Tie-dye clothes are something that never goes out of style. The abstract combination of vibrant colors and psychedelic patterns is a great way of expressing your spirits when you’re going somewhere, such as a summer camp.

While there are plenty of stores selling tie-dye shirts, sometimes you would wish to find one having your desired range of colors.

Well, that is possible if you take a step in designing your own shirts, whether for yourself or your business. You have full control over the choice of colors and what’s even better- your creations will always be unique!

But to achieve that, you need to purchase the best fabric for tie dye. It can be quite difficult to find one, which is the reason why we have listed some of them for your convenience.

Take a look at our recommendations below, and you will find one eventually!

Different Types Of Fabric That You Can Use For Tie Dye

When it comes to tie-dyeing, you’ll have to be careful about your choice of fabric material since not all materials can hold up the colors well. Natural fibers are ideal for the tie-dyeing process, but some of them don’t accept dyes.

Below is a list of the fabric materials that you can use for tie-dyeing.

1. Cotton

Cotton is considered the best material for tie dye because of its excellent capability of absorbing the dye. When working with cotton, you’ll need to use a fiber-reactive dye as it bonds well to the fabric and makes your tie-dye artwork last long. Besides, you can use any dye, including the ones that require heating because cotton resists heat.

2. Muslin

Muslin is a cotton blend that readily accepts dyes and produces visible patterns. The fabric is inexpensive, which means it is easily accessible to beginners who want to try out tie-dyeing.

However, muslin tends to get wrinkled easily, so after the tie-dyeing process, you will need to iron the fabric.

3. Silk

Silk can also be used for tie-dyeing with just any dye, including all-purpose dye, fiber-reactive dye, natural dye, direct dye, or acid dye. The only exception is disperse-dye because silk doesn’t go well with it.

You can fold silk fabric easily to create different patterns. But, when washing, you’ll need to be extra careful because the soda ash present in detergents can ruin the fabric’s beauty.

5. Linen

Linen also works well for tie-dyeing, but blending it with cotton can produce even better results.

6. Denim

Denim is also a great option for throwing colors and is easy to work with. But, the dye won’t appear vibrant in dark-washed denim as good as light-washed denim. If you have dark-washed denim, you can always bleach it before tie-dyeing.

Top 6 Best Fabric For Tie Dye Reviews in 2022

1. CRAFTY CUTS Cotton Fabric

If you’re looking for a tie dye cotton fabric, you can take a look at this one by Crafty Cuts.

This particular fabric is an excellent choice as it is made of pure cotton. Pure cotton fabrics are known to hold up the colors well and make them more vibrant, so your creation will just look great!

It is a thin and sheer fabric that you can use for sewing clothing items, making DIY crafts, and also quilting. For tie-dyeing, you can easily fold it and twist it to achieve your desired results.

The Crafty Cuts cotton fabric comes in white, so there’s no need to bleach. Of course, the brand states that you shouldn’t bleach it anyways. You can wash it in the washing machine with cold water. If you need more tips on washing your tie-dyed shirt item, see here for more tips!

Highlighted Features:

• Thin and sheer fabric
• Easy to fold and twist
• Measures 72 x 43 inches
• Made of pure cotton
• Can be used for tie-dyeing, crafting, and other tasks

2. Robert Kaufman Quilting Fabric

Since pure cotton is known as the best fabric for tie dye, we have another one for you! The Robert Kaufman quilting fabric is perfect for quilting clothing items as well as curtains.

This fabric is white and has a nice texture that will make your tie-dye artwork stand out. Not only that, but the fabric is soft enough to make you feel comfortable when you use it to sew a t-shirt or other clothing item.

A yard of the fabric measures 44 inches in width and 36 inches in length, but if you need longer than that, it is possible to order your desired length.

Like the previous fabric, you need to use cold water for washing it in the machine. Doing so will prevent the fabric from getting damaged and hence, preserve your tie-dye artwork.

Highlighted Features:

• Made of pure cotton
• The fabric is soft to ensure comfort
• Can be used for quilting clothing items and curtains
• Ensures vivid colors
• Measures 36 x 44 inches

3. LOVOUS Linen Needlework Fabric

The Lovous linen needlework fabric can also be considered as the best tie dye fabric because the dyes also work great on linen.

If you’re looking for a fabric particularly for your crafting projects, then this pure tie dye linen fabric is suitable for you.

Besides needlework, you can use it for crafting tie-dyed items, such as handbags, pencil cases, and also pillowcases. It is soft enough to allow itself to be folded or twisted for tie-dyeing.

The fabric comes in a bright white color and it measures 20 inches in width and 62 inches in length. It is also available in a slightly deeper color if you feel the need of choosing it.

Highlighted Features:

• Made of pure linen
• Measures 62 x 20 inches
• Available in two colors
• It is soft enough to be easily folded
• Can be used for tie-dyeing, needleworking, and other crafting projects

4. CRAFTY CUTS Muslin Fabric

Another one by Crafty Cuts, this muslin fabric is just the right piece for your tie-dyeing projects.

