I use Retayne also. It is not expensive at all. Some quilt stores do not know about this! EVERYBODY, GET SOME-keep it on hand=YOU WON'T REGRET IT!

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.

Crashnquilt, thanks for the tip on Epsom Salts! That's a new one to me. I use Retayne but like you say Epsom Salts are way cheaper

My kind of gal! LOL!

Okay, so what is "evil empire?" I'm assuming WM? Joannes? Chain store? Been telling people for years that they carry first run stuff, discontinued lines, over-runs, misprints, incorrect DYES, and other sneaky stuff. We don't get quality fabrics at discount prices most of the time.

That being said, NO 100% cotton fabric sold for quilting/clothing/craft use should bleed like that and it should be returned. Reputable batikers rinse their fabrics well and lay them out in the air, often on the ground or shrubs, to dry. In the shop we occasionally received from our manufacturers batiks that still had small debris rolled up in the bolts. It just let us know they truly were batik dyed fabrics.

I'm sorry you had to fight this frustrating issue.

Jan in VA

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

Actually, I would recommend just the opposite -- setting the dye with Retayne, then washing later with Synthrapol (so any unset dye particles are suspended in water and rinsed away).

I agree , that Synthropol should be used for items that are already constructed . Retayne for yardage prior to construction.
Do note that the instructions for care once treated with Sythropol require that the item be washed in warm water for subsiquint washings to remain effective( this is on the manufactures instructions) . Retayne requires cold wash for any washes after treatment( also on the manufactures care instructions) .

What's more important is they may want to pull that bolt off the shelf and report it to their supplier.

What a shame but some of the "True" Batiks do run and you have to use "ReTayne' on them, I bought Jelly Rolls from Indonesia and they RUN!!