A summer activities checklist wouldn’t be quite complete without a tie and dye party. The decades-old fabric dyeing technique is one of the most fun things for kids to do during holidays at home and in camps. Even craftsy teens and adults enjoy it too.
Think of the basic t-shirt forgotten in the furthest corner of your closet. That tote bag from the thrift store you never carry. With color and a little creativity, you can bring some fresh vibes to such apparel that is dull, faded, out of style, or just plain boring.
If you are looking to delve into DIY dyeing you must be wondering, what’s the best fabric dye for beginners? Going by its overwhelmingly huge number of fans, we believe that Rit dye cuts the mark!
But is Rit dye toxic? Rit dye is non-toxic and approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. Its primary composition is made of non-carcinogenic materials. It is safe to use on a variety of items and safe to wash down the sink.
To be sure it is the right choice for you, this article is dedicated to reviewing the product. You will, therefore, find answers to questions surrounding its safety, performance, and uses.
But first things first. Let’s talk about safety.
Is Rit Dye Toxic? How Safe is it?
Many love to involve kids in their dyeing projects. It’s fun, it’s colorful, and especially with an adult around, much of the work can be quite simple for kids. They love lending a hand anyway.
But when it comes to kids – or adults working on their own! – safety is a major priority when choosing a dye.
This raises a critical question:
Are Rit brand dyes toxic? Fortunately, Rit brand dyes are nontoxic and approved by the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is, therefore, safe for use by you and the children.
That means you can comfortably dye your babies’ clothes with it and your pet’s collection too.
For one, it’s composition is mainly salt and surfactants that are considered to be non-carcinogenic. The product is not tested on animals either, which is great news for vegan and animal-loving crafters. Still, you can be confident that the formula poses no real harm.
Also, because it is non-toxic, you can pour the dye water down the drain into the sewer or septic tank with the least fear of any severely destructive environmental impact.
Rit dye is a classic brand that has over ten decades of experience, and you can safely and happily trust it, knowing it is perfectly safe and non-toxic.
Now that that’s cleared up, we’ll outline more reasons why Rit dye is a favorite choice for many home crafters!
Key Features of Rit Dye
Apart from being generally safe, what makes Rit dye such a crowd-puller? Well, a lot of things.
Here are some of the most beloved qualities in Rit dye:
It is Incredibly Easy to Use
If there’s one reason so many dyeing crafts come out as total flops, it is because of the precise measureing and mixing of auxiliary chemical ingredients.
Rit dye eliminates the need for such hassle with a ready-to-use mixture. The website also provides simple and clear procedures for using their products. You simply can’t go wrong with the instructions.
There’s a Ton of Color Options
Rit has made it the brand’s business to cater to every customer’s taste, and every possible theme. Adults and kids alike will be thrilled by the wide variety of vibrant colors available to choose from.
Can’t seem to find what you are looking for? Well, there are more than a thousand recipes available on the website to make sure almost every hue and tone under the sun is achievable somehow!
The Product Line is Versatile
In addition to having an assortment of colors, there’s a Rit dye for every project. Rit All-Purpose Dye is for natural, washable fibers such as cotton, linen, silk, wool, viscose, and rayon.
If you’d like to work on synthetic makes like polyester, or nylon plastics, Rit Dyemore will get the job done.
There’s even a Rit Dye Color Remover for reversing those messy outcomes. It is particularly useful for getting rid of any original dark color before dyeing your apparel (this is because having a lighter color to begin with yields the best results).
It Performs Exceptionally Well
In general, Rit dyes are known for their colorfastness and intensity. The effectiveness of these dyes is more dependent on how well the user follows instructions, although we can’t swear every hue is perfect.
When used as directed, you not only get the desired saturation but also, prevent the dye from bleeding during subsequent washes.
Best Uses for Rit dye
Now moving to the fun side of things, what crafts are perfect for the Rit dye magic?
Widely known as a textile dye, it is perhaps pretty obvious to you already that Rit dyes will work remarkably well on fabrics.
However, you can do so much more beyond dyeing your clothes. For example, Rit All-purpose Dye will also adhere to wood, paper, cork, and wicker, opening up a myriad of dyeing possibilities.
Here are some of the ingenious ways you can use Rit dye:
1. Upcycling Clothes
Unwanted clothing tends to end up in landfills. But you could save some of them from that fate, especially if they’re still in good condition.
Using Rit dye, you can restore faded clothes back to their original brightness, give them a new hue to sport, or create a tie-dye pattern to camouflage any stained ones! That’s even better than getting a new shirt, because you already know it fits you perfectly.
2. Staying in Style
You can turn anything – sweaters, shirts, pants, shorts, dresses – into the fashionable color of the season. Even canvas shoes, straw hats, sunglasses frames, and fiber bags.
New mom? You know what it’s like to get all whites, pinks, or blues at the baby shower – all pastel colors that are bound to get dirty in a week with a little tot around!
