See TAN article reprint about history and chemistry of fiber reactive dyes here.

Surface Application Recipes for PROCION or other Fiber Reactive ("cold water" type) Dyes

by Susan Druding

This is a recipe for a simple technique for printing or spraying Procion ® ICI, Chemicals Ltd. (fiber reactive cold water dyes) onto cotton, rayon, or silk fabrics, warp yarns, skeins of yarn, or fibers. This recipe can be used by spinners, weavers, knitters, quilters, or anyone who wants to apply color to fiber.

For simple immersion dyeing instructions for fiber reactive dyes - see here.

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Dye Safety Note

Always be careful working with dye powders. Work in well-ventilated area and do not inhale powders. They are not poisonous, but they can irritate lungs. If working frequently with dye powder it is suggested you wear a mask or filter. Wear rubber gloves if you are getting dye on your hands while working. Disposable medical gloves are fine for this. If working with children, don't let them handle powdered dyes. Mix the dye liquids or pastes in advance for them.

• Materials Needed:
  
• Procion dyes
• Urea
• Baking soda.
• Sodium alginate if painting or printing (this is a thickener made from seaweed)
  ( Baking soda can be bought in most supermarkets. Procion, urea and sodium alginate are available from dye suppliers.)

• To make spray solution
  
• Dissolve 10 Tablespoons of urea in 4 cups warm water. (this will be referred to as "urea water"). Put about a cup of urea water into a glass jar or pyrex container.
• Make a paste of 1-3 teaspoons of Procion dye powder with warm tap water (as if you were mixing flour and water for gravy) and add it to the cup of urea water. Do this for each color desired to make 4 cups of 4 different colors.
• Just prior to using the dye solution, stir in 1-1/2 teaspoons of baking soda (sodium bi-carbonate) to each cup.
  

Keep mixture cool for maximum life of dye solution. The dye is activated once you add the soda and the sooner you use it the stronger the colors will be.

For deepest colors use 3 teaspoons of dye powder per cup of urea water. Using more than this will waste dye and cause excessive color bleeding and staining of white areas of the fabric.

Dyes may be sprayed with spray bottles, brushed on with brushes or fabric /yarns may be dipped into the colors. Be careful not to mix the colors in the jars.

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• To make thickened dye for painting or printing:
• Put about 1 cup of urea water into a blender.
• Add 1 teaspoon of alginate thickener and mix at high speed.
• Pour in another cup of urea water and add 1-2 more teasp's of alginate and blend at high speed.
• Continue until you have added all 4 cups of urea water and 4-8 teaspoons of alginate. (More alginate for thicker paste).
• Divide the quart of thickened paste into 4 glass or plastic cup containers. Into each add 1-3 teaspoons of pre-pasted dye powder of chosen colors (pasted with a little warm tap water).
• Just prior to using the dye paste, add 1-1/2 teaspoon baking soda to each cup of dye paste. Stir well. Keep paste cool to prolong dye life.
• Apply thickened paste with brushes, print blocks, silk screen & squeegee.

1. To set dyes after either spraying or applying in paste
   (use any of these following techniques):
   
2. Steam iron for 5-10 min., rinse, wash, rinse (in cold water until clear)
3. Hang fabric in hot steamy shower, iron, rinse, wash, rinse
4. Steam in shower, toss in hot dryer, rinse, wash, rinse
5. Use de-wrinkler at a laundromat where available, rinse, wash, rinse
6. Take to professional high pressure steamer or autoclave, rinse, wash, rinse
7. Steam in shower, wrap in plain butcher paper (not newspaper) and bake in slow over (250 degrees) for 30 min, rinse, wash, rinse

As you can see, the principle is one of moist heat to set dyes.

Do not expose undeveloped dyes to sunlight, do not dry in the sun as until they are set they can easily fade. You do not need to develop dyes immediately after applying color. It is OK to allow the dye paste to dry on the fabric before steaming or otherwise setting dyes. But, stronger colors will result if setting takes place within 1-3 days.

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Refrigerate the dye solutions or pastes not used during initial session. You may re-vitalize them the next day with addition of more baking soda, but some color loss will have taken place. It is best to mix the amounts of solution or paste with baking soda that you can use in one day's session. The non-baking soda added solutions or paste will last several days if not contaminated with soda. (The soda starts the dye activation.)

© 1983 Susan Druding
Not to be reproduced by any means, including electronic, without permission except for personal use.

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URL of this page is http://www.straw.com/sig/procion.html
Last revision March 19, 1997

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