Understanding the Differences Between Jacquard Fabric Dyes: A Complete Guide for Textile Artists
When it comes to fabric dyeing, not all dyes are created equal—and no brand exemplifies this better than Jacquard Products. Known for their broad line of high-quality dyes and textile art supplies, Jacquard offers a wide variety of products tailored to specific materials, methods, and outcomes. Whether you're a fiber artist, fashion designer, hobbyist, or educator, understanding the differences between Jacquard's dyes can save you time, improve your results, and even expand your creative horizons.
In this guide, we’ll explore the most popular Jacquard dyes, compare their uses, benefits, and limitations, and help you determine which one is best suited for your project.
Why Use Jacquard Dyes?
Jacquard is a trusted name in the textile world because of their professional-grade formulations, vibrant colors, and detailed labeling. Their dyes are designed with both artists and industrial users in mind. Jacquard's product line covers nearly every type of fabric—from natural to synthetic—and their dyes work with multiple techniques, including tie-dye, batik, screen printing, immersion dyeing, and more.
Overview of Jacquard Dye Types
Jacquard manufactures several types of fabric dyes, each suited to specific materials and applications. Here's a high-level overview:
| Dye / Paint Line | Best For | Fibre / Surface Types | Fixing Method | Colour & Finish Characteristics |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Procion MX | Cold-water dyeing, tie-dye | Cotton, rayon, linen, hemp | Soda ash (cold fix) | Brilliant, permanent, reactive colour on cellulose |
| iDye (Natural Fibers) | Easy machine dyeing | Cotton, linen, rayon, silk (light use) | Washer or stovetop + fixative | Convenient, good washfastness |
| iDye Poly | Dyeing polyester & synthetics | Polyester, nylon, acrylic blends | Stovetop boil + heat | One of few dyes for synthetics; moderate permanence |
| Dye-Na-Flow | Painting, airbrushing, marbling | All porous fabrics, leather, paper | Heat set or AirFix | Highly transparent, free-flowing, watercolour-like |
| Textile Color | Painting, stamping, fabric art | Natural/synthetic fabric, leather, wood | Heat set or AirFix | Semi-opaque, soft hand, mixable, excellent washfastness |
| Solar Fast | UV/photo printing on fabric | Natural fabrics, paper | UV/light exposure | Light-reactive, excellent for photographic prints |
1. Procion MX Dyes
Best for: Cold water dyeing of cellulose fibers
Procion MX is a fibre-reactive dye that chemically bonds to cellulose-based fibres. It is most commonly used for tie-dye, ice dyeing, batik, and other resist-dye techniques.
Works best on:
- Cotton
- Hemp
- Rayon
- Linen
- Paper (some applications)
Features:
- Cold water application
- Long shelf life in powder form
- Requires soda ash to fix the dye
- Non-toxic and safe for home use
Pros:
✅ Brilliant, permanent color
✅ Colorfast (resists fading from washing and light)
✅ Ideal for layering and resist techniques
Cons:
❌ Not suitable for synthetic or protein fibers
❌ Must mix with soda ash or a fixative
Ideal use case:
Want to create a tie-dye t-shirt with vibrant colors that won’t wash out? Procion MX is your go-to.
2. Jacquard iDye (for Natural Fibers)
Best for: Easy machine dyeing of natural fabrics
iDye is a pre-measured, all-in-one dye packet you drop directly into your washing machine. It simplifies the dyeing process, especially for beginners.
Works best on:
- Cotton
- Linen
- Rayon
- Silk (to some extent)
Features:
- No pre-mixing required
- Can be used in a washing machine or stovetop
- Comes with dye fixative for better results
Pros:
✅ Beginner-friendly
✅ Less messy than powdered dyes
✅ Comes in a wide color palette
Cons:
❌ Not as colourfast as Procion MX
❌ Limited control over intensity or placement
Ideal use case:
Revamping faded cotton clothes or upcycling secondhand store finds in bulk.
