I would wash all batiks - Some have a dye washed over them - I watched a batiks dye company do that.... I had a dark blue batiks when just washed - would bleed and bleed dark purple - used retayne it stopped it bleeding a dark purple and actually stopped it from bleeding - but when washing the quilt (which had a lot of white) I used Synphal (spelling is not correct) - Used both for dying fabic and they really work - I also put a color catcher in the wash as well.... I watch all batiks -