Garment Dyeing
Inspired by the color and hand-feel of vintage fabrics collected at flea markets, we partner with local dye houses to re-create the look and feel of a well-loved textile.
Traditionally an apparel technique, we are one of the very few home textile companies that use this modern dyeing technology. We ran test after test to achieve the right balance of softness and stability.
Then came the challenge of trying to ensure corner-to-corner color consistency on 210 square inches of duvet cover...
How to Dye Fabric
Three methodsPIGMENT
The color is pasted onto the fabric through a physical bonding agent or glue. Pigment-dyed garments tend to be less colorfast, and the color eventually rubs off. The pigment dye is a layer on the surface of the textile; therefore, fading is inevitable.
VAT
A complex dyeing process that creates a strong chemical bond that is very resilient and difficult to remove. Vat-dyed items are resistant to bleach and other whitening agents.
REACTIVE
The color is chemically bonded to the fabric and will fade if bleached or exposed to direct sunlight for a prolonged period of time.
Our Process
Here at MATTEO, we use the Reactive process to dye and print all of our fabrics. We do this because the Vat method of dyeing does not allow for re-dyeing, which is often necessary to produce our colors and ensure they are consistent throughout each piece.
Our garment-dyed products will maintain color if cared for properly. We recommend not using bleach and avoiding continual exposure to intense sunlight. Please see the care section on each product page for specific care instructions.
An Art, Not a Science
The largest challenge with garment-dyeing is the truth that it is an art, and not a science. Because of the nature of the process, we must allow for a shade variation of +/- 10% from dyelot to dyelot.
What does this mean?
It means that as hard as we try to control every variable, home textiles dyed in one of our colors today, will likely be a slightly different shade than home textiles dyed in the same color tomorrow.
All of us at MATTEO sleep on our sheets and we notice that after a few home washings, we really can't tell the difference between two pieces from different dyelots. We also find that we appreciate the singularity of each individual piece.
Every Piece its Own
For us, the greatest appeal of garment-dyeing is the fact each and every product is unique and different than anyone else’s.
We are very proud to be the industry leader in garment-dyed textiles and intend to use this exciting modern technology for many years to come.
