How to Dye Your Linen Pants

Linen pants are a summer wardrobe staple for both men and women.

Linen is a natural woven fabric, made of flax which is cool and breathable. As a summer style, linen pants are usually white, khaki and other pastel colors. As the pants are worn and washed, season after season, they become discolored and stained. A cheap and quick way to revive the pants, and extend them into fall is to dye them. As a natural fiber, linen is porous and absorbs color well, broadening the options available. Dye the pants any color, from light to bright to rich plum and ruby, as long as the color you are dyeing is darker than the color of the pants. There are many different types of dyes available, in either liquid or powder form. The liquid is easier and will create a more even end product.

Things You'll Need

• Hot and cold water
• Plastic gloves
• Liquid dye
• Bathtub or other large container
• Linen pants
• 5 swatches of similar linen fabric

Instructions

1. Wet the pants thoroughly in cool, clean water.

2. Remove the pants from the water and set them aside.

3. Fill the bathtub or plastic container with enough hot water to cover the pants completely.

4. Put on the plastic gloves.

5. Add one tablespoon of dye to the water for light colors, two for medium and three tablespoons for dark and rich colors as a starting point.

6. Dip one swatch into the dye bath and submerge it for one minute.

7. Remove the swatch and rinse it in cold water until the water runs clear.

8. Evaluate the color of the swatch. If it is too light, add another tablespoon of dye to the dye bath. If it is too dark, add more hot water to the dye bath.

9. Repeat steps 5-7 until the desired color is reached.

10. Dip the pants into the dye bath, submerging them completely. Lay them as flat as possible, without folding or layering them. Allow the pants to soak for one minute.

11. Remove the pants from the dye bath and rinse them in cool, clean water until the water runs clear. This may take several minutes, and should be done systematically, from the waistband down to the pant hem.

12. Hang the pants on a hanger and allow them to dry overnight.

Tips & Warnings

• Dye will stain anything from your hands to clothes and the bathtub. Clean surfaces immediately after coming in contact with the dye.

References

• RIT Dye: Dyeing Techniques