Procion Reactive MX Hand Painting Solution

About The Dye

Reactive MX will dye all natural fiber. It is a professional permanent dye. Dyed fabric may be washed or dry cleaned.

These directions are for making surface application painting solutions.

Use a disposable dust mask while handling powders. Use rubber gloves to protect your hands. Do not use dyeing utensils for food preparation. Keep dyes away from toddlers, pets and unsupervised children.

Which Method To Use…..

Watercolour Application…
The dyes are dissolved in chemicals added to water, referred to as chemical water. These watery solutions are used to do free form colour blends, boundary resist painting, spraying and air brushing.

Print Paste Application…
The dyes are dissolved in chemicals, water and Sodium Alginate (a neutral thickener made from seaweed). Thinner pastes are usually used for hand painting, thicker pastes for block printing, stenciling, sponging, mono printing and silk screening.

Print Paste Instructions

Preparing A Print Paste Prepare a stock solution by stirring approximately 50 gm  Manutex into 1 litre tepid water(an electric mixer will speed the process).  Leave for 10-15 minutes and add more water at this stage to get required consistency before using.  The print paste may now be added to the various dyes already prepared and adjusted with more paste or water to obtain the consistency needed for the particular printing or painting requirement. 

Equipment

• Glass or plastic measuring cups and storage jars.
• Measuring spoons or scales.
• Stirring sticks or rods.
• A dust mask and rubber gloves.

Fabric Preparation

Wash cotton thoroughly with detergent in hot water.
Wash silks in Colsperse Detergent. Use hot water, decrease water temperature gradually to a cool rinse. Blot in a towel and press dry with iron set on silk.

General Instructions

To obtain maximum colour brilliance add the Light Sodium Bicarbonate/fixer dye activator immediately prior to application. Once activated the dye will retain bonding ability for about 12 hours. After this time the dye gradually looses strength even though full colour is visually present. The amounts of dye in the following charts are a guide, use more or less to achieve desired colour.

Supplies

• Pure Water Softener: Sodium Hetametaphosphate/Calgon…surrounds metallic salts in the water and aids in even dye application.
• Urea: Helps dissolve the dye and attracts moisture for bonding.
• Light Sodium Bicarbonate: Activates the dye to bond to the fiber.
• TNA Detergent: Keeps unfixed dye in suspension to prevent back staining during the final washout.
• Colsperse: Keeps unfixed dye in suspension to prevent back staining during the final washout.

Ingredient Chart For 1 Cup (250 ml) Of Dye Solution

Procedure To Make Dye Solution

• Step1. Measure the dye into a glass container.
• Step 2. Pour in enough chemical water to make a lump free paste.
• Step 3. Add the remaining chemical water and stir until dissolved.
• Step 4. Just before painting, dissolve the sodium bicarbonate in a little warm water and add to the dye solution, stir well.
• Step 5. Apply the dye.

Note: Refer to fixation methods and washing instructions below.

Fixation Methods

Use one of these methods to permanently bond the dye to the fabric. Although dry heat will work, optimum colour is obtained by using moist heat (steam).

• Method 1. Steam fix by rolling the fabric in blank newsprint so that the dyed surfaces are separated. Steam for 15 minutes in an enclosed steamer or over a canning kettle. See Steaming Instructions in our silk painting guide.
• Method 2. Steam iron for 5 minutes moving the iron slowly to insure uniform heat.
• Method 3. Place fabric in a clothes dryer and run for 30 minutes at hottest setting.
• Method 4. Roll the fabric in plastic to separate dyed layers, put in a plastic bag and seal.

Leave 24-48 hours at room temperature or 4 hours near a radiator or other warm place.

Washing Instructions

• Step 1. After fixing let the fabric air set for 48 hours.
• Step 2. Rinse in cold running water until the water runs clear, repeat using lukewarm, then hot water.
• Step 3. Wash in hot water using Colsperse Detergent, use about a capful per sink of water. Repeat until the water runs clear. Washing  and rinsing may be done by machine.
• Step 4. Rinse well and dry immediately in a clothes dryer or by iron.
  
