How to Tie Dye a Jacket

Co-authored by Hannah Madden

Tie dyeing is a fun and easy way to add a pop of color to your outfit without breaking your budget. Tie dyeing a jacket is a cool way to give your outer layer some vibrancy even as the weather cools down. You can spend a single afternoon turning your jacket into an eye-catching statement piece that you’ll wear proudly.

Part 1

Part 1 of 3:

Preparing the Jacket and Dye

1
Pick a white cotton, denim, linen, or hemp jacket. If you have a white jacket already, look at the label and make sure it’s made of a material that’s good for dyeing. It can be a mixture of fabrics, as long as it is mostly a dyeable fabric.^{[1]
X
Research source}
- Tie-dye works the best on cotton or cotton-like clothing.
2
Bleach your jacket if it isn’t white. Fill a bucket with 2 cups (470 mL) of warm water and 0.5 cups (120 mL) of bleach. Put on gloves and submerge your jacket into the mixture fully, then swish it around a little bit. Let your jacket sit for up to 30 minutes, then rinse it out with cool water.^{[2]
X
Research source}
- Always use gloves when you work with bleach to avoid skin irritation.
- Work outside or in a ventilated area to avoid inhaling harmful bleach fumes.
- When you’re done with your bleach, pour it down the drain and flush your pipes with water for about 5 minutes. Or, pour the bleach into the toilet and flush it down.
Warning: If your jacket is black, the bleach may turn it orange. Black is a tough color to turn white since it is so dark.

Advertisement
3
Wash and dry your jacket to start with a clean base. Read the care label on your jacket and wash and dry it as it says, even if you just bleached it. Often, you can put your jacket through the washer on a cold cycle and the dryer on a gentle cycle.^{[3]
X
Research source}
- Washing your jacket will remove any outer coatings that may be on it, like chemicals used in the manufacturing process.
- The small bucket with waves in it signifies that you can machine wash your garment. If there’s a temperature inside of the bucket, set your washing machine to that temperature.
- A square with a circle inside of it means you can tumble dry your jacket. If there’s an X through the circle, hang your jacket up to dry instead.
4
Put on gloves to protect your hands. Tie-dye has a tendency to stain whatever it comes into contact with. Put on some rubber or latex gloves to protect your hands and throw on an old T-shirt in case you get some dye splashed on you.^{[4]
X
Research source}
5
Mix up your dye colors in squirt bottles. Purchase a package of tie-dye and read the instructions on the box. Mix the colors with water in individual plastic bottles, and put a lid on the top of each bottle with a squirt top to make it easier to apply your dye.^{[5]
X
Research source}
- You can buy tie dye and plastic bottles at most craft supply stores.
- Most tie-dye packages come with 3 to 4 colors, which is enough to cover your jacket completely.
- The box of dye will most likely tell you to mix 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of dye with 1 cup (240 mL) of water, but it’s always good to double-check on your specific box of dye.

Part 2

Part 2 of 3:

Creating a Design

1
Lay your jacket out on a flat surface. Put down a protective plastic sheet or cloth to avoid getting dye on your surface. Choose a table, countertop, or even the ground outside as a work area for your dyeing project.^{[6]
X
Research source}

Tip: Working outside is nice since the sun might help to dry your dye as you apply it. Plus, you don’t have to worry about accidentally splashing dye onto your floor.
2
Keep your jacket flat if you’d like to draw with the dye. If you want to be precise where you put your tie-dye colors, then keep your jacket spread flat. You’ll have the most control over where the colors go and they won’t be in a random design.^{[7]
X
Research source} Use the bottles of dye to draw designs on your jacket in whatever pattern you want.
- This is a great option if you’d like to make stripes of color going down your jacket.
- Try using green, blue, and yellow dye for a muted jacket.
3
Add rubber bands randomly for a classic tie-dye look. Gather up your jacket in random handfuls and add rubber bands sporadically over them. Wrap the rubber bands tightly around your jacket so that they stay in place. The more you scrunch up your jacket, the more random the pattern will become.^{[8]
X
Research source} Squirt different colors of dye on your jacket to completely saturate it.
- This often ends up looking like small patches of dye on a mostly white background.
- For a super bright jacket, try combining red, orange, and yellow dye.
4
Put rubber bands around the middle of your jacket for a bullseye. Turn your jacket over so the back is facing you. Grab some fabric from the very center and pull it upwards, then attach a rubber band around it. Keep adding rubber bands 1 in (2.5 cm) apart around the middle of the jacket until you’ve covered the whole thing.^{[9]
X
Research source} Then, squirt one color of dye next to each rubber band. Switch colors and add new dye next to the first color. Keep switching colors and adding more dye until the entire thing is covered.
- This will make a cool bullseye on the very back of your jacket.
- Try using red, purple, and blue for a cool-toned jacket.
5
Squirt the dye onto your jacket randomly for a random pattern. If you’d like a mish mash of colors on your jacket, go ahead and squirt your dye all over the jacket. Don’t be afraid to add a lot of dye so your jacket gets really saturated with color. Poke the end of your squirt bottle in toward the center of the jacket so that everything gets covered, and try to make sure your entire jacket is covered with dye.^{[10]
X
Research source}
- Use yellow, green, and red dye for a classic tie dye.
6
Apply the dye in blocks of color for stripes or a gradient. Try adding your dye in increments for a uniform pattern, like stripes or waves. Hold the squirt bottle close to your jacket so that you have a lot of control over the colors, and move vertically or horizontally over your jacket. Flip it over to the other side to dye the back as well.^{[11]
X
Research source}
- Try out pastel tie-dyes for a more modern look.
- Add different shades of dye in a line for a gradient look. For example, you could start with light blue and then use darker shades as you go down.

Part 3

Part 3 of 3:

Rinsing and Drying Your Jacket

1
Let your jacket sit for about 8 hours. Leave your jacket where it is and try not to touch it while the dye sets in. The longer you leave it, the more the color will soak in.^{[12]
X
Research source}

Tip: If you are worried about getting dye all over the place, put your jacket into a plastic bag.
2
Rinse your jacket in cool water. Take your jacket to the sink or bathtub and rinse it until the water runs clear. Use cool water so the dye doesn’t run and muddy up your colors.^{[13]
X
Research source}
- It’s important to get all of the dye out before you wear your jacket so you don’t stain your other clothes.
3
Dry your jacket outside or in the dryer. Hang your jacket outside on a clothesline or throw it into your dryer on a normal cycle. Wait until your jacket is completely dry before you show it off to your friends and family.^{[14]
X
Research source}
- You can wash your jacket on its own in the washer the first time it gets dirty. After that, just throw it in with your other laundry like you normally would.

Warnings

Tie-dye will stain anything it touches. Make sure to cover your work area well and wear clothes you don’t mind getting dye on.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0
If you are bleaching your jacket, always wear gloves to protect your skin.

⧼thumbs_response⧽
Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0