Can blue jeans be dyed black? Who would I take them to to have it done?

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

(This question is sort of fashion-related, so I decided to put it in CS)

I've commented elsewhere on the difficulty of finding dark, like-new, black jeans for men in a more modern fit than old-fashioned high-on-the-waist Levi 501s. There may be lots of black jeans out there, but IME they are almost always distressed, or pre-faded, or otherwise treated so they don't look new when you buy them. The only solid, onyx-black jeans I see are old-fashioned Levi's, and they don't offer that color in their other styles.

But I do have a couple pairs of blue jeans residing in my dresser, that I haven't been wearing much, but they'd be perfect if they were black. Could they be dyed black? Could any drycleaning establishment do it? Would they bleed black over all our other clothes the first time they were washed afterwards?

[MissMossie]

You may be able to do it yourself. I've seen Rit Dye (Rit is the brand) at grocery stores near the laundry soap. If you can't find it at a grocery store, then definately your average craft store should have it. Following the directions on the box should leave your blue jeans black with minimal bleeding the first couple of washes. I would probably also pick up a pair or two of blue jeans from a consignment shop to practice on as well.

[Beadalin]

MissMossie is right -- Rit Dye really works well. They also make a product that removes existing color, which you could use before you dye something a new color. That seems to only matter if you're doing another color of the same intensity, whereas black will simply cover the existing blue.

[Miss Purl McKnittington]

The only problem you may have with dying something black is that it won't stay black, if it makes it there at all. It's very difficult to get a very dark color like black to be truly black when you're working with something like Rit. Cotton is a fairly easy fiber to dye, but you're going to have use much more dye than is recommended.

The back of the Rit box is going to say that it's possible to dye something like two pairs of jeans with a single box. Bullshit. Use twice that, and buy a back-up box just in case it doesn't take the first time around. Add salt to the water just like the box says, and reset the timer on the machine for the longest cycle before the rinse cycle begins. More time with the dye equals a stronger color. Be aware that if all-cotton thread is used to sew your jeans, there will be no contrast stitching left after dyeing. And be sure to wash your machine out with bleach immediately afterwards. This is not a recommended activity for laundromats.

You could use something like Procion dyes for a black that you know is going to stick, but they're kind of a pain in the ass for beginning dyers. Or anybody, really.

[mlerose]

Old Navy sells black jeans that are super, non-distressed black; my boyfriend just bought a pair there a month ago.

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

Originally Posted by Miss Purl McKnittington

The only problem you may have with dying something black is that it won't stay black, if it makes it there at all. It's very difficult to get a very dark color like black to be truly black when you're working with something like Rit. .

True, I had that experience with a pair of black jeans that I once bought via EBay. I've never seen this particular brand and style in black anywhere else, and when I got them it was fairly obvious that it was a one-off dye job of an originally blue pair. I could see faint highlights of indigo on the seams. Which wasn't a problem, I thought they were fine like that, but they did fade quickly to to a darkish grey blue.

[Spectre of Pithecanthropus]

Originally Posted by mlerose

Old Navy sells black jeans that are super, non-distressed black; my boyfriend just bought a pair there a month ago.

Thanks for the tip, I'll check it out. Though I'm not a big fan of Old Navy; last I loked their men's jeans fits were relaxed, baggy, and relaxed-baggy, and I prefer a trimmer fit.