Originally Posted by Lori S
Batiks are Notorious for running. I will not use any batik without using Retayne. It does not matter who the manufacture of hte batik is , I have had them all run Vinegar will not work on cotton fabrics. Do note once treated with Retayne only wash with cold water.
I am surprised that there is not some kind of label on the fabric , that we all end up having to "learn" this lesson from experience or word of mouth.
It's not that vinegar won't work on cotton, it's that the dye itself.....depending on the chemical colors....may not set with acid-based mordants. Sometimes salt works, sometimes acid, sometimes alum, sometimes something else.
Remember the term "Madder" that is often seen in reproduction fabric prints? It is a plant used for dying fabric red. At that same time they were using madder (and other plants), the dyers used alum, iron, etc. to "set" the dye. What does iron do? It rusts.....hence many antique fabrics which were set with iron mordant have 'rusted' away, leaving strings and holes in some really wonderful old quilts and clothing.
It's likely the mordant, the setting agent, that wasn't added properly to this batik that bled for her. And as we don't know what chemical dyes are now used on any given fabric, we can't know whether salt/vinegar/etc. is what we should use at home on it.
Retayne is a huge benefit to us! And if you're dying your own stuff, try Synthropol when setting it, then wash later with Retayne.
Jan in VA