Is there a special additive that is recommended when washing batiks to help set the color/dye?

Retaine.

I also use Retayne. Made a baby quilt, and soaked the batiks in it before I cut. Afterwards I washed in HOT water and the batiks were fine.

I haven't had a problem with my batiks when I wash them.

I just put a shout color catcher in the wash & so far, so good!

Same here.

Sybil

OMG, the last few provided a regular rainbow in the sink.

I use Retayne to wash them before I use them in a quilt.

I like Synthrapol. You can get it at Dharma Trading online.

I've never had a problem with the dyes in batiks. I always wash first, and I haven't noticed anything.

I wash mine with a dye grabber and don't have any problems. It's not too expensive and it works. They're around 5 or 6 $ and you can use them up to 30 washes. I use it with all my fabrics not just batiks.

retayne or synthrpol. dharma.

http://www.dharmatrading.com/html/eng/1137-AA.shtml

I have also had great results using shout color catcher. I also used it to save a quilt that had some bleeding. Forgot to add it when washed the quilt but I noticed it after it came out of the dryer. I was supprised to worked so well.

Do certain colors - or certain brands - bleed more than others?

I find that the dark colors like deep purples, blues, reds and sometimes brown or green run so much more than the lighter ones. I have not found a certain brand that is worse than another. I just pretreat them all with Retayne.

me too