Material dyeing

[Hugh Barnes]

I am amazed to have been able to acquire some trim material that is identical to the original in my car that is beyond use. This trim goes round the bottom edge of the headlining above the doors right round the car. It is a hard cotton material and possibly something like the uncut moquette that seat covering is made from. The problem I have is that what I have managed to find is not the right colour. I would like to get it to the brown of the original, though perhaps blue so as to match the upholstery might not look out of place. DOes anyone have any ideas as to how best to achieve that? 

   

[Mike Costigan]

I've used Rit dyeing products in the past with satisfactory results. To get that brown you will probably need to use colour remover first:

https://www.ritdye.com/how-to-dye/

https://www.ritdye.com/instructions/how-...nge-color/

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/204485150906?...OlJAAAAAAA

Probably best to try a small section first and maybe experiment to get the colour you want.

Dylon is another long-established brand, but they have a limited colour range:

https://www.dylon.co.uk/products/hand-dy...brown.html

[Hugh Barnes]

Mike, that is really helpful, thanks. I did wonder about 'neutralising' the colour before re-dyeing it to the required colour but only had thought of bleaching it - though was worried that would damage the materail in some way or, worse, make it rot. I didn't know there was such a thing as a 'colour remover'. I have some excess so could do a trial piece first..

Thanks - a great help....

PS - I should say that the colour difference has not come over particularly well in the photo and the difference between the two pieces is much mire marked in the flesh...

[Malcolm Parker]

I have some spare moquette that was woven by Holdsworth's when I restored my RL saloon.   They used a small loom rather than the normal 54" wide ones.  The finished pattern was 36" wide and this left a margin about 6" wide that was the plain background, in my case a fawny colour.   I will dig some out and post a photo on the forum.  If the colour is suitable, I will cut some off and you are welcome to it.

[Hugh Barnes]

Thank you, Malcolm,that is a kind thought.

[Malcolm Parker]

I have found an off-cut of my moquette which I have photographed below.   I thought that the border colour was fawn but as you can see, it is bluey grey!   In my defence the moquette was woven for me 25 years ago.   I will gladly send you a sample to check against your upholstery.            

[Hugh Barnes]

Thank you, Malcolm. Very kind of you. In the interim I have tracked down supplies of the RIT colour remover and will try that first, followed by a dye of the closest colour from the same source. I have snipped off a 6” sample of the pasting lace to try the process. I will report back, though with some other stuff going on, that won’t be for probably another month..

[Hugh Barnes]

Update:

I have managed to get hold of the RIT Dye Remover as suggested by Mike and have made a first trial run on an offcut of the material. The results are attached.

Couple of points I have noted. First the colour leached out of the material almost instantly when I added it to the brew. Although it did get a little weaker in colour, it was not by a great deal after the recommended 20 minute treatment. More worrying is the material has lost its 'texture' and is now rather reminiscent of the side of a Swan Vesta matchbox. The cause of this I am less certain. I think what has happened is that the thread woven into the backing has shrunk. Now whether this is as a result of just immersion in the water or something related to the chemical action is not clear. I am going to do a further test with just a momentary immersion in the chemical to see whether that makes any difference. 

I guess the real question is, when dyed to the correct colour, would anyone even notice what the texture was now like?