"I WORK IN A BUSY DESIGN STUDIO WHERE THE NEED FOR DYED VISUAL SAMPLES AND PRESENTATION BOARDS AT THE LAST MINUTE IS NEVER-ENDING. WITHOUT METRO DYEING, MY JOB SURELY WOULD BE MORE DIFFICULT AND OUR PRESENTATIONS WOULD BE LACKLUSTER. METRO DYEING PROVIDES THE FASTEST, MOST REASONABLY PRICED SERVICE AROUND." - Victoria's Secret Design Studio

With over twenty years of fabric dyeing experience, Metro Dyeing has become a world renowned company. Although we are fabric dyeing experts, sometimes the fibers and components of a garment react in different ways to the dyeing process, and we have compiled an easy guide to determining whether your garment or fabric may be suitable.

Cotton Fabric Dyeing:

Cotton fabrics often dye well; our facility is equipped for jeans dyeing, dress dyeing, pants dyeing, shirt dyeing, clothes dyeing and most other garments made from cotton or cotton blends. We also specialize in small quantities of cotton piece goods dyeing: please note that if the garment is a blend of polyester and cotton, there is a risk that the garment will dye unevenly.

Q: I have a lime cotton dress that I would like dyed navy blue; can you do this for me?

A: Yes, we routinely do this type of work and the results are usually excellent.

Q: I have a red polyester / cotton dress shirt that I would like dyed black; can you do this for me?

A: The result is unpredictable, we may be able to achieve a union shade of black however, the polyester may not accept the dye. If the polyester does not accept the dye, there will be a nuance between the color of the polyester and the cotton fibers.

Silk Fabric Dyeing:

Silk fabric usually dyes extremely well, and the results are often excellent: shrinkage is typically minimal.

Dyeing Stains and Bleach Spots:

We often are asked if we can dye over stains and bleach spots. This work can be done, however, in order to cover the stains or bleach spots, we must dye the fabric to a dark shade, and black is highly recommended.

Wool Fabric Dyeing:

Wool fabric does not respond well to warm water and the results are unpredictable. In the event that a customer is willing to accept the risk of damage, we will attempt a proprietary cold water dyeing process that we have developed. The results vary, but sometimes are outstanding.

Q: Will you dye my wool or cashmere sweater?

A: Yes, but it is with the understanding that you are at risk of losing the garment to excessive shrinkage. We use a proprietary cold water dyeing procedure that often produces perfect results, but we are unable to guarantee a successful dyeing process due to the inherent properties of wool fabric.

Linings Dyeing:

Dress and garment linings are often constructed of acetate or polyester, and chances are minimal that either of these fibers will match the outer shell of the garment. They will most commonly be much lighter if they are constructed of acetate or polyester. All other fibers usually dye very well.

Q: Will the lining of my dress dye the same as the outer shell?

A: If the lining is constructed of polyester or acetate, then most likely the answer is no. However, linings can easily be replaced by a seamstress or tailor. We can certainly custom dye a new lining to match the outside of a garment for you. If the lining is constructed of silk, nylon, rayon or cotton, then it should dye very well, although it may not match the outer shell exactly. This is due to the dye formula that is required for dyeing individual fibers, each fiber is dyed with a different formula.

Nylon Fabric Dyeing:

Nylon is an excellent fiber for dyeing, and the results are typically superb.

Polyester Fabric Dyeing:

Polyester has to be dyed at 280 degrees Fahrenheit in an enclosed pressure chamber, otherwise, it is impervious to the dye. When polyester is blended with natural fibers such as cotton or silk, it can sometimes be difficult to dye both fibers to match without causing damage to the natural fiber.

Q: Will you dye a polyester /cotton shirt for me?

A: Yes, but there is a chance that there will be a nuance between the color of the polyester and the cotton. We have no way of determining the outcome prior to dyeing. We use a proprietary process that increases the chances of success, but we cannot guarantee that we can do the work successfully.

Q: How was the garment dyed its original color?

A: The fibers were dyed separately and then assembled into the garment.

Polyester Threads and Zippers:

Often, polyester threads are used in garments. Polyester threads in some circumstances will be impervious to the dye and will remain the same color. Consequently, there may be a nuance between the color of the garment and the threads. We make no representations that we will be able to successfully match polyester threads to the rest of a garment.

