The struggle to find a solid black cotton fabric that doesn't fade after one wash

I spent about six months trying different fabric suppliers for a simple black cotton twill for a dress I was designing. Every sample I got would turn a weird gray after just two or three washes. It drove me crazy because everyone told me to just buy the cheap stuff from the big chain stores. But I finally found a small mill in North Carolina that dyes their fabrics differently, and the black held true after ten washes. My question is, has anyone else had this much trouble finding basic colors that last?

3 comments

3 Comments

gavinb971mo ago

The smaller mills really do treat their dyes differently. Look for fabric that's been vat dyed rather than piece dyed if you can find it. That's the difference between color that actually bonds with the fiber versus just sitting on top. Also wash new black fabric in cold water with a cup of white vinegar before you do anything with it, it helps set the dye better than any commercial product I've tried.

drewgonzalez1mo ago

Honestly, I gotta push back a little here. Vat dyeing is great but it's not the only way to get color that lasts, and that vinegar trick is more old wives' tale than science. Ngl, I've had cheap big store black cotton hold up fine when I washed it cold and dried it on low.

dianahayes1mo ago

Think it's the same thing with a lot of "hacks" people pass around, everyone's looking for that one magic fix when really just taking care of stuff properly does most of the work.