Help removing dye from flight suit

ed209

Well-Known Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Oct 25, 2017

• #1

So, I bought a green Rothco flight suit and wanted to change it to tan (They didn't have a tan one in my size and it's too late to have one shipped so close to Halloween). I bought some Rit dye remover, but after two attempts it appears as if none of the color has been removed (The fabric is a 65% polyester/35% cotton blend, I believe).

Any suggestions on how to remove the dye? Also, I bought some tan Rit synthetic dye; will that actually hold onto the fabric if I just try to dye over the green? Or will I come out with some monstrosity of a color?

 

PropReplicator2

Master Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Oct 25, 2017

• #2

Never try to dye over a color. Even if the piece is white to begin with.. you can buy a product by RIT called RIT dye remover from Walmart in the sewing and dye section. For a full flightsuit it should only take about 1-2 boxes, but I believe its about $1.75 per box of the powder stuff. Then just dye the piece like regular afterwords. But using this stuff, and not skipping this step will bring out the maximum color to your piece.

Hope that helps.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

 

division 6

Master Member

• Oct 25, 2017

• #3

Probably won't work.

I have one in blue (different brand) that I tried several boxes of remover and even bleach and it didn't even lighten.

 

aeonpulse

Sr Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Oct 25, 2017

• #4

I tried dying / removing color from a flight suit a while ago and had zero luck. Removers had no effect on the color, and the fabric wouldn't hold any dye. I even tried a few boxes of the Rit stuff specifically made for synthetic materials, still nothing.

 

M

MaulWalker

Sr Member

• Oct 25, 2017

• #5

Polyester is extruded plastic - the color is integral to the fiber. There is no way to remove the color without destroying the fabric. If you try to overdye it, you are going to end up with a mostly green with a brownish cast.

 

ed209

Well-Known Member

RPF PREMIUM MEMBER

• Oct 25, 2017

• #6

PropReplicator2 said:

you can buy a product by RIT called RIT dye remover from Walmart in the sewing and dye section. For a full flightsuit it should only take about 1-2 boxes, but I believe its about $1.75 per box of the powder stuff. Then just dye the piece like regular afterwords. But using this stuff, and not skipping this step will bring out the maximum color to your piece.

Hope that helps.

Sent from my XT1097 using Tapatalk

Click to expand...

Tried that already...twice. Had no effect. I read an article that suggested leaving it in the dye remover over night, but that was for a tan flight suit. It left the polyester strands yellow though, so it sounds like I'm just going to have to work with the OD green instead.

Either that, or just combine a tan combat shirt with tan cargo pants.