In the year, I’ve been living in a bag, traveling for research and work, as well as vacations now and then. The travels I’m currently taking were extended from 5 weeks to a few months; it was an actual test for the clothes I packed as well as my desire as someone who is thinking about fashion frequently to feel and look fresh.
Every item has been on frequent frequency, but the two pieces I’ve worn most frequently are the black ribbed high-necked jumper with a zip-front and a dark pair of pants that have an elastic waist. I’ve worn these on trains and flights as I write at home, on my way to the gym and back, and during my morning coffee runs. I’ve even driven all the way across California wearing them to visit an agricultural farm that grows flax. Due to their spacious, architectural cut, the cuts look fashionable but are comfortable. This is the reason I love these so frequently.
But regardless of the harsh washing or the tough I’ve pushed these through the years, their color has diminished. Both are made of cotton, which is known to be less colorfast than other fabrics; however (as the experts I’ve consulted in dyeing clothing), cotton is better at absorbing dye.
Instead of purchasing a brand new item, I decided to re-do them to their original dark, black shade. I sought advice from Neuw Denim menswear designer Jason Hewitt about the best and simplest method of overdoing them. He suggested a packet of dye that you could run in the washing machine.
Check your LLabel(and that of the equipment)
“Firstly, always check the fibre content of the garment you’re dyeing and make sure you are using the correct dye for the job,” Hewitt advises.
As per the directions on the packet, according to the instructions on the box, the dye I’ve purchased can be used on viscose, cotton, and linen but not silk, wool, or nylon. It states that clothes constructed from mixtures of these materials will produce lighter shades, and the blend must not exceed 20 percent in total.
It is important to ensure that the dye you choose is suitable to be used with the specific washing machine you own. I wanted one that could be compatible with front loaders.
Make sure you check your threads as well.
If you’re planning to dye your garment using contrast stitching, the result will vary. “Since most threads are polyester when dyeing anything of any color but especially black, the threads don’t take the dye that well,” Hewitt says.
The threads on both of my clothing are also black, as is the zip on the sweater. However, I’m not entirely sure of what the fabric is made of since they’re the same color as the rest of the garment, and there aren’t any details on the threads that could be visible poorly.
I always photograph the labels on the care labels of my garments to ensure that they don’t fade and become unreadable.
Do a temperature check on the water.
Hewitt insists that it’s crucial to dye your clothes at the temperature stated on the labelLabel to ensure that you are able to reconcile this with the directions in the labelLabelcare on every garment. If the dye requires more heat than that on the care label, it could result in shrinking or damaging your garment.
It’s a bit of a pause for me since I hadn’t done this prior to purchasing the dye. Both clothes require an icy wash, but the dye packet advises that you wash the garments at 40 degrees Celsius. In the end, I’m sure that the fabric is of high-quality material and believe it shouldn’t be a problem. Still, in the event that they were made from different blends of fibers, like silk or wool and silk, I could have stopped here and felt a bit annoyed with myself for spending money on the wrong dye.
The process
The instructions for the dye state that clothes must be dry and clean, which is why I put them through a washing cycle. Then, I take the dye out of its wrap, which is essentially the shape of a ball made of plastic with a small hole at the top and a powder inside. Then, remove the lid and put it over my wet clothes as per the directions, and then run them through a process. It’s a neat and simple way to make the correct amount of dye with extremely low chances of spills or splattering. However, I take off the expensive cream, red, and blue knit that I’m wearing and put it on a black T-shirt to be prepared.
Rinse and repeat.
After the cycle has finished, the empty pod has to be taken out. The directions suggest adding some laundry detergent and then repeating the wash cycle with the exact temperature.
Dry the clothes
After being dyed, washed, and dried, the clothes are waiting to dry in the shade, away from sources of direct heat. I place them on a clothes-horse and smooth any wrinkles.
Clean your machine
The removal of dye from the washing machine is crucial to prevent a disaster with your laundry the next time it’s utilized. Hewitt recommends running the washing machine that is empty through another cycle at either 40C or 60C to make sure all the dye has been drained. “It’ll be a real tragedy if you put a load of whites on and they come out grey.”
The outcomes
The clothing has definitely changed to a darker black color, which is exactly the color I was hoping for. The pants, composed of fine cotton twill, appear to have absorbed dye more quickly than the jumper. It is made from a thick ribbed knit, so it’s denser and has more yarn available to paint. However, the pants also lost more color, making it difficult to judge them to like. The labels for care on both items have become completely black.
I’m somewhat concerned about the amount of energy and water it took to complete the process, given the fact that it took four washing cycles. However, the anxiety can be eased through a quick analysis of how much water is required to wash new clothes.
The typical front-loader washing machine consumes 50 liters of water per cycle, so in total, I used around 200 liters of water. In Australia, the average is on average 2,400 liters for the production of one kilo of cotton, according to the Australian Cotton – which makes it one of the most water-efficient cotton anywhere in the world. It’s not likely, however, that Australian cotton has been used to make both products (although they both come from Australian designers). The fabric is organic cotton, which is not produced in Australia. The pants are certified with a Better Cotton Initiative certification, which indicates better standards of farming that could match Australian standards. However, it’s not clear.
If you think about it, new clothes will require water to dye and treat, and redying old clothing uses only less than a quarter amount of water. As someone who was from Melbourne, there is something very satisfying about the process of restoring the black of your clothes to a black color.