To dye or not to dye synthetic hair? That’s what many have been wondering. A search on the web will show you what seems like conflicting advice. Some say it’s impossible. Others say you can with just the right product. The truth lies somewhere in the middle and in this case, the difference is about the type of synthetic fibers you’re dealing with. Let’s look at the reality of dyeing synthetic hair so you can feel informed the next time you want to change the color.
The Case Against: “Synthetic Hair Cannot Be Dyed”
This tends to be true or at least it was until a few years ago. Oftentimes, synthetic wigs are manufactured using synthetic fibers like Kanekalon or Toyokalon. Standard hair dye bonds chemically with protein. As you may have guessed, there’s nothing on synthetic fiber for hair dye to bond with. Laundering a fully synthetic wig with standard box dye will probably leave a wet, tacky looking mess with damaged and frizzy fibers. So, if someone is asking if you can dye synthetic hair wigs with the same black market dye you can use on human hair, the answer is no.
So, what other options are available? We just need to look at other types of synthetic fibers.
Claim: “Fabric Dye or Rit Dye Works Fine”
The next level of oversimplification concerns synthetics fabric dyed with Rit DyeMore made especially for polyester and synthetic blends. While dyeing synthetics with this is feasible, it has risks and is not foolproof. This method requires constant low simmering as opposed to a typical cold dye application. Dyebaths run too hot have high risk of completely ruining the garment. For that reason, not just anyone should attempt this.
There are risks involved, and an expensive piece of fabric will end up wasted if you are inexperienced. Trying this for the first time should only be done in a section that is inconspicuous enough to be cut off afterwards.
Claim: “Heat-Resistant Synthetic Fiber Can Be Dyed More Easily”
Heat-resistant synthetic fibers do make dyeing a little easier since they have a higher melting point and therefore a lower risk of melting during the dyeing process compared to standard synthetic fibers. However, just because heat-resistant fibers are resistant to heat, doesn’t mean they will absorb the dye properly and evenly. Just like before, even with heat-resistant synthetic fibers, dye jobs still end up significantly duller and patchy.
Can You Dye A Blend Wig?
To clarify, can you dye a blend wig? Since blend wigs are part human hair, part synthetic, you can dye the human hair part, but the synthetic part will not be able to take in color and there will be two tones that will probably look awful and more like a mistake than a style that was intentionally created. This is why most people shouldn’t try to dye blend wigs at home.
If You Have to Dye A Synthetic Weave
I get that sometimes things need to be done in the quest of looking good. Dyeing a synthetic weave is obviously dangerous, but here are some practices that will help you dye a synthetic weave successfully. First, try to use dye that is formulated to work with synthetic materials and polyester fabrics. If you use standard hair dye, you will mess up your project. Then, try to apply a test dye in an out of the way spot of your project to see how it will work. Give the dye plenty of time to process. Since the synthetic weave can easily melt in hot water, be sure to monitor the temperature and go slow. Try your best to dye a synthetic weave, but know that it is more difficult to predict and achieve the results you want.
Going Darker Versus Going Lighter
One thing that is often overlooked in this debate is that it is more difficult to go lighter than to go darker, when using fabric dyes. When you are going darker in synthetic fibers, you are adding color to the existing fiber. When you go lighter in synthetic fibers, you are not able to bleach like you can with human hair because there is no pigment to remove. If you were to try and lighten a synthetic wig with dye, that would not work, you have to buy a lighter color wig.
This is very important when considering online tutorials, because a successful darkening project does not guarantee that the same technique will work for a lighter project when using fibers of similar types.
The Realistic Bottom Line
If color is important to you, and you want predictable results, buying a new wig is the much better option than the risk of dyeing a synthetic fiber at home. The fabric dye method is okay for small, low impact projects, but it isn’t a good choice if the project is important, because you can’t guarantee the results will be good.
