How to Dye Fabric Ombre (Dip Dyeing Technique)

Learn the process of ombre dyeing—a gradual shading method—to give a beautiful, gradient-dyed look to your clothing and home décor fabrics.

Brian Kramer

and

Chelsea Evers

Updated on February 3, 2024

Ombre, a popular dying technique, gives a subtle, ethereal look to fabrics. Follow a dip dye technique by submerging more and more of the fabric to get the desired results. With this budget-friendly DIY you can bring new life to curtains, pillow cases, and more with our step by step instructions.

You'll need a variety of supplies, including your dye color of choice, salt, soda ash, and urea powder. Soda ash, also known as sodium carbonate, is used in the dying process as a way to make your fabrics more colorfast, while urea powder will slow down the drying process, allowing more time for dye absorption.

Here's what you'll need per pound of dry fabric:

What You'll Need

Equipment / Tools

measuring cups and spoons
2 5-gallon buckets or plastic containers
rubber gloves
2-3-cup plastic mixing container
ruler
string
2 binder clips
stool
spring clamp

Materials

1/4 cup professional textile detergent
1/3 cup soda ash
1 tbsp urea powder
1 to 2 tbsp fiber-reactive dye
3 cups noniodized salt

Instructions

Clean Fabric

Wash fabric with professional textile detergent, following manufacturer instructions. Combine soda ash and 3 gallons of warm water in a bucket, stirring until dissolved.
Soak Fabric in Soda Ash

Submerge fabric in soda ash mixture. Do not overstuff; instead, soak only fabric that easily fits in bucket. Allow fabric to soak in soda ash mixture for at least 30 minutes.
Mix Urea Powder

Combine urea powder and 1 cup warm water in a mixing cup. Pour a few tablespoons of urea mixture into a plastic mixing container with fiber-reactive dye in bottom. Work the powder and urea water into a smooth paste, then stir in the rest of the urea mixture to make a concentrate.
Add Salt

Add salt to 3 gallons of warm water in your dyeing tub, stirring until dissolved.
Add Dye

To create the lightest shade in your ombre pattern, add about 1/3 cup dye concentrate to saltwater and stir.
Clean Sides of Tub

Wipe the inside of dye tub to prevent unwanted dye marks on fabric.
Create Hanger for Fabric

Create a tool to help you hold your fabric longer by tying strings to two binder clips and then wrapping the string around a ruler. Wring out fabric and attach binder clips.
Dip Fabric

Dip fabric to desired point and hold for 10 minutes or until you reach preferred color intensity.
Wring Fabric

With clean, gloved hands, remove fabric from dye. Hold undyed end of fabric with one hand while wringing out excess dye with the other.
Set Fabric Aside

Place dyed fabric on a clean surface protected from the dyeing area.
Add More Dye

To create the next intensity of dye, pour about 1/3 cup of the dye concentrate into the dye tub and stir.
Dip Fabric Again

Dip fabric to desired point (we suggest several inches below your last dip point for a noticeable progression) and hold for twice the amount of time of first level or until you reach preferred color strength.
Re-Dip Fabric, Submerging More Each Time

Repeat steps 8 through 12, each time doubling the amount of dye you add and the amount of time you leave the fabric submerged. For more than three levels of ombre, you'll need to make more dye concentrate. Use a spring clamp and stool or ladder to hold fabric while dyeing if desired.
Rinse Fabric

Rinse fabric with cold running water until water runs clear.
Wring Fabric

Wring fabric again, squeezing out as much excess water and dye as possible.
Wash Fabric

Wash fabric in hot water using professional textile detergent. If you're unable to wash immediately, lay fabric flat on clean plastic wrap and wrap completely to prevent unwanted dye marks and drying.