Yes my red sheets still blead after so may washes. They are not the only sheets I have but I like them the most because they are a good quality set we got when we got married. The thing is I did not know they blead since it is a large set and fills the machine so they are always washed by themselves until I tossed in a color catcher by habit. Boy was I surprised.
About chemicals, color catchers are as benign as they get. When I get back home and to my own computer I will post a link to DIY color catchers.