The ins and outs of choosing a colour

Choosing a colour to dye your item can be more challenging than some would imagine. While you may have the perfect colour in mind, there are some things that need to be considered that may adjust your original idea.

First and foremost, we do not dye anything white. White fabric is in fact devoid of dye, it is stripped of colour and then optical whiteners are used to create that clean white colour. This is only able to be done to brand-new unused, untreated fabric. By the time garments get to us, this would be impossible. That being said, there are many fabrics that we can remove the original colour, in order to dye the fabric to a lighter colour.

If your item is cotton, viscose, linen, tencel, ramie, bamboo, or silk, we may be able to perform a pre-process that removes some of the original colour. What colour it becomes afterwards varies from yellows to greys and it all depends on how it was dyed in manufacturing. We can do the stripping process and then consult with you on what colour choices you have. Unfortunately, polyester, nylon, acetate, and acrylic cannot be stripped.

If your item can’t be stripped, then you’ll need to take the original colour into consideration before choosing your dye colour. Many customers choose to dye these items darker to navy or black. Some of our very creative customers choose a season colour to combine with the original colour to create their own unique colour. For example, a yellow shirt dyed to a mid-blue will dye to a mystery green colour. A red skirt dyed to navy will transform into a dark purple. We are happy to help step you through these options.

Click here to see our current season colour CullaChart.

What to expect after dyeing?

If there is one thing we want EVERYONE to keep in mind is… we are here to help and advise you with any post-dyeing issues! Now we’ve got that out of the way, we also really want our customers to understand the general expectations of your post-dyeing experience. As with many facets of this service, the after dyeing instructions will vary depending on your item (or items). In an attempt to target the different information in the best way possible, we have divided it into the following categories: Everyday extra ordinary; tailored tints & Custom colours; silks; woolens; Curtains; Lounge covers. Scroll below for the info relevant to you.

Everyday extra ordinary - batch dyed items

Why is my order wrinkled and still needs washing??? This may be your first question when you get your items back. And its true, your items will generally look unpressed and need washing. Our machinery is custom built for dyeing, which means they are very slow and gentle, which does not provide the rigorous wash that a washing machine will. So?? When your items are dyed, we use a number of different dyes in order to dye the main fibre, as well as any stitching, buttons, zip tape or trims. This can cause some leftover dye to remain in the seams and weave/knit of the fabric. Washing your item afterwards will remove this excess dye out, so don’t freakout if the water in your washing machine is coloured, the dye is colourfast, it’s just excess dye (and more importantly, don’t wash your newly dyed items with anything other than blacks, just for the first 1-2 washes). We recommend washing your items on a 60°+ cycle with normal detergent. If you’d prefer your item to be dry cleaned and pressed, that is also fine, though we do recommend you let your friendly dry cleaner know that it has just been dyed so they don’t stop mid-process, worried they are removing the colour when it is just that pesky excess dye coming out.

Example of a tensioning machine used by dry cleaners.

But what about SHRINKAGE??? Ah, yes. The most misunderstood element of our service. For a number of reasons, different fabrics can have some shrinkage occur during dyeing. However, if you’ve ever washed a new item of clothing only to find it a bit tight afterwards, you’ll know that just by wearing it for a few minutes, the fabric relaxes back out to it’s original size. This is extactly the same for dyeing. Only in a very small number of cases, will this technique not work. So what if that doesn’t work??? In really stubborn fabrics, particularly silk chiffons, polyesters and some thick cottons, steam and a bit of pressure may be needed. This can be done with a steam iron at home if you know how, or taken to your local dry cleaner to be steam stretched. Before the visit, we recommend you to try the item on and advise the dry cleaner of how much the fabric needs to be stretched (width and length!). Most dry cleaners have “tensioning machines”, which are frames that hold you garment under pressure, while steam is pumped into the fabric, releasing the tension in the fibres (a.k.a the shrinkage). Sometimes it takes a couple of goes but it almost always recovers the shrinkage on those stubborn fabrics.

If you have any concerns, remember, we are here to help!

