Fading a shirt

Chindit · Post by **Chindit** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:24 pm

Hi,
I have a question that is non-Indy related that I thought you might be able to help me with. I apologize if this has been covered before.

I do some WWII collecting and was recently given a reproduction fatigue shirt that is green colored (actualy olive drab). I would like to lighten the green color to make it look faded and realistic. The shirt is 100% cotton, in a herringbone twill weave.

I was thinking of just washing it separately and adding bleach, but I thought I'd better check here first.

Thanks for your help.

Chindit

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:28 pm

Don't worry, you're not off-topic for a gear care & distressing forum.

Hmm...good question. Since it's a repro, I guess it's not a killer loss if you damage it, compared to a vintage, but still, it can't hurt to be careful first.

If it's really all-cotton, I'd say try to sun-fade it first - but considering it's a modern shirt, it might be 'color-fast'. I.e., it might resist this.

I guess bleaching MIGHT work, but too much and it's white and soon to fall apart, and worse it might only take out one of the composite colors...(everything navy blue that I've hit w/ bleach turns orange...go figure).

Less than helpful response, I know, but I mostly wanted to say you AREN'T off-topic.

Anybody do this regularly? I'd say sunfade first, then a mild bleach-water wash.

P.S. Welcome to COW!

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:35 pm

I would try the RIT Color remover first. Bleach can give you some funky colors if you are not careful. Too much can dissolve the shirt. Been there done that....

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 7:37 pm

rick5150 wrote:I would try the RIT Color remover first. Bleach can give you some funky colors if you are not careful. Too much can dissolve the shirt. Been there done that....

Nothing but a handful of buttons...?

Post by **Ken** » Mon Jan 31, 2005 8:30 pm

I have tried this kind of thing before and found RIT color remover and the like not to be very useful.

Acetone or bleach I think is the only way to really remove color per say.

However for generally distressing the shirt I came across a wonderful website:

http://www.costumes.org/advice/costcraf ... mpjk15.htm

Ken

Chindit · Post by **Chindit** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 7:06 am

Thanks for the information--and the welcome!

Since the shirt is not worth all that much I may just go with the bleach (in small amounts).

Thanks again.

rick5150 · Post by **rick5150** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 10:57 am

Nothing but a handful of buttons...?

No, not exactly...

I was getting very frustrated trying to reduce the color of an L.L. Bean shirt. The color remover did very little after several hours. (Actually, it turned almost shamrock green, which horrified me the same way the Noel Howard shirt turned bright pink

)

I washed it in bleach and still nothing. Finally, I dumped a bunch of bleach in a 5 gallon bucket and filled the rest with cold water. Stuck the shirt in and went to work. I came home and was stunned to see the shirt had indeed lightened. It was the perfect color. I picked it up and my fingers went right through the fabric. Another experiment gone awry - right in the trash. :evil:

Lesson learned.

The RIT Color remover may be the best way to remove the color depending on the fabric and how it was dyed. If not you can take more extreme measures. Has anyone actually used acetone on a shirt!? If it has nylon thread, you may wind up with shirt parts rather than a lightened shirt.

Dalexs is the expert here. Where is he?

Indiana Jerry · Post by **Indiana Jerry** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 5:56 pm

PM him, he's been posting...

...and thanks for the anecdote - that'll help put caution into the escalation to bleach.

Post by **Dalexs** » Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:50 pm

I'm hear, don't worry, I just wanted to see if you guys had learned anything yet.

My advice is to stay away from bleach. Stick with the Rit Color Remover.
Bleach does more damage then good.

How well you will be able to remove the color (like the others have said) is going to greatly depend on the material and workmanship of the shirt.

The LLBean shirts seem nearly impossible to lighten. but it can be done.

This isn't the best shot shot of it, but this is the LLBean, natural light.
Those who have the shirt, know how much darker it usually is.

Whenever I was doing a redye project for someone, I always threw the LLBean in the bath for about 30 minutes.
After about 4 or 5 of these baths, it actually lightened up quite a bit.

A cheaper shirt may lighten up very quickly. Theres only one way to find out.
Check out my website on the shirt page for a bit more info.

Dalexs