Isaac's Re-Dying Denim Tips

I recently stopped by the offices of designer Isaac Mizrahi.   

You might know him as the fashion designer who has the upscale women's and men's lines.... and also designed the lesser priced line for Target stores for a few years.    He's now in charge of the mega-brand Liz Claiborne and still doing lots of fun and exciting things to bring fashion to the masses.

At his offices, I shared some cool tips on how to go green including my new Simmons Natural Care by Danny Seo mattress and showed some other cool eco products that are coming out.   We filmed it as a webisode that will be online in a few weeks.  I'll post the link when it's up.

But in the guest room at this offices, I picked up a mini-magazine he published called "Isaac's Style Book."   Inside the book I found an amazing project I just had to share.

If yo have a pair of light blue jeans that fit really well, but look terribly dated, you can re-dye them yourself into dark denim jeans.   It's a quick and easy way to update jeans without tossing them out!

Here's Isaac's tips:

1.   Prepare a dye bath by filling a large stockpot with 3 gallons of hot water and dissolve 1 bottle of RIT Pearl Gray dye.  Add 1/2 Cup of salt and stir to dissolve.

2.  Wet the jeans thoroughly with hot tap water.   Uncrumple and add to dye bath.  Add more water for jeans to float freely.

3.  Place stockpot on stovetop and bring dye bath and jeans to a simmer.  COOK jeans for 10 minutes, stirring often.  Remove carefully from stockpot and rinse in warm, then gradually cooler water, until water runs clear.  Clean stockpot immediately (or it will be dyed).   Launder jeans in warm water with detergent and line dry.   Repeat for darker jeans.

Comments

[leslie]

hmmmm...can you try it, take pics, and let us know how it goes?

[Jane]

Interesting that the dye is gray and not indigo?

[Angie D]

You know... I love Isaac's webisodes and how cool that you were able to film one. I can't wait to see it. Isaac can always put me in a good mood. There's something childish and magical about him... that I just love.

And what a great idea about dying your jeans. I have two pairs right now that are so faded... and I was thinking that no one would even want them if I donated to Goodwill. So guess what I'm going to try this weekend?????

Thanks for the great tip.

[cindy]

Just a question about the natural care mattresses... how would someone in Hawaii get one?