Need colorfast hemp dye
June 13, 2010 4:28 PM Subscribe
How do you dye hemp fabric?
I know you're only supposed to use fiber-reactive dyes, not all-purpose dye like RIT. I've searched online and but would rather buy from a brick and mortar store, especially since I need only a small amount. Can you recommend what to use and where to find it?
I know you're only supposed to use fiber-reactive dyes, not all-purpose dye like RIT. I've searched online and but would rather buy from a brick and mortar store, especially since I need only a small amount. Can you recommend what to use and where to find it?
Natural dyes (powdered plants and insects, steeped leaves, bark, and wood) have a fascinating tradition, give beautiful subtle colors, and you might even be able to harvest something near you.
But the fabric does have to be pre-treated in a mordant before dyeing. Some of the metallic salts used to "mordant" need to be handled carefully.
posted by StickyCarpet at 4:40 PM on June 13, 2010
But the fabric does have to be pre-treated in a mordant before dyeing. Some of the metallic salts used to "mordant" need to be handled carefully.
posted by StickyCarpet at 4:40 PM on June 13, 2010
Response by poster: I'm in Raleigh, NC -- forgot to mention!
posted by Juicy Avenger at 4:55 PM on June 13, 2010
posted by Juicy Avenger at 4:55 PM on June 13, 2010
What color do you want to dye it?
I've dyed hemp with food-grade natural dyes. Tea gives a soft ecru to brown, depending on how long you leave it in. Annatto (achiote) gives a bright warm orange, and can be found in Hispanic markets. Henna makes a lovely deep brown, but is pretty messy-- you mix it with water, spread the paste onto the fabric, let it dry, then crack it and brush off the mud. You can use alum to mordant your fabric.
posted by cereselle at 8:50 PM on June 13, 2010
I've dyed hemp with food-grade natural dyes. Tea gives a soft ecru to brown, depending on how long you leave it in. Annatto (achiote) gives a bright warm orange, and can be found in Hispanic markets. Henna makes a lovely deep brown, but is pretty messy-- you mix it with water, spread the paste onto the fabric, let it dry, then crack it and brush off the mud. You can use alum to mordant your fabric.
posted by cereselle at 8:50 PM on June 13, 2010
If you want it to have good colorfast/lightfast behavior, your best bet will be the Procion fiber reactive dyes recommended by cabingirl.
posted by janell at 10:18 PM on June 13, 2010
posted by janell at 10:18 PM on June 13, 2010
Any fiber reactive dye will work. Procion is the best known, and it is probably the best (I've never seen a need to use anything else). Big-box craft stores (Michael's, HobbyLobby) sometimes carry Procion; and I've seen it at some quilt shops. Art supply stores do too, but make sure to get the fiber reactive dye for plant fibers, not the acid dye for protein fibers. I have seen non-Procion fiber reactive dyes at fabric stores as well. (You'll probably want some other chemicals too -- Jacquard has instructions for using Procion MX. )
posted by jlkr at 10:35 AM on June 14, 2010
posted by jlkr at 10:35 AM on June 14, 2010
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posted by cabingirl at 4:39 PM on June 13, 2010 [1 favorite]