DRESS DYEING LAB - 5 THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT DRESS DYEING

An increasingly popular alternative to ditching your beloved dress is to have it custom dyed.  We did a test by sending dresses to a handful of dyers around the United States and had some great results, but watch out, because we ran into some companies that sure could talk the talk, but couldn’t walk the walk!

  1. Not all fabrics are created equal.  If you are thinking about sending out your garment for dyeing, there are some important factors to take into consideration. You will need to know how different fibers dye and more important, which fibers do not dye.  Polyester and Acetate have to be dyed at very high temperatures, above boiling, while wool and silk have to be dyed in luke warm to cold dye baths to preserve the integrity of the fiber.  If you combine these fibers, you have a recipe for disaster, unless that is, you are in the hands of a professional dyer.  To learn more about dyeing a dress, this company has provided a handy Q & A
  2. Research the dyer who you are sending your precious garment to. In the modern day of the World Wide Web, people can create dynamic web pages to make themselves look like industry giants, make sure you are dealing with a well-established business with creditable references. Engage in a conversation with your dyer, learn if this is the right move for you.  
  3. Check references, this speaks volumes about a company’s reputation.
  4. We found it is a great idea to pre-wash your garment with warm water prior to sending it to a dyer.  This will help ensure that there will be no additional shrinkage or abrasion from the dyeing process. 
  5. We sent garments to a handful of dyers; we found the only legitimate company that we could actually schedule a consultation with was Metro Custom Dyeing in The Garment District of Manhattan.  They are a professionally staffed company that services the fashion and design houses in New York City and beyond.  We brought them a silk dress to be dyed, it took about one week, cost $75.00 plus tax and came out as beautiful as we could have ever expected.