I was once given a pillar-box red duffel coat (a Ralph Lauren one even
) and it was 80% wool. I thought if I ever wore it and yawned in the street, someone would be liable to
stick a letter in my gob, so I decided to darken it. I used a couple of packets of black Dylon and a bunch of salt, i.e. following the instructions on the Dylon box. I think I
probably used more dye and a longer soak than was strictly required, but no harm done. Also, I did it in my kitchen bin since I didn't have anything else large enough whose colour
I was prepared to risk changing... So the very red jacket came out a nice imperial purple colour, not the blacker-than-the-iniside-of-Darth-Vader's-helmet I was hoping for. The
dying looked a bit patchy at first when the thing was still wet, but after a prolongued bout of rinsing, I realised the colour was actually very even.
So I now have a size XXL purple Ralph Lauren Polo duffelcoat and no, I don't wear it in public, I would look ridiculous. So it sits in a cupboard. I'll wear it at home once I can't
afford to heat my house! Sorry if this post hasn't acually been encouraging - you'd probably end up with a better colour since you're starting with something sensible...
