Need some advice on dyeing fabric.

[deltakilla]

So recently I bought a US fighter pilot flightsuit, wich is in that usual army green color? I need to dye it to a light grey color for the ROTJ flightsuit, but the packet sais that if you want to dye darker colors you need to give it some color removing treatment, now I don't know if i just chuck it into the washing machine if it'll come out grey or would it really be better to lighten it first?

And then what would be the best treatment? I keep hearing bleaching would be good but I have no experience on how to bleach clothes and the internet doesn't give much info on color removing bleach methods, so I'm hoping you guys can give me some advice on this.

 

[Mullreel]

Most of those are high polyester content and will not dye easily.

 

[Matty Matt]

Yes, depending on what type of fabric it is you may not be able to change it. RIT color remover would be my first step.

 

[deltakilla]

Sadly there is no tag saying what type of material it is or any of that info, the only tag that it does have are several maintenance instructions like " use beewax on the zippers" "do not use bleach as it will diminish the fire resitance" and the washing is basicly saying to wash with mild soap and hot water, I'm guessing this is pretty old

I also do not have acces to RIT so bleach is currently my only option

 

[deltakilla]

After checking with google and some of my own clothing, I can say its made of cotton ( twill ? ), its basicly this thing except a different color

 

[drokkul]

Don't use bleach. If the bleach does anything it will most likely just blotch like crazy.

Try the color remover as a 1st step and go from there.


***Post Number 1,000!!! Yay me!***

 

[Bcarp100]

If it is indeed a real flight suit it will be made of Nomex, and it is next to impossible to remove color from Nomex. Bleach might work, but if I remember correctly it will break down the fibers in the Nomex and it will eventually just start falling apart. You could try color remover, but it likely will not work. I am a Firefighter for the Air Force a lot of our stuff is Nomex and we work pretty closely with the pilots so I am positive all the real modern day suits are Nomex.

 

[deltakilla]

Well after like an hour and a tad of letting it sit in bleach , I think it may have gone a tad lighter ? Maybe not its hard to tell.

I just hope the dye actually works.

edit: the bleach is pretty old though.

 

[deltakilla]

Okay I found a nice thread on the mando mercs, they have the same suit, and they say to put fabric softener wipes and wash the suit with them so they remove the flame retardant coating cause it may make it difficult to accept the dye, but I guess with the bleach + I washed it with softener and detergent it should be okay?

If it is indeed a real flight suit it will be made of Nomex, and it is next to impossible to remove color from Nomex. Bleach might work, but if I remember correctly it will break down the fibers in the Nomex and it will eventually just start falling apart. You could try color remover, but it likely will not work. I am a Firefighter for the Air Force a lot of our stuff is Nomex and we work pretty closely with the pilots so I am positive all the real modern day suits are Nomex.

oh and yes, the thread on the merc site looks exactly like mine and apparantly it is nomex

 

[Bcarp100]

You can certainly try it. Nomex is a material that is naturally fire retardant. Its not so much a "coating" that you have to remove the fabric through and through is nomex. Nomex and 100% cotton are the most wide spread used fabrics in fire protection not because the are "fire proof" but because they do not melt. That is the key characteristic in "fire retardant" fabric. Nothing is fire proof, and everything burns what happens when it burns is what makes it desirable for protective clothing or not. If you catch on fire and your wearing anything with a high plastic content it will melt into the burn causing a secondary injury. Pulling the burnt content out of a person is much more dangerous than something simply burning up and not creating a bigger wound. Sorry for the long round about explanation I just want you to understand that there is no coating that needs to be removed because nomex is not coated with anything, it just simply is nomex.

Again and I cant stress this enough do not use bleach, it will destroy the fibers of the fabric. I bleached my white nomex hood because I had just been in a fire and it stunk and it literally fell apart a couple weeks later. Maybe the fabric softener will make it take dye better, but if you are going to try and remove color I would recommend a color remover that is not bleach. I can not attest to how it will work however, I can attest for how bleach will work. It very well may remove the color but it could fall apart later. I believe Dylan dye makes a dye specifically for synthetic fabric you might try that and if it is that tanish color you should have no problem getting it to blue/grey. so long as it accepts the dye. Sorry for the ramble hope I was helpful.

