Somehow I’ve accidentally bleached spots on an unlined Tencel jacket. Not big splotches, but they’re pretty ugly! Has anyone got some experience with dyeing Tencel? Ought I bleach the entire garment, then re-dye it?
(A reminder to myself: change your clothes before doing housework!)
Meg
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Replies
Dear Meg,
I have overdied and redyed fabrics for years but I have no experience with Tencel, only linen and cotton. But, I do know that you can't just over dye with spots they will still show. If you can use a color remover first, that would help. Also, changing colors does not always work because the thread used is usually polyester and any topstitching will not take dye.
Nancy
Is it a solid color, not warp and weft a different color? Sometimes,
you can get lucky and find a good match with Pantone markers or
similar artist markers from an art supply store. There are also
"blenders" so you can mix shades a bit.
Meg,
If you try to dye over bleach spots, the bleach will continue to eat through the dye unless you use a chemical to stop it. I use anti-chlor and I get it from Dharma Trading Co. Check them out at dharmatrading.com. They can also sell you something to over dye tencel.
Hope this helps,
Renee
Dear Meg, Dont do it, it doesnt work. I have had a pair of tencil jeans with EXACTLY the same mishap and there was no way that I could get any dye to work . The only thing that I decided would work was fabric paint but by that time I had unpicked them and used them for a pattern! I also tried redying a pair of my sons pants which had become sun bleached and that also was unsuccessful. In theory because tencil is a rayon like fibre it shoud dye beautifully so i think it has omething to do with the dye interacting with the bleached area.The local dry cleaner also said it wouldnt work.
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