how to dye a coat?

badgerino

hello

I have a black mac-style coat from Reiss about 4 years ago which has a perfect cut and length, but its starting to look a bit grey and drab.

I was wondering what's the best way to dye it black again without making an utter mess of it.

I don't think it has waterproofing (I'm told this will prevent the dye from being absorbed) but how can I check?

Thank you! :j

squeaky

Put a finger under a tap and get it wet. Let that finger drip on your coat. If the drips stay in blobs your coat is still waterproofed. If the drips soak straight in then it ain't waterproofed (any more).

Then it might be worth reading the dylon website for tips on dyeing.

www.dylon.co.uk

holstar

just because the water soaks in doesnt mean its not waterproofed...if water beads on the surface then it is both waterproof and water-repellent
it can still be waterproof if the water looks to soak in a bit...just the external repellent coat has faded.

To remove waterproofing, wash in detergent (most soap powders contain detergents, and detergent strips waterproofing off jackets) and rinse thoroughly to remove detergent residue.

Then do whatever dyeing you wish

then re-waterproof it (if you want it re-waterproofing, which i guess you want)

then, to prevent waterproofing from being removed, wash it in pure-soap in future washes...pure soap like Lux soap flakes or i *think* you can get other brands of detergent-free soaps.

HTH hol x