberglass, spandex, and metallic fibers.
  • Fabrics with severe bleach or stain damage,
  • Fabrics with rubber backings.
  • Fabrics with special finishes, such as waterproof or stain resistant finishes.
  • Fabrics labeled Washable Only in Cold Water or Dry Clean Only.

Do I have to use boiling water for Rit dye? ›

We recommend using the hottest water safe for your fabric. However, if you want specific temperatures, here they are! If dyeing natural fabrics (such as cotton, linen, silk or wool), use Rit All-Purpose Dye at 140° to 160°F (60 to 71° C).

Can you dye 65 polyester 35 cotton? ›

Polyester/Cotton blended fabrics are normally dyed by two-bath or one-bath two-step dyeing method. This paper deals with a new approach involving azeotropic ternary mixture of organic solvents pretreatment to dye polyester/cotton blends using disperse and reactive dyes in one-bath method.

How to dye 100% polyester clothes? ›

Polyester has to be dyed using Disperse dyes in boiling water. These dyes are formulated to dye polyester or nylon but will not dye natural fibres such as cotton thread that may have been used to sew the garment.

What is the best mordant for polyester? ›

Before applying of exhaust dyeing method polyester fabric were pre-mordanted by aluminium potassium sulphate, copper sulphate and tartaric acid. It was observed that using Copper sulphate as mordant gives better result for colour strength and fastness.

What are the carriers for polyester dyeing? ›

The known carriers used in textile practice for the dyeing of polyesters include halogenobenzenes, halogenotoluenes, N-alkylphthalimides, aromatic carboxylic esters, methylnaphthalene, diphenyl, diphenyl ethers, naphthol ethers, phenol ethers and hydroxydiphenyls.

Does fabric paint work on 100% polyester? ›

Conclusion. All the fabric paints tested on polyester were hand washable once heat set. To help inhibit the flow of fluid paints, pre-treat the fabric with a primer such as Jacquard No flow. Ensure that the paint is heat set for the appropriate amount of time as per the manufacturer's instructions.

Can you dye polyester without heat? ›

Polyester is highly hydrophobic, as such high temperatures are needed (120-130C) to swell the fibre and open it up for dye penetration. However, to dye at low temperatures, a carrier with high affinity for polyester is needed to carry the dye at low temperatures.

Why can't you wash 100 polyester? ›

Set the wash cycle to normal and use a gentle laundry detergent. Because polyester is a synthetic material, high heat can break down the fibers and cause damage to your clothes. As a result, polyester should be washed using warm or cold water. Make sure to check your care label.

Is 100 polyester stain resistant? ›

Polyester is naturally resistant to stains, but some of the materials added to it may absorb stains. For example, a polyester blend with a high percentage of cotton may be more likely to show stains compared to a polyester blend made with rayon and olefin.

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