dying to know the answer

[elrond]

I was given a smock at the weekend and it is cream in colour , not reallt my shade
Do any of the resident experts know if it is possible to dye polyester?

many thanks

 

[Lodian]

Wouldnt think so but i aint really an expert in that department or any for that matter lol

 

[John Fenna]

In a word - no!
John

 

[Marts]

Apparently you can.

http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/dispersedye.shtml

 

[Toddy]

You can dye it, but not well with natural dyes. Prepared chemical dyes will work successfully but you need the right ones.
The simplest option for you is to find a Dylon stockist (local fabric shop or Woolworths) and have a wee read at the packets. If it doesn't say it will dye polyester on the packet then it won't work.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Mantic]

If you check the dylon.co.uk website, they don't have anything to recommend for polyester (use the product selector, you'll come up the very helpful advice of "choose a more suitable product to dye").

Saying that, a mate of mine dyed a poly/cotton mix jacket with good results - is the item all poly?

 

[Toddy]

Dylon are covering themselves with this blanket statement; a disperse dye will work on polyester but the problem for dylon is that the colour on the box will most likely not be the colour that the garment ends up. Most polyester is mixed and it will take up the dye differentially. That said, the finish will still be a green or a brown or a blue.....just maybe not the shade of green or brown or blue intended. Marts link is a good one, it explains the reasons why polyester needs special care since it needs to be really hot.
There's another company that's maybe worth contacting. http://www.kemtex.co.uk/ supply dyes for home dyeing for schools, colleges and folks like me, and they supply disperse dyes.

cheers,
Toddy

 

[Eric_Methven]

Interesting link there Mary. Tell me, when you use alum, is it aluminium sulphate as sold by the people you linked to, or ferric aluminium sulphate which I didn't see on their website. Does it make a difference?

Eric

 

[Toddy]

Aluminium potassium sulphate is the usual stuff, but for dyeing if I use a kind of acidic liquor and an aluminium pan it works too.

No, you can't buy a cheap thermite from my mordant sources
Nice try though

cheers,
Mary