Okay I found a nice thread on the mando mercs, they have the same suit, and they say to put fabric softener wipes and wash the suit with them so they remove the flame retardant coating cause it may make it difficult to accept the dye, but I guess with the bleach + I washed it with softener and detergent it should be okay?



oh and yes, the thread on the merc site looks exactly like mine and apparantly it is nomex

 

[Mullreel]

I am afraid you are about to go through a ton of effort for not much result.

If you are doing a ROTJ Boba Fett the dye is just a start...next is to do the pouches, double sleeve..etc. How are you going to match the fabric? You may be much better off to go a different route and not waste so much time.............just my 2 cents.

 

[Bcarp100]

I have to say I agree with you Mullreel its a really cool flight suit and I think it could be adapted for a custom mando, but trying to adapt it to a Fett suit you might be better off going and buying 100% cotton fabric and dye and then taking this suit apart to use it as a pattern.

I am afraid you are about to go through a ton of effort for not much result.

If you are doing a ROTJ Boba Fett the dye is just a start...next is to do the pouches, double sleeve..etc. How are you going to match the fabric? You may be much better off to go a different route and not waste so much time.............just my 2 cents.

 

[deltakilla]

You guys both have good points! Yes I did want to make the ROTJ flight suit, I wanted to try this route first before thinking of asking someone to make it for me (wich I already asked for prices) But I felt like wanting to do this route first, as a college student its rather expensive ,this is much more economical and it adds a touch of 'me' in it , you know? Sure I could ask someone or order all the parts but its not gonna be as much fun as making the suit yourself.

If the dyeing will not work as expected or the pouches will end up as a big problem then I shall use it for a custom mando suit as you said Mullreel! Thank you guys so much.

I have to say I agree with you @Mullreel its a really cool flight suit and I think it could be adapted for a custom mando, but trying to adapt it to a Fett suit you might be better off going and buying 100% cotton fabric and dye and then taking this suit apart to use it as a pattern.

I am afraid you are about to go through a ton of effort for not much result.

If you are doing a ROTJ Boba Fett the dye is just a start...next is to do the pouches, double sleeve..etc. How are you going to match the fabric? You may be much better off to go a different route and not waste so much time.............just my 2 cents.

 

[Mullreel]

A custom mando can be fun. I built mine for practice as I was building my Jango Fett. And it helped me learn several things that assisted me in building my Boba Fett. So in that regard your effort is not in vain.

 

[Bcarp100]

I'm all for saving money and building as much as you can yourself, I would just hate to see you invest a bunch of time and money in something that may not work out in the end. Don't get me wrong I am going to do my own flight suit as well, because well I want too and its way cheaper. If you have never dyed something before, take it from someone who has built jawas, tuskens, and a few other things that required color alterations. It is not as straight forward as it seems even when its 100% cotton. With that being said I wish you well, and I look forward to seeing the build take off!

 

[deltakilla]

You guys are awsome! I'll give you an update tommorow to see how it turned out , the dye is for cotton, linen, silk and viscose. Looks promising.

 

[deltakilla]

Well, the dyeing did absolutely nothing, time to go look for fabric and learn to sew!

 

[Bcarp100]

Lol well it always worth a shot! Make sure you buy 100% cotton and buy about 1/3 more than you think you'll need because it will shrink. You want to wash and dye before you ever touch scissors to fabric. Make sure you wash it on hot and dry it on high before you dye it. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone

 

[deltakilla]

Lol well it always worth a shot! Make sure you buy 100% cotton and buy about 1/3 more than you think you'll need because it will shrink. You want to wash and dye before you ever touch scissors to fabric. Make sure you wash it on hot and dry it on high before you dye it. Good luck!


Sent from my iPhone

My dad gave me a good idea, ask my aunt, she knows her way around a needle and thread, I hope she wants to!

 

[Bcarp100]

Good idea have her teach you it's a very valuable skill in the costume industry.


Sent from my iPhone