  

Procion Reactive MX Instructions

Pure Concentrated ECO Procion MX Dye For: Cotton, Calico, Silk, Linen, Viscose, Rayon, Flax, Hemp, Paper etc. (also for Cotton/Polyester mixes to lighter shades)

Traditional Method (known as exhaust dyeing)

1. Weigh fabric – dry weight, then thoroughly wash, rinse and leave damp.
2. Measure 2 litres of tepid water (40°C) for every 100gms of fabric into a bucket or bowl (dye bath).
3. From the table below, take the required amount of dye and Pure Vacuum Dried Salt. Stir into the dye bath until fully dissolved.
4. Immerse the damp fabric and dye for 30 minutes, moving the material through the liquid every few minutes to ensure even dyeing.
5. Weigh the fixer and then pre-mix it in a small quantity of hot water and, when dissolved, stir into the dye bath being careful not to pour the concentrated solution directly on to the fabric (removing the fabric first is a good idea).
6. Continue dyeing for 30 minutes for pastel shades and 45 minutes for deep shades – keep checking whether for the desired shade.
7. Remove the fabric from the dye bath, cool rinse until the water runs clear.  Finally – very hot wash with Colourcraft Colsperse or detergent until the fabric is clear of all unfixed dye. Rinse, dry and iron.

Approximate Shade Guide Per 100gms Fabric In Two Litres Of Water

Easy Dye Techniques – Quick Ways With Cotton (also for tray dyeing – e.g. yarns & skeins etc.)

A quick and easy process producing first class results.  For ease of working amounts are based on dyeing 50gms of fabric in 1 litre of water i.e. (for every gm of fabric you will need 20ml of water).  Obviously when dyeing larger or smaller amounts the quantities of water, dye, urea, pvd salt and fixer should be increased or decreased proportionately.

Method (*for black – see seperate instructions)

1. Weigh the fabric (dry weight), then thoroughly wash, rinse and leave damp.
2.  Measure 1 litre tepid water (40°c) into a bucket or bowl (dye bath).  From the table below add the required amount of dye, then the urea and, finally, pvd salt, dissolving each one before adding the next.
3. Dissolve the required amount of fixer into a small quantity of hot water. Whenready to commence dyeing, stir this into the dye bath. being careful not to pour the concentrated solution directly on to the fabric (removing the fabric first is a good idea).
4. Place the fabric into the dye bath.  Dye for 15 minutes (pastel shades) and 30 minutes (deep shades), moving the fabric through the liquid every few minutes to ensure even dyeing.
5. When the required shade has been achieved, remove the fabric from the dye bath.  Gently squeeze out excess liquid (use gloves).  Open out the fabric and make into a loose roll.  Transfer this to a plastic bag being sure to exclude any air. Leave for a minimum of 2 hours – preferably 24 hours.  Then cold rinse followed by hot soapy washes until clear of any unfixed dye. Dry and iron.

Approximate Quantities For Every Litre Of Water (& 50gms Of Dry Weight Fabric)

*Method For Dyeing Black

For an exceptionally dense black the Easy Dye technique described above is recommended but recently boiled tap water must be used instead of tepid water. Using the amounts shown below, proceed as follows: 

Method A For Dyeing Black

1. Weigh fabric – dry weight then thoroughly wash, rinse and leave damp.
2. Measure 1 litre of recently boiled water, for every 50gms of fabric, into a bucket or bowl (dye bath) and from the table below add first the amount of dye followed by the urea and pvd salt, dissolving each one before adding the next.
3. Dissolve the required amount of fixer into a small quantity of hot water.  When ready to commence dyeing, stir into dye bath and use immediately.
4. Immerse fabric in dye bath, occasionally moving the fabric through the liquid for the first 40 minutes, then cover dye bath and leave for 24 hours.
5. Remove from dye bath, cold rinse until clear, then hot wash with Colsperse or detergent. Rinse and dry.

Alternative Method B For Dyeing Black

1. Using a metal (stainless or enamel) container proceed as at 1 and 2 above (Method A).
2. Immerse fabric in dye bath and dye for 30 minutes, then raise the temperature to 60 degrees C and maintain for 60 minutes, moving fabric through liquid occasionally.  
3. Remove from dye bath and finish as normal.

