How to Dye Your Wedding Dress

There are several reasons you might want to dye your wedding dress. Maybe you’re trying to stretch the wedding budget or you want a specific color you haven’t seen on the market. Maybe you have already celebrated the wedding and you want to update the dress so you can wear it on other occasions. Dyeing the wedding dress isn’t as intimidating as it looks. Here’s how to dye your wedding dress.

Decide what do you want

Not all dyes are equal, so it’s important to decide what you want to do before you start the project. The darker the color you want, the more dye you will have to use. Base color of your dress will also play an important role – if it isn’t white, you’ll probably want to start with the color remover.

Fabric type

Check the care label to determine the type of fabric (each fabric takes the dye differently). If the fabric has the cellulose fibers (linen, cotton or rayon), you should use a fiber reactive dye. If the fabric is made from protein fibers (silk, angora, wool, cashmere), you should use the acid dye. For synthetic fibers (polyester, acrylic, nylon, acetate), use disperse dye.

Workspace

Protect the surfaces with a plastic cover. Assemble the materials. Dye the dress in a large plastic container (storage bin, bucket) or in a stainless steel sink. Do not dye the dress in a ceramic bathtub or a sink – it will absorb the dye.

Wash the dress before the dyeing

Remove stains from the dress with warm, soapy water.

Prepare the dye

Use the rubber gloves to mix the dye. Follow the instructions on the label. Stick to the suggested ratio if you want a wash of color. If you want very saturated shade (emerald green, deep magenta), double the dye.

Test

Cut a small piece of fabric near the seams on the inside and test the dye.

Dye

Add the wet dress to the dye bath. Stir continuously and slowly for 10 minutes, then leave the dress in the dye. The exact number of time the dress should remain in the dye depends on the type of fabric. When the dress hits the desired color, remove it from the dye bath.

Fixative

Fixative will prevent color bleeding and it will also extend the life of the color. Refill the bucket or a sink with warm water and add the fixative. Stir continuously and slowly for 20 minutes.

Rinse and dry

Use cold water to rinse the dress. Rinse until the water runs clean, then wash with warm water and mild detergent. Hang the dress to dry.

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