Fur coats equal fashion, but their dye might lose its shininess over time. Therefore, you should make a move to
either throw it in a disposable box or give it to charity or restore its former glory by learning how to color it at home.
For several decades, fur coats were used in their natural color and were famous for their style. But the natural color of fur has become common, almost repetitive among people as demand grew over time.
The solution was to dye coats in different colors to help you stand out from the pack. So each designer started to use a mixture of chemicals in order to create a new style to please a specific group of women.
However, fur dyes don’t retain their color complexion over time; within 2-3 years, the coats start losing their shiny colorful look to a pale façade.
While buying a new fur coat is neither ethical nor affordable, it is better to keep your old furry coat by coloring it to its former glory.
Here’s how to do it.
4 Ways To Dye Your Fur Coats
Now that you decided to dye your fur coat, what are the options?
- Atelier companies are the easy bet; all you have to do is drop your coat at their shop and pick it up in a few days. However, it can cost several hundreds of dollars, and you might start to consider buying a new faux fur coat instead at this rate.
- Dry cleaners are looking to expand their operations and diversify their earnings. Many of them started offering different services, including fur dyes. But you should pay attention to the quality of the service.
- Do-it-yourself: The cheapest option is to dye your fur coat/jacket at your home; it is affordable and quick, and you take no risks by dealing with third parties.
11 Simple Steps To Dye Your Fur At Home
Fur dying is a great technique to bring your jacket to a brand new look, but you shouldn’t use it on new products.
The original paint has a longer lifetime than hair dye, and your new color will lose saturation quicker than the original.
Most fur coats, such as arctic and fox, have thicker piles; they may require about two paints for a good dye job.
The first three steps talk about preparations, and the other eight steps include the actual painting process.
- Start by cleaning your fur coat of grease and dirt; when left, you decrease the paint’s penetration and diminish its durability.
- Make a simple coat-cleaning solution by using salt, soda, and washing powder. You will need a tablespoon of each ingredient in a liter of water (1/4 gallon)
- Once you’ve cleaned the coat, rinse it with warm water, and leave it to dry.
- The paint is hard to remove, so you should cover the painting area with some newspaper. Also, wear gloves preferably to avoid skin contact with the paint.
- Prepare the fur dye using the instructions labeled on the packet. It’s also essential to choose a good quality fur dye. If your coat is mink or fox, you should select a darker color than the original; a lighter color may blend with the existing pigment and lead to an undesirable shade.
- Mezdra- or the inner leather of the coat- must be moisturized using any fat cream or glycerin to prevent drying out.
- Now, start painting. Begin by applying the mixture with a brush, and spread it with your hand. The direction should be the same as the natural direction of the fur to avoid breaking them.
- Once it is applied, put the fur coat in a plastic bag, allowing the color to absorb fully. Let it stay for a few hours. After 8 hours, take it out and rinse it with warm water.
- The new look can lack some shine; you can use hair balms to improve the shine and create a better look. Leave it for another 2 hours.
- Now, rinse everything with warm water and potentially some vinegar, it should smoothen the look and bring an even texture.
- Finally, absorb the moisture with a towel. Then let it dry for a few days outside or in a dry room.
Most non-experts underestimate the importance of moisturizing the Mezdra, which otherwise destroys their coat look. It is essential to spread fat cream or glycerin evenly on the coat.
Another important tip is that you should first try the dye on a small part of your coat before painting the whole of it. Different furs have different reactions to the paint, and a little sample test can save a bigger loss.
Final Words
You can save money and reconquer your old fur coat by simply following the steps above.
Fur coats are becoming rarer as they are produced illegally in some factories outside of the radar of animal well-being activists.
Buying a new faux fur can be a great alternative as well. But let’s be honest nothing matches the look and feel of an authentic fur coat or jacket.
If you have one, not only you should take care of it, remove any odor, rehydrate and clean it from time to time, but you can also think of restoring its shininess by applying a new dye.
We’re listening to your comments.