FAQ

These are some of our most frequently asked questions. If yours is not covered here, please click on the Contact link at the top of the page and send your question. We'll do our best to answer it immediately

1. What sort of things do you dye?
2. Does polyester dye well?
3. Do you use ‘hot’ dyes?
4. Does dyeing cause shrinkage?
5. Will dye cover bleach?
6. Will dye cover ink, wine, coffee & other stains?
7. Is there anything that dye will not cover?
8. Are the dyes colourfast?
9. Can you remove the original colour before dyeing?
10. Does removing the original colour damage fabric?
11. Are there risks when dyeing?
12. Will dyeing always produce a single colour result?
13. Can I recolour one piece of a suit that is faded?
14. What if I don’t like the newly dyed colour?
15. What can I do if the fabric shrinks?
16. If I dye more than one item, do I have to dye them all the same colour?
17. Can you always predict the final result?

Q1 What sort of things can you dye?

Almost any textile fabric (except leather) and most fibres (except acrylic).

The fibres we dye are:
Natural fibres: cotton, linen, silk, wool, angora, alpaca, cashmere, mohair, ramie, flax and blends of these fibres.
Synthetic fibres: polyester/microfibre, nylon/polyamide, viscose rayon and blends of these fibres, including elastane, lycra and spandex.
Acetate rayon: can be dyed but has limitations that we can discuss with you.
We do not recommend dyeing:
Acrylic knits as they lose their shape.

Q2 Does polyester dye well?

Yes. It is a strong fibre and generally dyes well. Polyester microfibre fabrics are best dyed individually to avoid ‘pulls’ to this very fine filament. Polyester dyes to most colours, although black sometimes dyes to a very dark charcoal. This result is not predictable before dyeing.

Q3 Do you use ‘hot’ dyes?

Yes. Hot dyes improve dye absorption, particularly at the seams.

Q4 Does dyeing cause shrinkage?

NO, not necessarily. See FAQ and ‘After Dyeing’ .

Q5 Will dye cover bleach?

YES, generally. If chlorine or other bleaching agents are washed immediately, their action on the fabric is limited and dyeing will cover these stains. If left on the fabric, some deterioration may occur. In this case the area may not dye as dark as the rest of the fabric. In some cases we recommend removing the original colour before dyeing. This produces an even fabric base on which to dye the new colour.

Q6 Will dye cover ink, wine, coffee & other stains?

YES. It is often necessary to over-dye black, navy or very dark brown to cover these stains.

Q7 Is there anything that dye will not cover?

YES. Paint, fabric prints (except on silk), white-out and scorching cannot be covered completely by dye. When chemicals ‘coat’ fi bres, dye cannot penetrate completely. Dye generally ‘stains’ prints and subdues colours in printed fabrics.

Q8 Are the dyes colourfast?

YES. They are chosen for their ‘wash and colour’ fastness.

Q9 Can you remove the original colour before dyeing?

YES, sometimes. The original colour can be removed (stripped) from cotton, linen, viscose rayon, flax and ramie. We can partially remove the original colour from silk.

Q10 Does removing the original colour damage fabric?

NO. Chemicals are used to ‘lift’ the original colour. Pigments or vat dyes cannot be removed. These dyes are not widely used and are only able to be recognised when attempts to ‘strip’ them fail.

Q11 Are there risks when dyeing?

YES. Manufacturing defects and fabric weaknesses are not always visible. Talk to us about your concerns before dyeing.

Q12 Will dyeing always produce a single colour result?

NO. Occasionally, when a fabric contains more than one fibre (fabric blend—eg. polyester/cotton), each fi bre may dye differently.

Q13 Can I recolour one piece of a suit that is faded?

NO. Do not try to re-colour suit pants to match the jacket. Sometimes dyeing them together to a new colour may work, but results are unpredictable.

Q14 What if I don’t like the newly dyed colour?

Please talk to us about the result. If the new colour is too light, we can dye it again. If the new colour is too dark, we can ‘strip’ (remove) the colour for some fabrics—cotton, linen, viscose rayon, flax or ramie. We can partially remove colour from silk. Shading colours (adding dye) to shift the hue or tone is also possible.

Q15 What can I do if the fabric shrinks?

Try on the garment after dyeing. Do not try to stretch fabrics when they are dry—they can tear. Natural fabrics are best stretched when they are moist. Dampen the fabric thoroughly, pull it out to size then dry it fl at or visit a professional Drycleaner. Synthetic fabrics can only be resized with steam. A professional Drycleaner has the equipment to pump steam into garments and gently stretch them back to size. Tell your Drycleaner where and how much size you need—they cannot guess!

Q16 If I dye more than one item, do I have to dye them all the same colour?

NO. When Batch Dyeing you can dye any item to any of the 30 colours in our Classic and Season colour charts. When Custom Dyeing, you can dye any item to any (appropriate) Colour Chart colour or custom colour of your choice.

Q17 Can you always predict the final result?

NO. Expect the occasional surprise.

Buttons left to dye with the garment, sometimes crack and deteriorate. Cullachange does not replace them. Most people risk leaving nylon and polyester buttons on garments for two reasons—either they will not suit the new colour after dyeing and be replaced, or they may dye well. Remove any shell, leather or delicate buttons before dyeing.

Colour variations can occur when a garment is made from two differently processed rolls of fabric. This is very unusual.

Dye marks may appear after processing due to residual chemicals in the fabric. An example is when underarms dye darker due to deodorants. This excess dye is often only on the surface and is removed by a hot, detergent wash. If a hot detergent wash does not remove the dye marks, overdyeing the fabric black generally covers these areas. This is free of charge if stains were not visible before dyeing.

Incorrect labelling, such as acrylic labelled wool, can cause items not to dye at all. Wool and acrylic use different dyes!