Before customizing a t-shirt or other fabric item, make sure you have the right kind of paint for your chosen fabric. Some fabrics, like polyester, don’t take regular fabric puff paint very well and may require a different kind of paint.
So, what are the best fabric paints for polyester? The best fabric paints for polyester are acrylic paints that go smoothly on synthetic fabrics, are vibrant in color, and have a flexible finish.
There are types of acrylic fabric paints out there that work great for polyester and other synthetic fabrics. It’s important to learn about the differences so you can choose the right paint for your project.
Buyer’s Guide For Fabric Paints For Polyester
Acrylic Paint
Not all fabric paints are acrylic paints, and not all acrylic paints work well on fabrics. The key here is to find acrylic fabric paint, which is specifically labeled for use on fabrics.
Not all acrylic fabric paints will say “acrylic” on the label or in the name. Some will simply say fabric paint, but if you read closer on the product description, you’ll be able to see that it’s acrylic paint.
Since polyester is a synthetic fabric made with plastic fibers, that plastic material may not always take regular fabric paints well. However, acrylic fabric paints are known to adhere well to synthetic fabrics, which is why they’re the best choice.
Work On Synthetic Fabrics
Although acrylic fabric paint is the best option for polyester fabrics, it’s certainly not the only option. The most important thing to look for on the label of your fabric paints is if it works well on synthetic fabrics.
Some fabric paints will list the fabrics they work well on, such as cotton, leather, and more. These are fine, but they’re not guaranteed to work on polyester.
For best results, we recommend finding fabric paint that specifically states, “works on synthetic fabrics.” If it doesn’t mention synthetic fabrics, you may need to pass on that brand and find one that does.
Vibrant Colors
Fabrics can come in a wide variety of colors, so if you really want your paint to pop, you’ll want to find paints in bright, vibrant colors.
Even though fabric paints are designed to stay on after washing, the colors will fade over time. Dull paints may fade faster, or simply look out of place on the fabric.
It’s best to find a pack of fabric paints that includes a wide variety of bright colors perfect for your project.
Most fabric paint sets will also include metallic or even neon colors. Incorporating metallic or neon can help take your custom fabric to the next level and give it an even better final look.
Flexible Finish
Acrylic paints, and other types of paint, are often stiff when dried. This works fine when you’re using them on a canvas or wood, but not so much on fabric.
For paints used on fabrics, you want to make sure they have a bit of a flexible finish to them. This will help them still move, fold, bend, and curve with the natural shape of the fabric.
Of course, there is still a layer of paint over the fabric, so you can expect a little stiffness when it’s dry. It should feel like an area of the fabric that’s a little harder than the rest, but still moves and manipulates nearly the same as the rest of the fabric.
The Best Fabric Paints For Polyester
Now that you have a better idea of the type of paint you’ll need to purchase for use on polyester fabrics, we recommend choosing one of the products listed below.
| Rank | Product | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | U.S. Art Supply 24 Color Set of Permanent Acrylic Fabric Paint | 24 vibrant colors, includes regular and metallic colors, acrylic paint, works on fabrics, flexible finish |
| 2. | Mont Marte Permanent Fabric Paint Set 8 | 8 vibrant colors, acrylic paint, works on fabrics, flexible finish |
| 3. | Tulip Dimensional Fabric Pack, Non-Toxic and Permanent 3D Paint | 20 vibrant colors, includes regular and neon colors, puffy fabric paint, works on fabrics, writer tip on bottles |
| 4. | FolkArt Brush on Fabric Paint Beginner Set | 8 colors, acrylic paint, works on fabrics, flexible finish |
| 5. | Magicfly Permanent Soft Fabric Paint Set for Clothes 14 Colors | 14 vibrant colors, includes regular, neon, and metallic colors, also offers all metallic colors pack, acrylic paint, works on fabrics, flexible finish |
| 6. | Shuttle Art 18 Colors Permanent Soft Fabric Paint | 18 vibrant colors, includes regular and 2 metallic colors, fabric paint, works on fabrics, flexible finish |
| 7. | Zenacolor Fabric Paint For Clothes | 14 vibrant colors, includes regular and metallic colors, water-based fabric paints, works on fabrics, flexible finish |
1. U.S. Art Supply 24 Color Set of Permanent Acrylic Fabric Paint
The first option on the list for paints that work well on polyester fabrics is this 24-pack from U.S. Art Supply.
Not only will you get the most color options with this pack, but you’ll be purchasing paints from one of the leading art supply brands in the country.
This set of acrylic fabric paints includes 12 regular colors and 12 metallic colors to give you the best variety for your money.
They work well on fabrics, including synthetic fabrics like polyester, and have a nice, soft finish.
2. Mont Marte Permanent Fabric Paint Set 8
If you’re looking for just a small number of colors for a simple project, we recommend this set from Mont Marte.
This acrylic fabric paint set includes just 8 colors, but those 8 colors can be used as-is or blended together to create new colors.
Small projects would benefit from this set because you only have what you need, and you won’t be left with a lot of leftover paint you may never use. Plus, for the price, this set is a great deal.
It goes on smoothly with vivid, bright colors that dry to a nice, flexible finish.
3. Tulip Dimensional Fabric Pack, Non-Toxic and Permanent 3D Paint
For those looking for more bang for your buck with a large color variety, we highly recommend this Tulip Dimensional Fabric Paint set.
Tulip is another great, well-respected brand when it comes to fabric paints. The great thing about this pack is that you’ll still get that puffy, 3-dimensional look that’s characteristic of many fabric paints.
With 10 regular colors and 10 neon colors, you’ll get a great variety of color options to choose from.
You can apply them easily directly onto the fabric using the writer tip that comes with each bottle.
4. FolkArt Brush on Fabric Paint Beginner Set
FolkArt is another popular and well-known art brand with fantastic paints. Their fabric paint is no exception.
This is another 8-color set ideal for those with smaller projects or projects that need less color options.
These colors don’t appear as vibrant or bright as others, but this can be perfect for those looking to get a little more artistic and softer with their fabric decorations.
These paints have a soft finish when dry, giving your fabric the same movement as before you painted it.
5. Magicfly Permanent Soft Fabric Paint Set for Clothes 14 Colors
The Magicfly fabric paint set is ideal for those who may not already own any paintbrushes and just need a few for this fabric painting project.
In this set, you’ll get 14 different colors of fabric paint, as well as 3 paintbrushes to apply them to your fabrics.
Although this paint isn’t specified as being acrylic, it is specifically stated to work on both synthetic and natural fabrics.
You can get this fabric paint set with a mixture of regular, neon, and metallic colors, or you can get their all-metallic set that includes 12 different metallic colors.
6. Shuttle Art 18 Colors Permanent Soft Fabric Paint
With this Shuttle Art fabric paint set, you’ll get 18 different colors, including some bright fluorescents and some shiny metallics.
These paints can be applied to your fabrics using the included paintbrushes. You can also mix them to create new colors on your included paint palette.
Not only that, but you can also use any of the 18 pattern sticker stencils included in this set, making this the option that truly gives you the most for your money.
This set is not specifically listed as being acrylic paint, but it does say that these paints work well on both synthetic and natural fibers.
7. Fabric Paint For Clothes Zenacolor – Set of 14 Colors
Our final recommended product is this set of 14 fabric paint colors from Zenacolor.
This set includes regular colors as well as 2 metallic colors, gold and silver. You also get 3 paintbrushes to help you apply the paints to your fabrics.
These paints are not listed as acrylic nor are they specified for synthetic fibers, but they are rated to work on all types of fabrics, so we believe they’d work well on polyester if you give them a try.
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