3. iDye Poly (for Synthetic Fibres)
Best for: Dyeing polyester, nylon, and synthetic blends
iDye Poly is one of the few dyes on the market formulated specifically for synthetic fabrics. Polyester normally resists dyeing, but iDye Poly uses heat to penetrate the fabric’s plastic fibers.
Works best on:
- Polyester
- Nylon
- Acrylic blends
- Acetate
Features:
- Requires high heat (stovetop)
- Comes in separate packets for ease of use
- Not suitable for washing machines
Pros:
✅ Allows you to dye synthetic fabrics like sportswear or costumes
✅ Works where other dyes fail
Cons:
❌ Requires constant heat
❌ Fumes can be unpleasant—requires ventilation
❌ Limited to solid-color dyeing
Ideal use case:
Custom dyeing polyester cosplay pieces or synthetic lace trims.
4. Dye-Na-Flow
Best for: Watercolor-like painting on fabric
Dye-Na-Flow is a liquid, free-flowing textile color that acts more like an ink or paint than a traditional dye. It is ideal for painting or printing directly on fabric.
Works best on:
- Cotton
- Silk
- Synthetic fabrics
- Leather
- Paper
Features:
- Ready-to-use liquid
- Heat set with an iron
- Ideal for airbrushing, marbling, and batik
Pros:
✅ No mixing required
✅ Great for detailed painting and stamping
✅ Works on all fabric types
Cons:
❌ Not as permanent as immersion dyes
❌ May bleed without setting
Ideal use case:
Creating wearable art or one-of-a-kind textile paintings.
5. SolarFast Light-Activated Dye
Best for: Photographic printing and sun dyeing
SolarFast is a light-sensitive dye that develops color when exposed to UV light. It’s ideal for printing photographic images or silhouettes on natural fabrics.
Works best on:
- Cotton
- Silk
- Linen
- Paper (some use)
Features:
- No heat or chemical fixatives required
- Develops when exposed to sunlight or UV lamp
- Available in a variety of colors
Pros:
✅ Excellent for DIY photo printing
✅ No steaming or fixing
✅ Can be used with negatives
Cons:
❌ Requires controlled exposure to UV
❌ Not suitable for dark fabrics
Ideal use case:
Creating DIY cyanotype-style photo prints on t-shirts or art panels.
6. Textile Color (Paint‑Like Fabric Colour)
Jacquard Textile Color is the professional standard for artists seeking vibrant, long-lasting fabric paints that preserve the soft feel of the material. Designed to be permanent and colorfast on both natural and synthetic fabrics—including stretch fabrics and extruded fibers—it also adheres beautifully to porous and semi-porous surfaces such as leather, canvas, wood, and paper.
Unlike many fabric paints, Textile Color won’t crack, peel, or chip, even after repeated washing and wearing. The paint applies directly from the bottle with a smooth, medium-bodied texture and delivers rich, semi-transparent colour. To adjust the finish:
- Add water (up to 25%) to increase transparency and reduce thickness.
- Use #100 Colorless Extender to dilute opacity without changing the consistency.
- Mix with #123 White to create pastel tones.
- For greater opacity, combine with #220 Super Opaque White or try Neopaque paints for fully opaque coverage.
These colours are fully intermixable, allowing you to blend a virtually unlimited colour range. You can also mix them with other Jacquard lines like Lumiere, Neopaque, or Dye-Na-Flow, and they make an excellent base for combining with Pearl Ex Powdered Pigments.
To ensure maximum durability, Textile Color should be heat set using an iron, heat press, dryer, or heat gun (see full instructions). For no-heat applications, add AirFix Additive to make the paint permanent without additional equipment.
Techniques
- Painting
- Block printing
- Mono printing
- Stenciling
- Stamping
Compatible Surfaces
- Natural and synthetic fabrics
- Leather and faux leather
- Wood
- Canvas and shoes
- Paper and more