Approximate Quantities For Every Litre Of Water (& 50 gms dry weight fabric) (20:1)

Pre-Treatment Of Fabric

By pre-treating the fabric with fixer rather than adding it to the fabric dye in the conventional way, the shelf life of the mixed dye can be greatly extended. A range of fabric dye colours can be mixed separately and stored in advance, (at a cool temperature) for several days.  This is ideal for techniques such as tie and dye, space dyeing etc.

Method 1

Dissolve 20gms fixer in l litre of hot tap water.  Soak fabric in solution for a few minutes.  When saturated, remove, squeeze out excess liquid and dry.

For Tie And Dye

1. For Tie and Dye – Fabric can be folded, twisted, knotted, or pleated and then tied. Dissolve 20 gms of fixer in 1 litre of hot tap water and soak fabric in solution for a few minutes. When saturated, remove, squeeze out excess liquid and dry.
2. Into 150ml (approx. 1 cupful of hot water) dissolve 10gms (2 teaspoons) of urea and add 5gms dye (or more according to shade required. Premix as many colours as needed in this way.  Apply to the tied fabric by brush, sponge, squeeze bottle or dip dyeing.
3. When finished seal fabric in a plastic bag to prevent drying out and leave for a minimum of 4 hours, but preferably 24 hours. Whilst still tied, rinse out excess dye, untie and hot wash until clear.

Method 2 – Using A Plastic Tray

For intense bursts of colour sprinkle MX dyes onto tied, soda-soaked fabric (left damp). For additional effects use fabric which has previously been dyed. Finish as Method 1.

Textile Printing – Easiprint Method

Pre-Treat The Fabric As Follows:

Cotton – Dissolve 20gms of soda ash/fixer in 1 litre of warm water. Silk – Dissolve 10 gms of soda ash/fixer in 1 litre of warm water.

Immerse fabric in liquid and allow to soak for a few minutes. Remove, squeeze out, allow to dry.  When dry, iron using low setting.

Prepare The Following: 5 to 10gms dye – according to colour strength required plus 20gms urea.  Dissolve dye in 100 ml of tepid water, then stir in and dissolve the urea.  A range of colours can be prepared to the above formula for multi-coloured painting or printing.

Preparing A Print Paste

Prepare a stock solution by stirring approximately 50 gm Manutex into 1 litre tepid water (an electric mixer will speed the process).  Leave for 10-15 minutes and add more water at this stage to get required consistency before using.  The print paste may now be added to the various dyes already prepared and adjusted with more paste or water to obtain the consistency needed for the particular printing or painting requirement.  To fix the design use any of the following methods:

1. Allow the fabric to dry slowly overnight then give a final fixation with a hot iron 120°C for 5 minutes.
2. Dry the fabric (a hair dryer could be used to accelerate the drying) then either bake for 5 minutes at 150°C or hot iron for 5 minutes at 150°C. To finish cool rinse at 40°C until clear. Adding Colsperse at 5mls. per litre of water will greatly assist the removal of unfixed dye.

Salt ‘Pure Vacuum Dried’ Or ‘Domestic’

Salt is a very important ingredient of most dyeing systems enabling dye to move out of the liquid onto the fabric. Whilst domestic salt can be used it might well be iodised and also contain other salts which will adversely effect the result, therefore Pure Vacuum Dried Salt should always be used for consistent and reliable results.

Colourcraft Soda Ash Fixer or Washing Soda

Colourcraft Soda Ash is chemically pure and of constant strength whereas washing soda can vary in strength by up to 50% and can also contain various other chemicals. This makes it difficult to calculate exactly how much is being added when dyeing fabric and this will have an adverse effect on the result.

Safety In Use

Care should be taken when handling all dyes/associated chemicals. THE USE OF RUBBER GLOVES AND PROTECTIVE CLOTHING IS RECOMMENDED. Precautions MUST be taken to avoid accidental ingestion, inhalation and skin and eye contact. Keep containers closed and away from children. Information contained in this publication or as otherwise supplied is believed to be accurate and is given in good faith, but without guarantee as we have no control over conditions of use and individual application.