You can turn those boring (and soon to be stained) colors around by dyeing a few onesies into more trendy shades using Rit dye.
3. Sprucing Your Interior Decor
Want to decorate on a budget? We understand. An entire home upgrade is pretty expensive. You may just need a few bottles of Rit dye to transform your curtains, bedspreads, cushion covers, wicker storage baskets, and mats into a brand new look.
Did you know that Rit All-purpose Dye will color sand too? Colored sand makes eye-catchy decor when layered in clear glass bowls or bottles.
4. Staining Wooden Creations
Rit dye can be the perfect touch-up to your unfinished wooden masterpieces. Whether it’s a birdhouse, a jewelry box, a small chest, picture frames, or wooden toys.
It doesn’t even have to be your own project. Even old stuff around the house sometimes needs a breath of new life.
The best thing about dyeing your wood with Rit dye is that it is water-based and thus gets integrated into the grains without concealing its natural beautiful pattern.
Also, unlike paint, dyes can’t peel!
5. Dyeing Cork Crafts
If you are a cork collector then you probably already have craft ideas for them: wreaths, jewelry holders, place card holders, coasters, just to mention a few.
You can add some glamour by first tinting them with Rit dye to make the end product more appealing.
6. Dyeing Paper Crafts
You can customize any papercraft into your desired color scheme with Rit dye, be it DIY gift tags, birthday invitation cards, paper flowers, etc.
7. Landscaping
This was probably unforeseen but you can actually decorate your outdoor space with Rit dye. Think of a colored walkway – just brilliant.
It works surprisingly well on some types of pebbles, rock, and gravel (but you have to test it first since stones vary).
8. DIY Costumes and Jewelry
Do you enjoy hand-making costumes and jewelry for cosplay, Halloween, and such dramatic spectacles? You can dye all parts of your costume and your household decorations, from fabric, wooden beads, feathers, macrame, wigs, and other pieces, all with Rit dye!
These are just but a few uses of Rit dye. The alternative uses conceivable are near-infinite!
Related Questions
Which is Better, Rit Liquid or Rit Powder Dyes?
None is better than the other. They have the exact same performance.
The only difference is in the concentration. Rit liquid dye is twice as concentrated as Rit powder dye. It really comes down to your familiarity and ability to use either. If you’re comfortable with one, stick with it.
Does Rit Dye Have a Smell?
Not really. Rit dye is non-toxic and so it should not emit any very strong fumes. You do not, therefore, need that much ventilation as you might with other chemical dyes.
How Do You Set Rit Dye?
You can set Rit dye or most other dyes a few different ways, but a simple method is by using very hot water and salt/vinegar.
We highly recommend dipping your freshly dyed fabric in a Rit Colorstay Dye Fixative as well before rinsing.
How Do You Prevent Blotches and Streaks?
Some consider the unevenness of hand dyeing part of the charm! Still, you can avoid obvious discolorations or outright streaks and blotches if you’re careful.
You can use a large enough container that prevents the fabric from crumpling up. This allows more room for the dye to move freely (and come into contact with everything you dye). You can also encourage dye to take by stirring or moving the contents around.
You will also want to be careful to dye a whole item all at once (unless you are purposely going for different colors and tones in your piece).
The longer you leave an item in a dye bath, the stronger the color takes! So if one end is toeing the dye water while the rest hangs above, you’re asking for a color difference.
Place the whole item in at once carefully, but in a timely way. Make sure it is all submerged quickly, in the beginning of the process and move it around at the beginning, at least enough to be sure every inch of the surface has made contact with the dye water.
Where Should You Dye Your Items: Washer, Sink, or Bucket?
Where and how you would like to dye your stuff is really up to you. Rit dye offers these three methods for dyeing: in the washing machine, on a stovetop, or bucket/tub/sink method.
Since Rit dye is non-toxic, there isn’t much concern with any way you might choose! It’s all about preference.
Does it Stain the Sink?
Rit will only stain porcelain and fiberglass sinks, so it is not recommended for in these cases. Any other type of sink will not stain if washed with soap and water after dyeing.
How Do You Remove Dye Stain From Your Hands?
You could always wear gloves! However, if you stain your hands, wash them with soap and water as soon as you can. The sooner the better.
What if You Are Unhappy With the New Color, Can You Remove the Dye?
Yes, you should be able to use Rit Dye Color Remover to eliminate the new dye as well as existing (original) dye. However, it may not look its best until you dye it a new color.
In conclusion, Rit dye is a non-toxic trusted brand that is safe for you and your family. It is so versatile you can use it to make anything colorful. It comes in delightful colors and puts you in control of the tones, shades, and intensity you wish to achieve.
Clear guidelines on how to use Rit dye for each of the different types of material you wish to dye are provided. Following them religiously is the secret to dyeing your stuff successfully.
Most importantly, have fun while you’re at it!
Up Next: How To Set Indigo Dye In Fabric – Step By Step
