C:\Website\Immersion Dyeing Acrylic.htm

PO Box 14 • Somerset, MA 02726
orders 1-800-2-BUY-DYE
technical support 508-676-3838
fax 508-676-3980
e-mail • promail@prochemical.com
www.prochemical.com

Immersion Dyeing Acrylic
using PROsperse Disperse Dyes

Please read the directions carefully before starting.

PROsperse Disperse Dyes produce only light colors on Acrylic fabrics. Acrylic dyes at a boil, but exhaustion is slow and there is not good build up for darker shades. Expect only pale to medium shades. All dyeing should be done in a stainless steel or enamelware container only; never use an aluminum pot. Use Pyrex or stainless steel measuring utensils and a large wooden dowel for stirring in the boiling dye bath. Always do test samples before working on a large project. For additional information, visit our web site at www.prochemical.com.

Wear rubber gloves, apron, or old clothes.

Utensils used for dyeing should never be used for food preparation.

Supplies
PROsperse Disperse Dye
Citric Acid or White Distilled Vinegar
Synthrapol
PRO Dye Activator or Soda Ash

Procedure
1. Scour the fabric by machine washing in HOT 140^oF (60^oC) water, or by hand in a pot on the stove with ˝ tsp (2 gm) PRO Dye Activator or Soda Ash and ˝ tsp (2.5 ml) Synthrapol per pound of fabric (454 gm, or 3 to 4 yards of muslin weight fabric). Rinse thoroughly. This step does not add the dye fixative to the fabric; it prepares your fabric for dyeing by removing any dirt, oil or sizing.

2. Dissolve the dye. Thoroughly dissolve the desired amount of dye powder, from the chart below, in 1 cup (250 ml) of boiling water. Let mixture cool to room temperature and stir well again. Before adding to dye bath, strain it through two layers of old nylon stockings.

Immersion Dyeing for 1 pound (454 gm) 100% Acrylic

	Pale	Medium
Dye Powder	˝ tsp (1.3 gm)	1˝ tsp (3.8 gm)
Water	2˝ gallons (10 liters)	2˝ gallons (10 liters)
Synthrapol	1 tsp (5 ml)	1 tsp (5 ml)
Citric Acid or Vinegar	1/8 tsp (0.6 ml) or 1ź tsp (6.25 ml)	1/8 tsp (0.6 ml) or 1ź tsp (6.25 ml)

3. Prepare the dye bath. Measure warm 100^o to 105^oF (38^o to 41^oC) water into a non-reactive, stainless steel or enamel pot. Add your dissolved and strained dye and stir well. Add Synthrapol and Citric Acid or White Distilled Vinegar, allowing sufficient time for each to become well distributed before adding the next. Stir well and add your damp, scoured fabric.

4. Slowly increase the heat while constantly stirring fabric, raising the temperature to a boil over 30-40 minutes.

5. Stir intermittently and gently for 40 to 60 minutes, to prevent the fabric from creasing or distorting.

6. Remove from the heat and allow the dye bath to cool to below 150^oF (66^oC).

7. After the dye bath cools to 150^oF (66^oC), rapidly cool fabric by allowing cool water to run into dye pot.

8. Rinse well, extract excess water and dry the fabric.