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Dyeing bike clothing?

Old 07-08-20, 07:27 PM
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Sy Reene
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Dyeing bike clothing?

Have some skull caps and base layers that were only ever sold in bright white (most marketed SPF clothing seems to default to white for some reason). Anyone died these polyester blend types of clothing with success? Concern is bleeding onto skin or inside of jersey etc. Looking at simple products such as below.

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Old 07-09-20, 09:56 AM
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Read the fine package, what kind of fabrics does it say it's good for? I've only used a dye once, on mostly cotton fabric. There's a big difference between cotton (lots of functional groups for the dye to attach to) and polyester (approximately zero).
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Old 07-09-20, 11:17 AM
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Originally Posted by pdlamb
Read the fine package, what kind of fabrics does it say it's good for? I've only used a dye once, on mostly cotton fabric. There's a big difference between cotton (lots of functional groups for the dye to attach to) and polyester (approximately zero).
yeah.. this one (see the picture) shows that it's pretty clearly supposed to be formulated for synthetics.

Looking for ways to dye things like sun sleeves, skullcaps, baselayers (items like below). The dyes come in all sorts of colors, but I'd probably go neutral grayish/black or whatever this 'graphite' thing yields. Really was just looking for someone to say they've done this without issue with their cycling clothing.



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Old 07-09-20, 01:21 PM
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I know I tried that stuff out but can't remember what I tried it on. I think it was running shorts, so not lycra-based. Anyway, it just made them look kind of dirty. I had the graphite color (I didn't have to remember that, I've got the receipt in my email).
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Old 07-09-20, 04:48 PM
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Synthetics colors are heat sublimated .. the image is deposited in a gas-vapor state not dipped or screen printed.

that way no feel is left fabric 'hand' is unchanged..
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Old 07-10-20, 06:39 AM
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Originally Posted by fietsbob
Synthetics colors are heat sublimated .. the image is deposited in a gas-vapor state not dipped or screen printed.

that way no feel is left fabric 'hand' is unchanged..
Translation = if I dye any of these types of synthetics in this manner, they will have a different feel/texture afterwards?
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Old 07-10-20, 07:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Translation = if I dye any of these types of synthetics in this manner, they will have a different feel/texture afterwards?
I suspect that heat sublimation is used because the synthetic fabric is not amenable to traditional dying methods.
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Old 07-10-20, 07:44 AM
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Originally Posted by JohnDThompson
I suspect that heat sublimation is used because the synthetic fabric is not amenable to traditional dying methods.
From the product reviews, it seems that for this to work, the instructions include keeping your item in the dye/water mixture at 200 degrees for an hour in a pot on your stove.
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Old 07-10-20, 08:16 AM
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Originally Posted by Sy Reene
Translation = if I dye any of these types of synthetics in this manner, they will have a different feel/texture afterwards?
Silkcreen printing certainly does.
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Old 07-11-20, 12:43 PM
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Make sure you wash them a couple times before wearing after the dye, or your skin will be the same color as your item when you take it off, especially if you sweat ....seen it, kinda funny
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