Tailored tints and Custom colours

Before your mind reals, thinking ,“what in the world happened to my tailored/delicate item?!”, let us reassure you, we don’t finish garments ready to wear. As we explain above, our machines are customised for dyeing and as such don’t lend themselves to thoroughly washing garments. If your item is ordinarily washed at home you can do so after dyeing - either follow the silk and woolen advice below, or the Everyday extra ordinary instructions above for other fibre types. If, however, you would prefer your item be dry cleaned and pressed, then we do recommend you let your friendly dry cleaner know that it has just been dyed so they don’t stop mid-process, worried they are removing the colour when it is just that pesky excess dye coming out. What is ‘pesky excess dye’?? When your items are dyed, we use a number of different dyes in order to dye the main fibre, as well as any stitching, buttons, zip tape or trims. This can cause some leftover dye to remain in the seams and weave/knit of the fabric. Dry cleaning ensures this excess dye is removed before you wear it. Before you visit your dry cleaner, we suggest you try the item on to check for any shrinkage, as they can recover the size during dry cleaning. Most dry cleaners have “tensioning machines”, which are frames that hold you garment under pressure, while steam is pumped into the fabric, releasing the tension in the fibres (a.k.a the shrinkage). Advise your dry cleaner of how much the fabric needs to be stretched (width and length!).

Silks

A close up of scuffed silk fabric, resembling a white, dry hue.

The most common issue with silk is with the finish. Fundamental to silk’s luster and sheen, is it’s natural oil content, which can be lost in hot water which, coincidentally, is also the only way to dye silk! Not all silk will do this, however, when it does happen, after dyeing, the finish can look dry and have a whitish fuzzy suede look, either all over or in creases, that can make the colour look light or dull - Thai and raw silk will get this look on the little raised slubs/thicker threads. At CullaChange, we have developed a process that re-oils the fabric and improves this problem hugely - though in a small number of cases a professional silk finish will need to be put on at a dry cleaner. Ask your friendly dry cleaner if they provide a silk finish, or check our list of CullaCentres to see if there is a silk specialist near you.

Woolens

Wool and woolenesque fibres (cashmere, angora, alpaca, etc.) dye really well! The biggest fear our customers have is that their item will felt and shrink. First and foremost, we do everything to take care of your items and have customised machinery specially designed for delicate items and fibres such as wool. For more of an explanation on this, click here to read about what to expect when dyeing wool. As for post-dyeing care, your woolen item simply needs to be washed as you normally would. We recommend using wool wash on the wool cycle of your washing machine. For drying, we recommend you dry your item flat on a wooden or towel-covered surface, keeping in mind that wool holds the shape it has while drying, so pegs and clotheslines can leave puckered areas.

Curtains

We make sure your curtains are ready to be hung, however some curtains may need a steam to help any creasing or shrinkage to drop out. Shrinkage? what shrinkage? In dyeing fibres will often tighten up which can cause some shrinkage (click here to read more about your particular fibre type). With curtains this is often not noticeable at all, though if you have backing or they were measured to an exact window size, they may need to be steamed to recover a small amount of length. This can either been done by your local dry cleaner, provided you tell them how many cm you need to recover, or this can be done using a hand held iron using the steam setting. Hang your curtains, then run the iron top to bottom, with a bit of downward pressure to help stretch the fabric. Please don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any worries or queries!

Lounge Covers

We advise you once your lounge is dyed as to whether it will need washing before you put the covers back on the couch. In most cases, we prefer you to wash the covers as it is safer for the fabric to put the covers on damp. If they have incurred any shrinkage during dyeing, the damp fabric will relax back to the shape of the cushions and lounge if the fabric is damp. But then I’ll have a wet couch!? Leave the cushions off the lounge, to dry them separatly until they and the main cover are fully dry, this will stop the fabric developing mildew.

Other homewares

All other homewares generally don’t have any specific after dyeing instructions. We recommend you wash your items in the same fashion you did before dyeing. If you’re unsure and your item is silk or wool, please read above for more specific instructions. Otherwise, machine-washable homewares can be washed using detergent on a 60° cycle. When your items are dyed, we use a number of different dyes in order to dye the main fibre, as well as any stitching, buttons, zip tape or trims. This can cause some leftover dye to remain in the seams and weave/knit of the fabric. Washing your item afterwards will remove this excess dye out, so don’t freakout if the water in your washing machine is coloured, the dye is colourfast, it’s just excess dye (and more importantly, don’t wash your newly dyed items with anything other than blacks, just for the first 1-2 washes).

Do I need to prep my item before dyeing?

