Polyester dye?

[bingobadgo]

I finally got round to dyeing my Soldier 95 combat jacket and i am mightily unimpressed. I used Dylon hand dye in black and it has come out really badly. The DPM still shows through, which i can live with as it is very muted compared to before and has got rid of most of the Rambo effect, but the thicker threads in the rip-stop show through and it looks like pin-stripe. So now its like a sort of survivalist meets futures trader, not really good at all. I can only assume that the thicker threads have more polyester in them and so take up the dye less well. Is there anything available that will dye polyester properly?
Thanks in advance.

 

[John Fenna]

In my experience NOTHING dyes polyester!

 

[bingobadgo]

I was worried that might be it, but i am sure i have read somewhere about some sort of high temperature dye that can be used.

 

[Dougster]

The thing about the high temperature dyes is that they have to be used when extruding the polyseter fibre.

You are stuffed mate - that DPM jacket is DPM for life (once a squaddie always as my dad says).

 

[bingobadgo]

I will have a look around google then, i am sure i read about some dye that you have to simmer for half an hour. I could be imagining it all though, its quite a hazy memory! Its not the DPM that i want rid of though, the colour it is now is ok, its just the pinstripes that i dont like.

 

[OregonDave]

http://www.ritdye.com/home.lasso

I don't know how well it works on polyester, but it does dye the plastic forearm and grips of Crosman 1377 airguns from brown to black. Stove top simmer. Read the directions carefully, and watch out for spillage!
OD

 

[John Fenna]

If you read the FAQs on Rit dye it says it will not dye polyester!
Are the airgun grips a nylon material - that dyes easily....?

 

[OregonDave]

Well, there's nothing like reading directions first, or FAQ's as in this case.

I don't know what the plastic is that is used in the 1377, but it does dye black.
OD

 

[Dougster]

The heat required to dye things like that ruins the fabric.

 

[bingobadgo]

Thanks to the power of google i have found something called iDye Poly which is a dye for polyester that works in the washing machine. I am skeptical myself but i will post the results on here when i try it. Its cheaper than Dylon too so it could be a good find.

 

[John Fenna]

Well found!
I had not heard of these before but will soon be trying them out.

 

[bingobadgo]

I would wait to see if it works first John, I have two packs on order and i will let you know how it comes out.

 

[ANDYRAF]

A black washing machine that could be novel, just a thought.

 

[bingobadgo]

If you never hear from me again then i dyed the machine black and SWMBO caught me before i could fix it!

 

[John Fenna]

I await your report with bated breath......

 

[ANDYRAF]

I have secret location in cornwall you could hide there for a week or two, but they always know where you when you done wrong, so she will find you.

 

[bingobadgo]

Well, i just got back from work and the dye came in the post today so i will try it tonight. Brace yourself Andy, you may a have a refugee arriving at speed from the east!

 

[shep]

I too await with baited breath. I'm on probation from the last dyeing mistake (underwear and baby clothes collateral damage).

Another option is to use Dylon soft fabric paint. Paint, iron then wash. It covers polycotton pretty well though the result isn't even, the garment softens up more than you'd expect in the wash, giving you the end product of something that's been dyed - ish.

 

[bingobadgo]

Well, i am still alive but that may be because SWMBO hasnt noticed that i have dyed the door seal on the washing machine a very fetching shade of blue! The dye worked a treat though. For polycotton it recommends using both the polyester dye and the cotton dye at the same time, but as i had already put two packets of Dylon on the jacket i didnt bother. Just chuck it in the machine with a cup of salt and the dye and put it on a 90 degree wash. I wouldnt use this on anything delicate! Its come out well though, the pin stripe is gone, and the dpm has almost completely gone now. It has also dyed the buttons, velcro and zips black, which is an added bonus. Definitely use this stuff if you want to dye synthetics, as my little brother would say "its the shizzle".

 

[ANDYRAF]

The place is prepped just bring sleeping bag and facial disguise,