This fabric is soft and lightweight, which means you can easily fold it for the tie-dyeing process. It measures 72 inches in length and 44 inches in width.

Besides apparel, you can use it for other projects, such as quilting, embroidery, and DIY home decorations.

Like the previous fabric by the same brand, this one also requires machine washing with cold water and shouldn’t be bleached.

Highlighted Features:

• Made of muslin
• It measures 72 x 44 inches
• Can be used for tie-dyeing, embroidery, and other crafting projects
• Soft fabric ensures comfort
• You can fold it easily

5. Master FAB Printed Cotton Fabric

If you’re looking for a printed fabric for tie-dyeing, you can check out this one by Master FAB.

This is a soft, breathable fabric made of pure cotton, which makes it ideal for sewing clothing items, as well as crafting.

Because of the pure cotton material, you can easily tie-dye the fabric to your desired pattern. The combination of the print and the tie-dye artwork will surely make whatever you make out of the fabric into a unique piece!

Apart from fiber-reactive dyes, you can even use dyes that require heat. That’s because the fabric is capable of withstanding heat and also hot water. If it gets wrinkled as you’re working on your project, you can easily remove them by ironing it. Just make sure you get the right iron. You don’t want to best iron for perler beads to iron fabrics!

One thing to note before purchasing this printed fabric is that it doesn’t come in a continuous state. It is already pre-cut to 39 x 55 inches, so if you add another one to your shopping cart, you’ll get both fabrics separately.

Highlighted Features:

• Soft and breathable fabric ensures comfort
• Made of pure cotton
• Dries quickly
• Withstands heat and hot water
• The fabric is precut to 39 x 55 inches

6. Robert Kaufman Muslin Fabric

Another fabric by Robert Kaufman, the muslin fabric allows you to exude your creativity without limits.

This is a non-sheer fabric similar to a bed sheet that you can use to sew a shirt and then implement different tie-dye techniques. Not just clothes, but you can also use the fabric for making your own tie-dyed shirt, tote bags and other items.

Although this particular fabric has a natural color, you’ll find another one in bleached white. It measures 44 inches in width and 36 inches in length. The fabric is continuous, and it will be cut to your desired length when you select the quantity and then place an order.

As for the care instructions of this fabric, you will need to wash it in the machine using the cold water setting and dry it in the dryer using a low heat setting.

Highlighted Features:

• Made of muslin
• Available in bleached and unbleached
• Measures 44 x 36 inches
• Suitable for different projects
• Can be ironed easily

Comparison Chart of Fabric for Tie Dye

Fabric For Tie Dye Buying Guide

Material

The first and foremost factor to consider when shopping for the best fabric to tie dye is the fabric’s material. When you’re new to tie dying, you want to get the best materials. Just like if you’re new to weaving, you want to get the best rigid heddle loom for beginners out there!

Tie-dye technique doesn’t work well on all types of fabrics except for all natural fibers, like cotton, linen, and silk. And among these natural fibers, the capability of handling dyes varies from one to another mainly because of their properties.

For example, if you choose rayon for tie-dyeing, the fabric will deliver brilliant colors that surpass cotton even if you use the same fiber-reactive dye. However, rayon needs to be taken great care of because the fabric is prone to tearing while wet. We also get question on if you can sub laminate on rayon, check out are article for tips.

Apart from that, you’ll also need to note that not all natural fibers work well with the same kind of dye. While cotton, rayon, linen, and hemp can be tie-dyed using fiber-reactive dyes, wool works great with acid dyes. As for silk, it works with all kinds of dyes with the exception of disperse-dyes. 

Color

Tie-dye artwork stands out more on light-colored fabric, such as white, off-white, yellow, and tan. But it’s still possible to tie-dye on dark-colored fabric, like black, as long as you use bleach for lightening the color.

If you want to add some uniqueness to your outfit, you can also try tie-dyeing on a piece of printed fabric. It all depends on personal preference.

Size

Fabrics come in various widths and lengths. Depending on what you want to make out of them, you will need to choose the size accordingly.

For example, if you choose two yards of fabric, you’ll be able to make shirts, t-shirts, blouses, and pillowcases. The width of the fabric matters as well, which typically ranges between 43 to 60 inches. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Final Word

As you’ve seen, not all types of fabric are suitable for tie-dyeing because they won’t hold up the colors well. And even if you choose a particular material that is meant for tie-dyeing, you might notice that the fabric quality isn’t up to the mark.

In order to avoid spending on a fabric that would rather leave you disappointed, it’s always a good idea to know what you want in fabric and look at the reviews. All of the fabrics listed above have gone through enough research and testing so that you will have no problem choosing the best fabric for tie-dye. 

Have a great time unleashing your creative side!

Also read:

• Get a good quality yarn ball winder from our list.
• Our list of heddle looms for intricate weaving.

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