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Thanks for the links, Prism ... the article was particularly helpful in understanding more about the product.
I'll follow up about the Canadian source mentioned.

Thanks for the information about Dharma Trading, I had forgotten their name and was looking for their www.

I would take the fabric back!

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamamama (Post 5008584)

I just bought a vivid Red Kona Cotton and when I washed it with a color catcher the color catcher came out clean but the Red cotton has blueish/purpleish streaks all through it. I thought Kona was a really good brand of cotton and was suprised it did that. I'm just glad that I washed it before I put it into a quilt. I am not sure what to use to prevent that.

I use Dawn blue dish soap. It works to keep the colors from transferring just like a color catcher.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bamamama (Post 5008368)

Someone told me to add 1 cup of white vinegar when washing fabrics and it was the same as Retayne. Do you know if that is true? It helps easter egg hold the color so maybe....

I must admit I am a thrift store junkie and just yesterday I was there. All Christmas was 1/2 price and I found a cute red velour jacket with snowflakes on it. Figured snow flakes don't lock us into Christmas so I brought it home. The tag says it is 78% cotton and, yes, it did bleed on the first 2 soakings before putting it in the washer with other clothes. Nothing ventured, nothing gained so I tried an online suggestion of 1 c vinegar and 1 Tbsp salt in water and soak for 1 hr. I didn't measure the vinegar or the salt but sorta guessed on the plus side and left it longer than an hour. When I went to retrieve the jacket, the soaking water was absolutely clear. No red. No pink. I laundered it with other dark items. Some socks had white on them and they did not come out pink so I'm thinking the vinegar/salt solution worked for this piece anyhow.

I don't know if it's a fixative or not but I do add it to my misting spray bottle when I go to press my fabrics I've starched and let dry. I've heard if you add vinegar as your fabric softner for towels, it will take any soap residue out and make them softer. Haven't tried it yet but maybe next load of towels I will and report back to you. My towels are over 20 years old and still leaving lint in the dryer tray after all these years. No thin spots, still as thick as they were when I bought them so many years ago.

I use vinegar as stop bleeding fix. If that doesn't work, it gets tossed. It is not worth ruining other clothes because of a bleeder. I rarely buy red clothing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Snooze2978 (Post 8671606)

I've used vinegar on my towels for years instead of fabric softeners. I'd noticed that the fabric softener didn't seem to work as well as it used to and read that it can build up on the fabric and that vinegar will take it off and make the towels soft again. It does seem to work.