Can i dye my uniform?

[Tickled Pink!]

I have a fab tunic i love,; zip up the middle, fits beautifully with a small mandarin collar. Only problem is, mine is white and the only other colour they do is black. I didn't think black was hugely practical for me due to the dust, and although i do love the style of my white one, has anyone out there tried dying theirs? It is 65% polyester and 35% cotton. It feels like thick cotton but i am assuming the poly content ensures it doesn't crease and makes it harder wearing. The colour change was decided last night...

...I was on my way home at about 9.30 last night after a VERY full day doing nails and airbrushing for a dance school, stopped at the fish and chip shop for a takeaway, when a very charming (and good looking!) man told me i looked so tired, to go home and have a nice warm bath and put my feet up - because 'you nurses do a fantastic job' :shock:

Hence the reason i now want a different colour uniform! By the way i think nurses do do a brilliant job!

Thanks, Dianne

 

[bug123]

I have never dyed anything before?
Not a good start - try this link
http://www.dylon.co.uk/Advice/index.htm

You might get away with using a machine dye?
However it appears polyester is a tricky fabric to dye?

You could always test a piece of the uniform first?

White is a good base to work with - just the colour choice is up to you

Hope this helps . . .

 

[Kat's Claws]

Hi there,

I have a dying tip for you! Look inside the hem of the uniform and see if the hem is large enough for you to snip off a piece of fabric then measure the content of dying powder you have (total content), read the instructions about the proportion of water and powder given and measure a small sample of dye and proceed with dying the sample.

As a rule of thumb, dying polyester (and that depends on what kind of polyester) requires longer dying time and with a maximal concentration of dye. Generally the results is that polyester doesn't absorb as well as natural fibers. I've dyed cotton-polyester t-shirts that came out fine, but again.....it all depends on the kind of polyester. Sheer curtains (100 % polyester / dacron) doesn't hold the color, unless you want to have a sheer and pastel pale color and even then I'm not sure what agent can "fix" the color so it doesn't wash out.

Make the test and if it comes out to your satisfaction, soak the garment in a solution of warm water with white vinegar and salt (oldest fixing agent in the world..... wink )

Another thing, the darker the color the more powder you need and longer dying period, pastels are easy to achieve depending on the intensity of color you want.

Hope this helps! 8)

P.S. I use Dylon products, the colours are gorgeous and you have the choice of dying in cold or hot water (2 different lines) and they hold better.

 

[Tickled Pink!]

thanks for the advice you guys...dylon getting back to me with the best product to use.

 

[Debs]

Another thing you need to look at is the thread that is holding the garment together. It`ll be a different composition again to the fabric and may not dye at all.
Maybe you should get in touch with the company you bought it from and ask them to tell you what the thread composition is, you wouldn`t want a nice new looking custom made tunic with a white thread running around it would you?