Synthrapol?
 

I am gifting a friend's son with a quilt for his graduation. They are not very familiar with quilts and this is a mixture of light colored and dark colored batiks as well as some touches of red fabric. I prewashed everything with Retayne til the color catchers came out ok. But I wondered if it would be a good/nice idea to gift a bottle os Synthrapol and washing instructions with the quilt. What would you do?

Instead of giving them a bottle of synthrapol, I would wash it in the synthrapol before gifting. They will probably never need the synthrapol again and would be wasted when you could be using it.

I'd wash it myself, not with synthrapol, but with Color Catchers. That way, you can see for yourself if the fabrics are still shedding dye and base your decision on that information.

That said, if it's still running, I'd recommend Color Catchers to whomever will be washing the quilt. Synthrapol is much more complicated to use properly than most non-quilters want to deal with when washing a quilt. I'd also put the care instructions on a separate quilt label for when the son goes off on his own.

I agree that care instructions on the label is a good solution. The information will always be with the quilt and handy for the owner.

synthropol simply keeps color in the water from getting on the fabrics in the water- keeps the dyes suspended in the water- special instructions need to be followed---it sounds as if there is no need for it at this point- if your color catchers are coming out without color- there is no suspended color in the water to worry about getting on anything.

I would wash it at home. Then include washing directions.

If you use the Sythropol as directed it will "void" or remove the Retayne you used. Fabrics treated with Retayne need no more special attention other than wash with COLD water.

DITTO....they are not not going to know what to do, and might view it as a pain the rear to even have the quilt if you do that...so just wash it yourself and send it on!

Does anyone know where to buy the colour catchers or Retayne here in western Canada? I have a batik quilt that I'm working on for our granddaughter using Bali Pops precuts and wasn't able to prewash.

If you didn't prewash and are already making the quilt, Retayne is not what you want. It is for use before fabrics are made into something. If used after, it will set running dyes onto other fabrics in the quilt. You want something that keeps the dyes suspended until they go down the drain.

Look for Synthrapol or Shout Color Catchers. For Synthrapol, Dharma Trading ships to Canada and many local quilt shops carry it. Try Maiwa Supply in Vancouver, too. I do not believe Color Catchers are sold in Canada, however.

ETA: There is also a generic Synthrapol. It's made by G&S Dye in Toronto and is called TNA Soap.