At CullaChange, we adore customers that stop to ask this question! It is sometimes assumed that we are similar to a dry cleaner - bring your items in dirty and they are returned dyed and clean. Unfortunately, that’s not quite the case and can affect the success of your item dyeing well - though, we do share our office with a laundry, who could clean your items for you before they come to us! Surprisingly, there are actually a few things to consider before dyeing:

Cleaning ~ your fabric should be as clean as possible before dyeing, as any impurities - food, oil, deodorant - will cause the dye to attract to them and dye darker in that area. Obviously, if there is a stain that can’t be removed, we don’t expect you to do much about it, however you will be limited in your colour choice, as you will need to cover the stain with a dark colour. A note on stains: if your stain is bleach, chlorine or peroxide, make sure you have rinsed the fabric well, as these chemicals continue to deteriorate the fabric, and prolonged exposure can result in a hole developing; furthermore, paint, nail polish, glue, or white-out type substances won’t cover with dye. These substances coat the fibres blocking the dye being absorbed. Dry cleaning is recommended, or if the fabric is hardy, you could try to dissolve the mark with solvents first, before dyeing.

Buttons and other accessories

Wooden buttons will dye but can crack and break from the heat.

Buttons ~ If your item has plastic buttons, they will most likely dye as they are generally made of nylon or polyester. If your buttons are shell, metallic, wooden, or special in any way, we recommend you take them off before dyeing. The heat used in dyeing can cause buttons to pop, and when this happens there is no way for us to salvage them, they go down the drain, and we don’t replace them.

Leather labels/trim ~ any leather or suede embellishments and labels (think fashion brand labels at the back of jeans waistbands) must be removed before dyeing. True leather and suede shrinks and goes hard in hot water (ie the dyeing process), however faux leather and suede can be left on but will take some colour.

The small claw hooks that hold rhinestones can catch on loose fibre and be pulled off.

Beading, tassels, fringing ~ as with buttons, plastic beading and sequins will dye, sometimes darker. Any beading or diamontes that are glued on may come unstuck and fall off in dyeing, which means they will be lost. Beading that has small claw hooks, or tassel fringing will need to be covered with protective fabric before dyeing to stop them catching or tangling. We can give you a quote for this when we see your item.

Holes or tears ~ any areas that are torn or have a hole will need repairing or securing before dyeing. The hot water causes fibres to swell, which causes them to unravel and fray, causing more damage.

Shoulder pads/ bust padding ~ the foam used in padding can distort and misshape in dyeing. For this reason we recommend it being removed or added stitching put in to secure the shape.

We will advise and assists you with any preparation needs you may have.

For more information about our service or to contact us, click here.

What fibres can be dyed at CullaChange?

Put simply, we dye ALL fibres and fabrics, except leather, suede, and real fur. Having said that, different fibres dye more successfully than others. Before we go into specific fibre types, it’s important to discuss the difference between fabrics and fibres.

A close-up of comparison of different fibres. Pic courtesy of Connie Powers Knits

When it comes to dyeing, the first thing we need to know is what fibre (or mix of fibres) your item is made of. Manufacturers of fabrics have made the distinction between fibre and fabric tricky, by introducing names for fabrics (for example satin, crepe, organza, jersey, canvas, tulle, taffeta, the list goes on…), which actually only describes the way the fibre is knitted or woven. While certain fabrics are often closely linked to a fibre type, (for example, satin is often thought to be silk and canvas is commonly made of cotton), in our many years of experience we know never to assume the fibre, based on a fabric name. Does this mean you need to know the exact fibre type of your item? Nope! Again, in our many years of experience, we have tricks of the trade and a 99% correct strike rate when making an educated guess of unknown fibres.

Another important point to make, before detailing the expectations of dyeing individual fibres, is that fabrics can be treated or have finishes applied that are not visible to the naked eye. In our experience it is quite rare, however, whether it be for anti-creasing, stiffening, UV protection or water-protection, a finish can affect the way the fabric absorbs the dye, potentially blocking the full uptake of colour. In these few circumstances we reprocess the item a few times to give it the best opportunity to take all the colour.

There are many, many, many, different fibres used in modern fabrics, so if you don’t find your fibre type listed here, one of our consultants will happily discuss it with you.

cotton linen hemp bamboo soy flax ramie baumwolle

Derived from plant fibre, these natural fibre types dye well. They are the most straight forward fibre to dye and can be quite versatile. We are more likely to be able to remove the original colour of your item, and completely transform it to a new shade. If any shrinkage occurs, these fibres have excellent size recovery. These fibres all dye with the same type of dye - a group of dyes that don’t dye synthetics. Why do you need to know about that? Well, if like 95% of items, yours is stitched with polyester, or if there is another fibre blended in, or if there is a trim made of another fibre, you might wonder why you get slight colour variations. In our process we add dyes to cover stitching, buttons, plastic accessories, and any mixed fibres, but in order to not over processes the fabric we focus on the main fibre. What does this mean? In some cases the stitching, trim or other fibres can dye lighter or dark. We only make this decision where the ‘other’ fibres are not very prominent and don’t affect the greater look of the item. Your consultant will happily cover the specifics of your item if you have concerns.