Q: Will the threads dye the same color as my garment?

A: Yes, unless they are polyester, then they may not accept the dye.

Q: Will the zipper dye the same as my garment?

A: Yes, unless it is polyester or acetate, then it may be slightly lighter or darker than the fibers in the garment.

Turn Around Time:

Q: How long will it take to do the work?

A: 3-10 days, in some cases longer, but that is not typical. Dyeing a garment to an exact shade sometimes requires multiple color adjustments, therefore, we cannot give an exact turn around time (PLEASE READ NOTES BELOW). If express service is chosen, then we can complete the job within 24-72 hours.

Pilling:

Q: Will there be any pilling on my fabric or garment?

A: We use a nearly tension-less process, however, pilling is a result of fiber construction, which can vary from fabric to fabric and is unpredictable.

**Pilling is particular to man-made fibers. Fabrics containing fibers such as acrylic, nylon, or polyester have a tendency to pill. Abrasion from normal wear and cleaning causes the fibers to unravel, resulting in little balls on the surface of the fabric. Natural fibers like cotton, linen, or wool may also pill at times, but the balls of fibers are usually removed during laundering. When short staple fibers are used in the formation of yarns, the degree of twist is another important factor. Tightly twisted yarns compiled of short staple fibers tend to be more secure than loosely twisted yarns composed of short staple fibers. Usually the higher the twist of the individual fibers, the more securely they are bound and the less likely they are to pill.

Shrinkage:

Natural fabrics such as cotton, silk, linen and wool tend to shrink. We have no way of determining the inherent properties of a dyed fabric, as many processes and finishes may have been used prior to us receiving the garment. Therefore, we cannot be responsible for shrinkage. However, if the garment has been previously washed with warm water, then it most likely will not shrink at all.

Q: Can you tell me how much my garment will shrink?

A: No, we have no way of telling how the garment was treated prior to getting to us. Metro Dyeing uses the most relaxed dyeing methods possible to minimize shrinkage and pilling, however, we still see as little as 2% and as high as 20%. The average amount of shrinkage is 4-6%; if your fabric or garment has been washed in warm water prior to dyeing, then you should not see any shrinkage at all.

Note:

We use highly effective processes that usually produce perfect results. However, we make no representation or guarantee that we can produce a perfect result on a previously dyed fabric, and all work is done with the understanding that the garment or fabric may be damaged during the dyeing process and is at the customer's risk. Although we use a nearly tension-less "hand dyeing" process, sequins, beads and tassels on poorly constructed garments may be damaged or become detached during dyeing, and we cannot be responsible for these occurrences.

INDIVIDUAL GARMENT DYEING SPECIAL NOTE: DYEING PREVIOUSLY DYED AND FINISHED APPAREL IS AN ARDUOUS PROCESS WHICH CANNOT BE SCHEDULED, RUSHED OR PLANNED WITH PRECISION. UNLIKE PFD FABRICS OR GREIGE GOODS WHICH ARE PREDICTABLE TO WORK WITH, WE DO NOT KNOW THE COMPOSITE PROPERTIES OF THE FABRIC. A PRE-CONSTRUCTED GARMENT CAN CONSIST OF MULTIPLE FIBERS, WHICH HAVE TO BE DYED SEPARATELY, WITH SEPARATE FORMULAS, SOMETIMES WITH DIFFERENT MACHINES - THIS TAKES TIME. DUE TO THE INHERENT CHEMISTRY OF A FINISHED GARMENT THERE IS NO WAY TO PRE-FORMULATE THE DYES AND CHEMICALS WHICH WILL BE REQUIRED TO ACHIEVE A CONSISTENT COLOR MATCH, THERE IS MOST OFTEN NO SAMPLE TO TEST, ALMOST EVERY JOB IS UNIQUE. WHEN OUR DYERS ADD THE DYE, THEY CANNOT GO TOO DARK OR THE GARMENT WILL BE DESTROYED, SO THEY OFTEN START OUT LIGHT AND THEN ADJUST THE SHADE SLOWLY UNTIL THE COLOR IS ACHIEVED. WE DO NOT GURANTEE TURN AROUND TIMES OR A GARMENTS ABILITY TO TAKE DYE.