Jeans are complicated beasts to make, and denim fabric can be expensive due to many factors (type of cotton, any additives like spandex/modal/rayon etc., density of the weave, quality of the fabric, type of loom it’s woven on, where mill is located, how the yarns are dyed…)

Denim is usually colored with indigo dye, resulting in its characteristic blue-cotton color. After denim is colored, manufacturers can wash, rinse, or distress the fabric to produce a wide array of denim, from dark-wash to light. Manufacturers use a different dyeing process to create black or white cotton denim.

What does Ecru mean? The natural color of cotton or denim that is without dye.

blue color

Denim was originally dyed with indigo dye extracted from plants, often from the genus Indigofera. However, most denim today is dyed with synthetic indigo dye.

Try out our Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative. It reduces bleeding, fading and even enhances the color of your jeans. Use after dyeing so your jeans stay as vibrant as you.

• BEST OVERALL: Rit All-Purpose Powder Dye.
• RUNNER UP: Rit All-Purpose Liquid Dye.
• BEST FOR COTTON AND LINEN: Jacquard Procion MX Fiber Reactive Dye.
• BEST FOR SILK AND WOOL: Jacquard Acid Dyes.
• BEST FOR POLYESTER: Jacquard Products iDye Fabric Dye.
• BEST FOR BLENDED FABRICS: Rit DyeMore Liquid Dye.

After the dye is applied, let the fabric sit for 30 minutes to allow the dye to absorb. To set the dye, do the following while the fabric is still tied up: Optional: Apply Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative with a squeeze bottle, which will enhance the colors and reduce bleeding.

1. Place the fabric in the washing machine, using the hottest water that the fabric can withstand. Add 1 teaspoon of a dye fixative.
2. Begin the wash cycle. The dye fixative works into the dye, removing excess dye.
3. Wash and dry the fabric following the manufacturer’s care recommendations.

Rit Dye is the best for this! My only tip is to leave them in the washer, soaking in the dye bath for several hours or even overnight to get the darkest black possible.

Nonetheless, we can promise you Rit won’t permanently stain any metal component on your machine. We even launched liquid dye just so that it would be easier to use Rit in your machine. With that much history, you can feel confident that your washing machine will stay dye free for decades to come.

Yes! Rit products may be safely flushed through both sewer and septic systems.

There is no need to remove the green dye that you have already applied. A second layer of dye will combine with the earlier color to make the color more intense. You don’t need to change the recipe you used in adding the dye. If you exactly repeat what you did the first time, the shirt will be a darker green.

When cotton yarn or fabrics are dyed, salt is added to the dye bath as a mordant to help the fibers absorb the dye. For wool or nylon, the acid in vinegar acts as a mordant in the dye bath to help the fibers absorb dye.

It’s absolutely possible to tie-dye the same shirt twice, in fact, you can dye the same shirt as many times as you want. Once the dye has had time to set you can then rinse your shirt. Once the shirt has been rinsed and the excess dye is removed you can then begin the whole process again for a second round of tie-dye.

Powder dye should be pre-dissolved in two cups of hot water and then added to machine. Mix well to evenly distribute the dye. Wet fabric and place item(s) in the washing machine. If dyeing natural fibers like cotton or linen, add one cup of salt to the dyebath.

Importantly, garments dyed with cold-water dyes should be washed with cold water, while those dyed with hot-water dye should be washed with warm water. And water is all you need — no detergent necessary — so if you don’t have a washing machine, you can hand wash things in your sink or tub.

How do I reduce color bleeding? If you are dyeing cotton, linen, silk, wool, ramie or rayon, use Rit ColorStay Dye Fixative immediately after dyeing, but before rinsing and laundering. To get even color, make sure the dyebath is large enough for the fabric to flow freely while it’s being stirred.

Fill a plastic container or stainless steel sink with enough water for the fabric to move freely. We recommend using three gallons of water for every pound of fabric. The water should ideally be 140ºF. If tap water is not hot enough, heat water on the stove and add to the dyebath.

There is no difference in terms of color or dye performance. The liquid dye is already dissolved in water and more concentrated than the powder dye. So you only need to use half as much when using the liquid dye. As a guideline, one bottle of liquid dye is equivalent to two boxes of powder dye.

Dye your garment In a cup, mix your dye with four cups of very hot water and stir well. In a separate container, if you’re dyeing a natural fabric like cotton or linen, dissolve one cup of salt in four cups of very hot water. If you’re dyeing silk or nylon, mix a cup of white vinegar with two to four cups of hot water.

The only substitutes for soda ash as dye fixer are high-pH chemicals, such as trisodium phosphate or sodium hydroxide. Soda ash is the best choice, however. Note that sodium carbonate is of no use in dyeing with natural dyes, nor with all-purpose dyes.

How to Colorfast Your Clothes. Thoroughly clean a large mixing bowl or cleaning bucket, and then fill it with one gallon of fresh, clean water. Add one-fourth cup table salt and one cup vinegar. The vinegar and salt work together to naturally lock the color into the fabric.

Keep colored garments from fading by using table salt in the laundry. The salt helps to set the color into the fabric. This keeps the color from fading while the garment is being washed. Use salt both before you wash your clothes and in the washer to get the maximum benefit.

Place your newly tie-dyed garment in the bucket. Allow it to soak for 30 minutes so the vinegar can help set the fabric dye and help your garment retain colorfastness.

You definitely can let the tie-dye sit for too long, and it can leave you with very unpleasant effects that can ruin your tie-dye creation.