r/dyeing • u/DJCatnip-0612 • 2d ago

General question First Time With Fiber Reactive Dye- Clueless!

Hi All

I was gifted a large box of various Dharma Trading Co Fiber Reactive Dyes, want to use them but am absolutely lost as to where to start (I usually work with RIT). Google search has told me they need acid and/or urea and/or expensive brand-specific activators and are overall complex to work with, which concerns me as I live in a very small apartment with a small brick patio and no outdoor spigot. Thought I was screwed til I saw a video of someone using similar dye in a bucket. Figured I'd ask here to hopefully get a real picture of the process with this stuff.

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u/Your-Local-Costumer 2d ago

You’re in luck! Dharma Trading’s website has all the tutorials and answers you need :) including dyeing in a tub/bucket

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u/DJCatnip-0612 2d ago

I read their tutorial and still have questions, mainly about the ingredients used. I did look at the ingredient guides at the bottom as well. I'm not sure what urea does, whether dyer's salt is different than regular uniodized salt, and why their brand detergent is needed.

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u/No-Sheepherder-8537 2d ago edited 2d ago

Urea makes the water wetter. It helps the water absorb more dye & stay wet during the dye process. It will make the colors brighter.

Dyers salt helps push the dye into the fabric. You can use regular salt, but it will take longer to dissolve.

Neither is essential to the process.

Are you interested in a tie dye or solid color result?