polyester acetate acrylic

The most common synthetic fibre is polyester - used in 95% of items just for the stitching, as well as being creatively spun and woven to mimic other fibres and fabrics. Polyester is also commonly blended with natural fibres to provide more strength. You are limited in colour choice by the original colour of your polyester item, as we can’t remove it before dyeing. While we dye hundreds of polyester items each month, it’s important to understand some technical differences with polyester. Essentially, polyester is plastic. The way it is extruded to make the fibre can be varied depending on the temperature used. So? If the polyester is made at an extremely high temperature, it can only be dyed at that same extreme temperature, which is not possible once it is made into a garment. What does this mean?! Actually, it doesn’t matter too much, unless you are wanting a deep or dark colour, then the item (or stitching of the item) will likely dye lighter than expected.

Polyester, acetate, acrylic can easily mimic other fibres. Pic courtesy of Schott textiles

Acetate (acetate rayon) can be an unpredictable fibre to dye. The final colour ma not be as planned with this fibre, but more poignantly, it can develop a crushed effect, or shrink - which in the case of crepe knitted acetate, shrinkage can be permanent. Results are far more successful when it is blended with another fibre, and, it’s good to note, that often the acetate content on a fibre label may just refer to the lining of the item.

Acrylic is a synthetic fibre, often used to mimic wool or cashmere. Unfortunately, acrylic does not dye well, and we find we can only shift the colour tone slightly, so we don’t recommend dyeing it. When blended with other fibres, we dye the secondary fibre and the acrylic is left undyed resulting in a fleck through the fabric.

viscose modal tencel lyocell cupro

These fibres are sythesised from plant-based fibres. They are made from cellulose, and while man-made they dye well, with the same expected outcome as cotton, linen, etc, explained above. The only caveat with these fibres is when the fabric is polished to look like imitation silk. Dyed to deep or dark colours the fabric can have a sueded look after dyeing. This is caused from the fine fibres breaking away from the polished surface, creating a subtle suede effect.

wool cashmere mohair pashmina angora alpaca

These fibres dye really well! In fact, if they are mixed with other fibres, these fibres can dye so well they err on the dark side. For this reason we recommend dyeing them in our Tailored Tint individual dyeing service. This way the dye is weighed specific to the weight and percentage of your item. You are limited in colour choice by the original colour, that we can’t remove before dyeing. What about shrinkage and FELTING?!? In our many years of dyeing, the only shrinkage we have experienced with these fibres, have been with very old woolen items (this suggests they were made from untreated wool, which inherently felts), and loose knitted mohair. Our consultants will discuss this with you if needed, and our machines are custom made to process these fibres with minimal agitation. Otherwise, these fibre are a great success being recoloured.

silk

A silk worm and the eggs silk is derived from. Pic courtesy of Trusted clothes

Silk dyes beautifully, and in many cases we can even remove the original colour of this fibre, widening your colour choices. The most common issue with silk is with the finish. Silk comes in many different fabrics, raw silk, jersey, thai silk, satin, dutchess satin, etc. Fundamental to silk’s luster and sheen, is it’s natural oil content, which can be lost in hot water, which coincidently, is also the only way to dye silk - awkward! Not all silk will do this, however, when it does happen the fabric can look dry and have a whitish fuzzy suede look, either all over or in creases - Thai and raw silk will get this look on the little raised slubs/thicker threads. At CullaChange, we have developed a process that re-oils the fabric and improves this problem hugely - though in a small number of cases a professional silk finish will need to be put on at a specialist dry cleaner. Dutchess silk satin is not recommended for dyeing, as the starch finish on this fabric cannot be wet, otherwise it cracks, making permanent creasing all over.

nylon

Nylon dyes really well, and is the best fabric for Eclectic effects and hand dip-dyeing. Like woolens, this fibre can dye too well and often when it is mixed with other fibres - for example being the backing mesh to other fibres in lace - it dyes very, very dark. To dye this fibre to a light or mid colour, it needs to be dyed in our Tailored Tints individual dyeing service. Very fine stocking-esque nylon fabrics need to be dyed individually too, as they can snag easily on other things in the dye bath.

lycra spandex elastane metallic-fibres

These fibres are considered auxiliary fibres, that means they are extra fibres that are included to providing stretch or shine. They dont dye but that can’t be seen as they are internal to the main finres. The only caveat is with metallic-fibres, which can still be seen as a fleck through the fabric and it has been noticed that in older items the metallic fibres can start to break and they leave the fabric feeling very rough, like fine sandpaper.