Dala Fabric Paints

Fabric Paints

The Dala textile paint range includes transparent, neon, metallic, opaque, puff paint, and sun colour, and a variety of fabric mediums.  All these products are compatible with one another and come in a wonderful variety of vibrant colours.

Dala fabric paints do not contain any harmful solvents.  They have a high pigment-binder ratio and offer a versatile palette to cater for all styles.  Being non-toxic and odourless Dala fabric paints are safe to use in an enclosed environment, desirable at home or in schools.

Dala products are entirely free of toxic fumes.  The effect of toxic fumes on health can be serious.  Teachers have a responsibility to ensure that the safety guidelines for art products they use are followed.

Dala fabric paints are safe to use and conform to ASTM D4236 non toxic standard.

Dala transparent, neon, and sun colour paints are for use on light or bleached fabrics.  These colours are transparent and unsuitable for use on dark or coloured backgrounds.

Dala metallic, opaque, and puff paints may be applied either over the transparent colours or directly onto any colour or shade of fabric.  These fabric paints can be colour-mixed but not diluted.  Opacity with these paints is achieved when pigment is added to an opaque paint base which rests on the surface of the cloth and blocks out the underlying colour.  

HEAT SETTING FABRIC PAINT

When fabric has been painted it must always be heat set.  Heat setting is temperature and time related.  Your paint consists of two resins that bind together at high temperatures.  It is this binding that stops your colour from running out and therefore making your paint colourfast.  If you don't reach a high enough temperature and keep the fabric at this temperature for long enough the colour will run.  The following is recommended:

• Leave to dry then iron on the reverse side for at least four to six minutes at the maximum heat setting recommended for the fabric type.  This is an effective method provided you are sure to cover the entire surface area. 
• Larger items can be tumble dried.
• A popular heat setting tool for crafters is their oven.  Set your oven to 180 degrees, turn your oven off when it reaches this temperature.  Fold your fabric with the colour facing the inside, and place it into a double layer of thick foil, shiny side in.  Make sure the foil is properly sealed.  Place this parcel into the oven.  Leave it in the oven until oven is cool.  Remove, undo and re-fold the fabric and place back into the foil, repeating this process a number of times, depending on the size.

WASHING

Wash fabric in the washing machine on a cold wash or by hand with a mild detergent.

GOLDEN RULES OF FABRIC PAINTING

If you follow these simple rules you should have no problems with the colour fastness of your work.

Clean Fabric

Always make sure your fabric is clean starches are often used in the fabric manufacturing process.  These need to be washed out.  Don't rely on the fabric merchant to tell you if the fabric is ready for print.  Wash the fabric if you are uncertain.   

Synthetic Textiles

If you are painting on a highly synthetic fabric you will need to add Dala Anti Bleed to your paint as these fabrics absorb less paint and bleeding may be a problem.

Don't use too much paint or fabric liners

If you have glossy areas on your fabric once it has dried you have used too much paint.  The fabric can no longer absorb the colour and it lies on the surface and causes a glossy sticky patch.  Even after properly heat setting the colour remains glossy and tacky.  This cloth will loose all the excess colour in the first few washes.  Make sure you do not decorate the cloth with liners before you wash out the excess.

Sun Colour

Sun colour is a concentrated liquid heliotropic paint.  The heliotropic quality (or photo negative effect) of sun colour is achieved by rheological additives that enhance the pigment migration and the cellular structure of water when exposed to sunlight (infrared light).  This simply means that the rheological additives help draw the pigment from an area of concentration, which is under your stencil, to an area where it will dry the quickest.  It will dry quickest in the areas exposed to the sun, so the pigment will be drawn from under your stencil toward the sun, leaving a lighter shade under the stencil producing an almost photographic negative stencil effect on fabric.  It is specifically formulated for batik, direct sun and salt drying techniques.  It can be used like fabric paint when a low viscosity is required.  Smooth even background colour can be easily achieved.  Wonderful watercolour effects can be achieved the percentage of bleeding will depend on the type of fabric used.  It can also be used with an airbrush or spray bottle to create a fine speckled effect.  Sprinkle coarse salt onto the wet painted fabric in conjunction with stencils to achieve fabulous effects.  There are many techniques, which can be used with this versatile paint.  Sun colour is colour fast once heat set.

Sun colour comes in a range of vibrant colours that can be mixed or diluted with water to achieve a large palette of mixed hues.  If sun colour is diluted by more than 50% a small amount of extender (eg one teaspoon to 250ml) will need to be added to help with the registration of the sun colour paint.  Sun colour is suitable for use by the skilled artist to the novice crafter.

 Available Colours