My favorite levi's jeans are fading, and i want to know if there are some dyes that can restore them.
The best dyes for Jeans?
- Thread starter MrLara
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- #2
Anyone?
Have you consider one of those Indigo Dye Kits? I have no idea if they work well, or if they are easy to work with or not, but if your jeans are already semi-dark and you are trying to darken then back up it might help. I like my jeans better after they start to fade, so I am of little help.
If you wash or launder they will fade, they are supposed to. If you do not want fading you might try having them dry cleaned, but I have doubts about that working. The indigo dyes used do not actually dye, but rather coat the threads and as it wears off you get the fading.
I am afraid I have no idea about dying jeans, but if they are fading, wouldn't it be much easier to buy a new pair and start again? I somehow envision the dying process as being a mess.
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- #6
Yes, that would probably be much easier. But you know how you have that pair of shoes that's been perfectly broken in and fit great? and all you do to keep them is replace the soles instead of buying new ones? that's why i'm trying to see if i can restore the color on these.
Heh, you could try not washing them. In all honesty, I only wash my darker jeans once in a while. Also, turn them inside out when you wash them and hang dry them on a drying rack; it will help keep the color longer. I know this doesn't "save" your current pair, but my dark-colored jeans haven't faded much, if at all, with that method.
SWMBO keeps telling me to wash my 501's. I keep telling her they do not need to be washed as often as she thinks. When they do get washed it is on cold wash, cold rinse and hung to dry. I use oxy-clean. Just upsets her to no end....but my clothes I take care of them the way I want. BTW, dying seems to be a messy way to go.
I see your point!
I got into tie dying stuff for a time and there's a company called Dharma Trading that I ordered my supplies from. Issue may be with your jeans because they've been washed so much the fibers may not absorb any dye at this point anyway. When I tried a couple "test shirts" that I'd worn and washed the fabric didn't hold the color in. New shirts sucked it up like a magnet since the fibers weren't coated with detergent.
I had an accident a few months ago that gave me an idea...
I was fixing my car when a jack broke. All the jack's oil shot out and hit my jeans. RUINED! I tried washing them but the stain was set. HOWEVER, every spot where the oil hit gave my jean a very pleasant dark color.
I'm now thinking of just dunking the entire jeans in the oil and seeing the results. Got nothing to lose now. As always...YMMV.
I was fixing my car when a jack broke. All the jack's oil shot out and hit my jeans. RUINED! I tried washing them but the stain was set. HOWEVER, every spot where the oil hit gave my jean a very pleasant dark color.
I'm now thinking of just dunking the entire jeans in the oil and seeing the results. Got nothing to lose now. As always...YMMV.
That sounds very interesting, as long as you could wipe away any excess oil. Want to give it a shot and show us how it turns out?
I was thinking of doing the same. The jeans are ruined as is so I figure it's worth a shot. Will document it when I get around to it. 
Embrace the fade, it's what makes those jeans unique to you and shows the mileage you put on them. Get another pair for dressier occasions and keep those as daily drivers.
Use cold water fiber reactive dye. Rit and other kits won't due. Black is really hard to get to be true black so hopefully they are blue. I have used prociom mx with good results. It takes time and effort but it gives the best results for less than ten dollars. Matching colors is really hard but you should be able to get a color you like. Keep in mind stains won't disappear when dyed but may not be noticeable. The points that are worn will be a different shade. Also in the future use woo lite dark and never dry them in the dryer. I have a slight denim obsession. Pm me if you want more details.
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- #16
What is a prociom mix? I have never heard of that
It is easy for me to find locally at blick. It is similar to dharma's fiber reactive dye.
http://www.jacquardproducts.com/procion-mx.html
I find the process fairly uncomplicated as I usually tub dye. You need other stuff like soda ash but I think the result is way better and more per infant than rit.
http://www.jacquardproducts.com/procion-mx.html
I find the process fairly uncomplicated as I usually tub dye. You need other stuff like soda ash but I think the result is way better and more per infant than rit.
