
Acid dyes can permanently heat-set into any kind of material that comes from an animal.įor this reason, you can do real, long-lasting fabric dyeing projects using food coloring if you choose to work with wool or silk! Most of the time, though, you will want to use food coloring as a temporary coloring agent for cotton products. This is because food coloring is technically an acid dye. This means the dye can’t soak into the synthetic material!Īs a note of caution, food coloring may permanently dye protein-based fabric such as wool and silk.

Most synthetic fabrics are essentially made out of plastic, which does not absorb water. The color will not set well in a synthetic material such as polyester. You will see the most vibrant results if you use plain white t-shirts or socks, too. This makes them a risky choice for using with children!įood coloring, sometimes also called color additives, works best in cotton fabric. While most fabric dyes today don’t contain poisonous elements, they contain strong chemicals and permanently stain many surfaces. You may find the temporary nature of food coloring design annoying, but using this kind of dye does offer a safe alternative to most commercial dyes.

This allows it to soak into any kind of cloth that absorbs water, such as cotton. Most commercial food coloring is made out of petroleum and is water-soluble, meaning that it can dissolve in water. That said, food coloring does not have the vibrancy or permanency of actual fabric dyes. This coloring agent easily dissolves in water for a quick, fun dying process. Food coloring works great for fun kid crafts like tie-dyeing t-shirts or socks. You can tie-dye with food coloring, though it typically does not create a fabric dye’s bold color and permanent designs.
TIE DYE SWIRL HOW TO
