How to Dye a Wedding Dress: A Step-by-Step Guide to Upcycling for a Sustainable Future

Boulder Babe
Mar 4
5 min read

If you've recently tied the knot and now find your wedding dress collecting dust in the closet, you might be wondering how to give it a new lease on life.

Dyeing a wedding dress is an excellent way to upcycle it, transforming it into a stunning piece for future events or even just a creative statement. In this guide, I’ll walk you through the process of how to dye a wedding dress, as well as share some tricks and techniques I’ve used to create truly beautiful, personalized pieces.

Let’s dive into the world of fabric dyeing and learn how to breathe new life into your wedding gown.

Why Upcycle Your Wedding Dress?

Wedding dresses are often worn once and then stashed away, never to be seen again. But rather than allowing them to end up in a landfill (where about 85% of textiles are discarded), why not upcycle them? Dyeing your wedding dress gives it a second chance at life, and it’s an environmentally friendly choice that reduces waste. Whether you want to give your dress a new, bold color or just reimagine it for a special occasion, dyeing is a fantastic solution. Plus, it’s a creative and fun way to reflect your personal style!

Materials Needed for Dyeing a Wedding Dress

Before we jump into the steps of how to dye a wedding dress, let's talk about the materials you'll need. Depending on your approach, there are various dyeing techniques, but they all require a few basic supplies:

Fabric dye: Select a dye suited for your fabric (RIT DyeMore for polyester, standard RIT for natural fibers). For spray/hand application, use S.E.I. spray dye (available at Walmart) for bold, vibrant color.
Fixative: This helps lock in the color and ensures it stays vibrant after washing. I reccomend RIT.
Large bucket or sink (for immersion dyeing) or spray bottle (for a more artistic approach).
Rubber gloves to protect your hands from staining.
Delicate detergent (for washing the gown after dyeing).
Clothing hanger and ladder (if using a spray or hand-dyeing technique).
Plastic sheets or drop cloth (to protect your work area from dye spills).

Now that you're ready to get started, let’s look at a few different methods to dye your wedding dress.

Method 1: Immersion Dyeing

One of the most effective ways to dye a wedding dress is by submerging it entirely in dye. This technique works best for fabric like cotton and some polyester, but it can also be used for other materials if done carefully.

Prepare the warm/hot Dye Bath: Mix your fabric dye according to the package instructions. If you're using RIT dye, you'll want to add the fixative to the dye bath as well. This ensures that the color "sets" and doesn’t wash out too quickly.
Submerge the Dress: Wearing gloves, slowly dip your wedding dress into the dye bath, making sure it's fully saturated. This process typically takes anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes, depending on the fabric and desired intensity. The longer it sits, the deeper the color will become. Keep in mind that when your clothing is wet, is appears darker than it will when dry.
Rinse and Wash: Once you're satisfied with the color, wring out the dress and place it directly into the washer. Add more fixative along with a delicate detergent, then run a gentle cycle with cold water. After washing, hang to dry.

Method 2: Tie-Dyeing with Spray Dye

For a more creative and playful approach, tie-dyeing with spray dye allows you to bring unique and vibrant patterns to your wedding dress. This technique is especially useful if you want to give your dress a boho-chic or artistic twist.

Choose Your Dye: Use RIT or Use a pre-mixed spray dye like the S.E.I. brand for harder to dye fabrics, which is available at Walmart. This dye is easy to apply and produces vibrant, concentrated colors.
Prepare Your Dress: Start by rubber banding different sections of the dress to create a tie-dye pattern. The rubber bands will create areas of resistance, which will lead to the signature tie-dye effect. For example, you can rubber band the bodice tightly or the skirt in concentric circles for a flower-like shape/texture.
Spray Dye: Once your dress is prepared and preferably hanging on your ladder, take your spray dye and begin applying it to the rubber-banded sections. You’ll want to spray the dye from different angles to make sure it penetrates the fabric. As you spray, you’ll see the colors blending and creating a beautiful, artistic pattern.
Layering: For a more dynamic look, layer multiple colors of dye on top of each other. The result will be a vibrant and unique wedding dress that reflects your personality and creativity. I reccomend starting with your darker colors and filling in with light.
Set the Dye: After applying the dye and waiting the time reccomended from the manucatuer you chose, wash the dress on a delicate cycle using a gentle detergent and fixative, then hang it to dry. This will help set the color and ensure that it stays vibrant.

Method 3: Hand-Dyeing with Spray Bottle

For those who want a more controlled and detailed dyeing effect, hand-dyeing with spray dye provides an excellent option. This technique involves using a spray bottle to apply the dye in layers, allowing for a more nuanced and custom effect.

Prepare Your Dye: Similar to the immersion method, you’ll need to mix fabric dye according to the instructions, but for hand-dyeing, you’ll need several bottles—at least 10-12 for a full wedding dress (at minimum). I reccomend using either RIT or SEI depending upon what dye your fabric takes best.
Apply the Dye: I like to hang the dress using a clothing hanger and ladder to spray
the dye onto the fabric. The technique is similar to creating an oil painting where colors blend into each other to form beautiful gradients and layers.
Repeat: This method often requires several applications of dye to achieve the perfect effect. I recommend applying one layer, letting it dry, and then repeating the process until you’re satisfied with the results.
Set the Dye: After applying multiple layers of dye, let the dress dry fully before washing it with delicate detergent and fixative on a gentle cycle. This step ensures the color stays intact and doesn’t bleed.

Final Thoughts: Experiment and Have Fun!

While I’ve shared my personal experiences with dyeing wedding dresses, it’s important to remember that every fabric reacts differently to dye. Some materials take the color beautifully, while others might resist or need extra care. Polyester, for example, can be a tricky fabric to dye, and sometimes synthetic fibers won’t absorb the dye as well as natural fibers. It’s essential to experiment with small swatches of fabric first if you’re unsure.

The key takeaway here is that dyeing a wedding dress is not only a way to save money, but it’s also a creative way to preserve memories, and reduce textile waste. Whether you’re using immersion dyeing, tie-dyeing with spray dye, or hand-dyeing with spray dye techniques, your wedding dress can become a stunning, one-of-a-kind piece that you’ll cherish for years to come.

So, next time you're thinking about how to dye a wedding dress, don't hesitate—get creative, and let the fabric transform into something new and beautiful!

The Croatian Wedding Collection

At Boulder Babe, we believe wedding dresses shouldn’t be locked away in closets or left to waste. That’s why we’ve created the Croatian Wedding Upcycle Collection—a bold new take on sustainable fashion that transforms wedding attire into wearable, everyday pieces.

Inspired by Croatia’s landscapes, timeless elegance, and rich history of craftsmanship, this collection merges tailored menswear, modern artistry, and upcycled bridal fabrics to create one-of-a-kind garments with a story to tell. Every piece is hand-dyed, repurposed, and designed for everyday wear long after the wedding day.

Want to upcycle your own dress or create a custom piece? Book a one-on-one consultation with me here and let’s bring your vision to life.

Explore more at BoulderBabe.com and join the revolution of wearing love, not waste.