Our base colours are only the beginning. Mix them together and the colour possibilities are endless. Here are tips to use when colour mixing.

1. Getting that rich, dark colour is simple if you follow Colour Formulas: Head over to our Colour Formulas page to find over 1,000 colour formulas.
   
   
2. Vintage Colours: Just because an old colour of ours was discontinued doesn’t mean it’s gone forever! You can find colour formulas to match all of our discontinued colours by going to our Colour Formulas page, selecting the dye type and then using the “Rit Collections” dropdown to select “Vintage Colours.”

1. Dye Method: The sink or bucket or stovetop method are the best for mixing colours, letting you easily tweak dye amounts to get just the right colour. However, our colour formulas will also work in a washer. If you are using Rit DyeMore for Synthetics to dye a synthetic fabric (fabrics containing more than 35% polyester, acrylic or acetate), then you must use the stovetop method.
   
   
2. Scaling: All formulas are automatically scalable to meet your needs. Just select the dyebath size that fits the item you are dyeing and the formula will automatically update.
   
   
3. If Using Powder Dye: All formulas on our Colour Formulas page are developed using liquid dye. If you are using powder dye, please reference the conversion chart below when mixing colours.
   
   
4. Colour: The colours shown on the Colour Formulas page represent dyeing 100% cotton for 30 minutes with Rit All-Purpose Dye and 100% polyester with Rit DyeMore for Synthetics. If you are dyeing something different, you may achieve a different colour than what is represented. See tips for testing the colour of your dyebath below.
   
   
5. Testing Colours: We strongly recommend testing the colour of your dyebath before dyeing.

1. Dye Type:
   
   
   1. If you are using Rit All-Purpose Dye, the most realistic test would be to use a scrap piece of fabric from the garment you are dyeing. However, you can also test colour by dipping a paper towel into the dyebath. Paper towel is made of fibres that react to the dye in a similar way that cotton would.
      
      
   2. If you are using Rit DyeMore Synthetic Dye, we recommend first heating up the dyebath on your stove to almost boiling. The most realistic test would be to use a scrap piece of fabric from the garment you are dyeing and leave it in the dyebath for 5 minutes. If a scrap piece of fabric isn’t available, then use a fabric swatch that has a similar fibre makeup as the garment (if available). Unfortunately, due to the complexities of dyeing synthetics, using a paper towel to test colour will not give you a close representation of how the colour will appear on your synthetic garment. It is worth a try if you do not have a fabric swatch available, but please keep in mind that it won’t provide you with an exact match.
      
      
2. If the colour is too light, add more dye; if the colour is too dark, add more water. If more dye is needed, add dye in increments of 1.25 – 5 mL , depending upon the recipe or amount of fabric being dyed. If the colour is too dark, add hot water in 1-2 cup / 200-400 mL increments, depending upon the size of the dyebath and the amount of fabric being dyed.

All formulas on our Color Formulas page are developed using liquid dye. If you are using powder dye, please reference this conversion chart.