DWR - stripping it out?

[Jaeger]

Aye Up All,
I'm sure that this has been covered on the site previously (copiously?) and I have tried to search it out but with only limited success so I thought that I would start a new thread. I have used Ventile jackets for donkey's and rate its performance for some applications. I have one which was originally taupe in colour but appears to have faded to a light grey and I fancy toning it down a bit so - has anyone successfully (and easily) managed to strip the dwr coating from Ventile material - and then re-dye it.
I have read tons on the internet about why you aren't supposed to be able to do it and only one entry identifying how you might come near to achieving it but it was fairly convoluted using several different agents.
Some of the same experts told me that I wouldn't be able to re-dye mil surplus nylon webbing pouches (with standard Dylon) but I managed it simply by boiling them in a dye bath for about an hour which did the job with no apparent detriment to the material, so has anyone in the community managed it with dwr'd Ventile?
I'm quite happy to leave the jacket soaking in a bucket of dye for however long and I'm not too worried if the final effect is patchy/mottled so long as the overall effect is even slightly darker, colour fast and not damaging to the material.
Is this a bridge too far?
Challenge set!
Thanks

 

[petrochemicals]

I used biological washing powder, bu that sort of stuff bleaches plastic buckles. Meths also works.

 

[Toddy]

You can simply buy the stuff the dye companies sell that strips out the waterproofing, the coatings that are supposed to stop the jackets being seen at night, as well as the gunk and grease from everyday use.
It washes in the machine.
The only issue with dyeing Ventile is that it's really necessary to make sure that it is soaked all the way through before you try.

M

 

[Jaeger]

Aye Up Toddy and PetroChem,
Thanks for those prompt replies.
Think I'll go for the biological washing powder and the stuff that strips out the waterproofing first.

 

[Toddy]

The biological washing powder/liquid….if you can get the jacket into a big enough tub of some kind (washed out black bin does fine ) and leave it soaking in the soapy water for a couple of days, will probably do a pretty thorough job of it

M

 

[Macaroon]

I dyed a Ventile jacket from DPM to a very acceptable brown by washing it with ordinary non-bio at 60* C, and then following the instructions on machine wash Dylon for cotton; the only thing I altered was to use twice the dye. I did this a couple of months ago and although not completely hidden, the DPM is no longer "stand-out" so I think this would work very well for you. As Toddy says above, soak it in warm water for a few hors before doing the job as this will ensure the material is wet through, and thus allow the dye to penetrate.

I'd be very interested to hear what you decide to do and how you get on

 

[petrochemicals]

Aye Up Toddy and PetroChem,
Thanks for those prompt replies.
Think I'll go for the biological washing powder and the stuff that strips out the waterproofing first.

You will need to rince it well to get rid of the bio residue. Try non bio or soap flakes and then rinse it well at least 3 times. I can't imagine that dye takes tooo well in a substance that seems to bleach the colour from everything.

As to dying, I believe hot water is the best, BUT I COULD BE WRONG, so you will need to clarify that. My mom also uses salt to help the dye stick.

 

[Jaeger]

‘Three word Monday’ - Ventile re-dyeing successful!
On the right is a piece of material showing the original colour of the jacket (taupe?) although it appeared to have faded to a light grey somewhat after a full year’s constant use including one very wet brown season.
On the left is the re-dyed jacket.
The overall impression of the new colour is a light olive-grey (the colour of the dye was medium olive) but depending on the ambient light conditions and the nature of its surroundings the jacket can look anything from dark olive, through grey, to light olive.
(This ‘phenomenon’ of grey picking up the colours of its surrounds has long been a subject close to my heart and an effect that I have put to good use many, many times. I digress!).
Close up the colour description becomes slightly less straight forward to describe (especially between male and female perception!) and seems either or neither grey or olive – I assume where some fibres have wholly taken the new colour and others not completely. The effect in fact is close to where I want it to be.
After dyeing the jacket was again subjected to x 3 rinse/spin cycles until the water ran clear. I am happy that the new colour is now ‘fast’.
Process:
The jacket is part single/part double Ventile and weighs 850g.
The jacket was initially washed in liquid soap (Tech Wash) at 40 degrees (PTN – not all the dirt at elbows, cuffs and seat was removed!);
It was then washed three times in a machine using 200 ml of biological powder each time (Aerial); (all dirt was removed!)
It was then put through a rinse/spin cycle three times;
It was then soaked for twenty four hours in hot water (80 degrees) with x 1 pack of Dylon Olive green washing machine version (contains correct amount of salt) turning the jacket every ten minutes or so for the first couple of hours then being left totally submerged for the remainder. (Used a (cheap) plastic baby bath).
It was then hung on the line and hosed down, left to partially drip dry before being subjected to x 3 rinse/spin cycles in the washer.
Before completely dry it was re-proofed using Grangers Repel Extreme.
Now dry, the material feels very much as it did pre-process.

 

[Chiseller]

i managed to dye my ventile with a lot less effort.
i am struggling with dying my red ventile though. im considering trying dylons colour unfastener to try to get it back to original....or at least to fade the red and start again.

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