1. Safe and easy-to-use
2. Economical
3. Durable—you don't want the fabric dye used on your product to fade after repeated washings

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Consult with professionals to find the perfect palette of textile dyes for your products

There are a myriad of shades and combination of fiber pigment and textile dyes available, so choosing the right ones can be overwhelming. Most textile dyes manufacturers and dyeing services have experts to help you find the right dyes and combinations for your product. Many textile dye manufacturers will be able to customize-formulate textile dyes and fiber pigments for your particular needs.

I recommend: Organic Dyestuffs Corporation offers three full-service laboratories and a knowledgeable staff for computer shade-matching, textile-processing procedure development, and technical problem-solving. Pantone provides custom dyeing services as well as marketing expertise that find a palette of colors to help you market your product in the world marketplace and create a distinctive brand.

Find textile dye distributors that carry the full spectrum of dyes for your textile business

Consider your textile and fiber dye and pigment distributor as an invaluable resource in your business. They should carry a full range of textile dyes in the fiber you are working with and be able to sell fabric dyes for every application. Work with fabric dye distributors that carry the colors you need now and can anticipate the colors you will need in the future.

I recommend: Presto Dyechem Company, Inc. sells basic, acid, direct, ultraviolet (UV) reactive dye, and fiber reactive dyes. Dharma Trading Company offers a full range of fiber reactive Procion dyes, which is excellent for tie dying. J.S. Vila Company, Inc. is a wholesale distributor of some of the top brands in textile fiber dye.

For unique products and fabric dyes, specialty dyeing services can handle the job

In select cases, some projects may require the special assistance of dyeing services with a wealth of experience in that area. In others, it may be cost beneficial to have an outside dyeing service handle the job.

I recommend: Manhattan Dyeing Service specializes in sample dyeing and component matching, which involves matching fabrics and components of different materials and/or fibers to formulate the same color. Spectrum is a dyeing company that specializes in dresses, jeans, and wedding/bridesmaid dresses made of mostly natural fibers.

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Don't underestimate the impact of the right color! Studies show that colors have an effect on the mind and the body. Make sure you spend the time to research the right colors for your product and that they meet your exacting specifications.
• •  Consider using natural or organic textile dyes extracted from plants. Natural dyes cut down significantly on the amount of toxic effluent produced in the synthetic dyeing process and are safer for the environment. This is also a great selling point!
• •  Ask textile dye manufacturers if you can have a limited in-plant textile run to check the colors and durability of the product. If there is a problem, you want to diagnose it and correct the issue early.