Frequently Asked Questions

These are some of our most frequently asked questions.

If your's is not covered here please contact us. We would like to hear from you!

Do you dye single items?
Yes, we do. The cost of dyeing is reduced as you dye more items.
Must I sign a disclaimer before dyeing commences?
Yes.
How long does it take?
Five to ten working days. We 'line dry' all delicate items and redye those articles where we think the colour will improve with more processing.

We are able to express process orders in 48 hour for an extra $50.
Do we have to pay in advance for our dyeing?
Yes.
Do you accept EFTPOS and Credit Cards?
Yes.
Can you courier garments back to me?
Yes we can courier anywhere in New Zealand. We will give you a quote for this. It is not very expensive at all and we have a track and trace facility with Castle Parcels.
Can you post items to me?
Yes, however it is slower and a little cheaper.
Are you open Saturdays?
Yes. See our trading hours on the contact page.
Do you close over Christmas?
Yes, typically from about the 23rd December until 5th January.
Can you 'fill in' the colour which is missing without dyeing the whole garment?
No, sorry. This is not possible. The dye will flow across the faded area as well as other parts of the garment.
Do you use vegetable dyes?
They are not always colour-fast and are unreliable when it comes to matching colours.
How do I know whether my garment will shrink or not during the process?
Severe shrinkage is unusual today and many garments are made from preshrunk fabric. Most articles shrink a little during dyeing and the size is best recovered by stretching when damp and 'line' or 'flat' drying. Tumble drying is more likely to affect shrinkage because moisture is removed from the fabric whilst it is being tumbled.
Can you dye suits and tailored jackets and coats?
We regularly dye these articles although there are some the more difficult articles that we process. The fabric of linings can fray and most seams have 'raw' or cut edges. We highly recommend that these raw/cut seams are overlocked before dyeing to secure them against fraying during the processing. These articles are also more difficult to return to their original size and shape without specialised cleaning and pressing.

A professional dry cleaner will re-tension the fabric as far as possible by steaming and relaxing the fabric. After this professional finishing most garments are revitalised! Dyeing suits and the like have different shrinkages for linings and the main body fabric. The polyester stitching threads do not take up the dye and as a result you could get a garment dyed to a new colour with outlines of old stitching.

Our company is owned by Charlie Carter-Johnson who also owns Streetwise Apparel Ltd. Because of this relationship we are able carry out any repairs or alterations that might be required after dyeing.
Can you dye lounge covers?
Yes we can if the lounge or chair has 'loose' covers which can be removed. They are one of the most successful items we process. We cannot dye covers which remain on the lounge.
Can you dye curtains?
We can dye curtains and generally find that they can shrink during processing. We often have to guess the type of fibre/fabric as there is rarely a care/fibre content label on the curtains. This makes colour matching difficult, particularly if the fabric is a synthetic blend. If we are not sure of the fiber composition, we could test the dyeability and also confirm the recipe at the same time. We cannot dye thermal backed curtains.

Photo fading of curtains could be covered by redyeing, however, the differences between the faded and non faded zones will only be minimised and not eliminated. Loss of strength due to photo fading could result in the curtain tearing in the dyeing process.
Do you dye fabric lengths?
Yes we do and we ask that the fabric is cut into maximum 2.5 metre lengths. The cut edges must be overlocked or sewn to prevent fabric fraying. It is possible to dye a number of 2.5 metre lengths at the same time.

When colour matching choose a single fibre fabric such as cotton, linen, silk, polyester or nylon. Blended fabrics such as polyester/cotton must have a lab dip done as the results will be inconsistent.
Can you cover mould and stains on outdoor furniture?
Yes, most of the time except if the fabric has been treated in manufacture with ScotchGuard. In this case the dye does not penetrate the fabric to cover stains.

Unfortunately, we cannot judge whether a canvas will accept dye or not just by looking at it if it is not labelled. We only know the result after the dye process.
Can you dye wools like Merino?
We cannot predict shrinkages of pure merino woollen garments. Merino blends tend to be more stable than pure Merino garments
What if I am unhappy with the service or results?
Please contact us immediately. We want happy clients.

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What can we dye?

We can dye any of the following items and more, contact us to discuss your requirements.

  • Accessories

    Cords, lace, elastics, tapes and most trimmings.

  • Garments

    All items of clothing, caps, bags.

  • Fabrics

    Cut lengths of fabrics.

  • Homewares

    Towels, sheets, pillowcases, duvet covers, lounge covers, throws.

  • Curtains

    New and used curtains.