I remember "setting" the color when I tie dyed, using vinegar. You may try rinsing in a heavy vinegar solution before ever using them?

Look into a product called Retayne. It's used after dying fabric to set the dye.

I have jeans that still tint my legs blue despite the vinegar trick and So. Many. Washes. They haven’t faded much but I have to avoid sitting on light colored furniture when wearing them.

I like the woolite for darks that is sold at Costco, it might be something for you to try?

Lucille it will just depend how colorfast the garments are. There's not a lot you can do in regards to fading. Manufacturers are cheapening things out more and more. Wash them by themselves, inside out, use warm water, and try a less aggressive detergent such as ALL or even the Purex.

Save your receipts and ask for a refund if the garments fade. Where does the tag say they were made? If they were made in China you can bank on them bleeding out.

Mama I'll wash them in warm like you said. Maybe with Woolite or All. They are incredibly comfortable, if they fade too much I can always re dye them, I just want to retain the color as long as possible.

What Mamapinky said. I always wash my dark pants and jeans inside out in cold water and use less detergent. My new washer has a setting for ‘tap cold’ vs cold. I still haven’t figured out the difference.

I also use a short wash cycle. Unless things are really dirty, like my yard/gardening clothes which I wash separately anyway, you don’t need to overwash most clothing. And do look into using vinegar or the other products mentioned. I hear they work.

Years ago, I remember my mother setting colors before washing in salt water. It seemed to work well.

try a less aggressive detergent

Mama I recently stocked up on (due to a sale) some Persil Original Proclean power caps, are those gentle enough?

The product RETAYNE will solve everyone's problems. Use it in the washing machine.

Lucille...no Persil is a workhorse I wouldn't use Persil...

I was thinking though.....powdered Cheer. Its not too aggressive, has a few enzymes but its biggest plus is...actually there's two big pluses...it contains no Optical brighteners that can fade darks/brights and give them a dusty appearance...very hard to find a OB free detergent on a store shelf. And powdered Cheer has a special ingredient to neutralize chlorine in tap water which does contribute to fading over time. These benefits are the powdered Cheer only not the liquid...even liquid Cheer for darks have OB's

Walmart sells a 80 load box for 11 $ I don't think it comes in smaller sizes. You can use it for all your darks...its actually a good detergent and has a very light old fashioned scent.

But no don't use any Persil as its a real workhorse.

Just as a caution. Unless Retayne has changed it contains Methandol and Formaldryhyde. I can't remember how much or even if its enough to cause a health risk so check the MSDS for it before buying.

What works for me is to wash as infrequently as possible, in coolest water that works, shortest most gentle cycle using gentle detergent without additives. Air dry.

I ordered Retayne and Cheer. I now have a sports detergent, my Persil, and Cheer. I can't remember ever having three detergents at one time.

I hear what you are saying about formaldehyde, Mama, but the MSDS shows it is pretty innocent and most of the stuff will wash out.

The other capris I bought were denim and didn't fit right so I sent them back, so these french terry ones are going to be taken care of so they keep looking nice.

All fabrics contain formaldehyde along with a lot of other chemicals used in fabric manufacturing. Also, cotton as a crop uses more pesticides and herbicides than any other crop. So I wouldn't worry about Retayne. Just follow directions. Any residue will probably wash out.

I have had good success washing dark colors with the Woolite for dark clothing. My jeans are as nice as new . I wash everything inside out , light load of my things. I only use about a shot glass of the Woolite. I do prespot with oxyclean spray if needed.

Oklamoni, that is interesting about vinegar. There is a thread over in the laundry forum about not using vinegar in ones washing machine but it was started by Larsi, the same person who told me I was too old not to know the answer to a laundry question I asked, so I have very little respect for his views.

However, I am going to try the Retayne, apparently one treatment is supposedly all it takes. If it doesn't work I may try a vinegar treatment on the rest of the capris.

Let us know how it turns out Lucille. Another thought make sure to wash them seperately...lint from other things love to cling almost permanently to this fabric.

I would wash in cold water inside out and then hang dry. I think that warm water and the dryer are the biggest culprits in colors fading.

If you really love these, stock up as they probably won't have them next year.

Its like a double edged sword....since Lucille will be getting these heavily sweat infused the problem is removing the sweat and body oils. Not gonna happen using cold water even warm will struggle. It will come down to fading vs oils building up in the fibers. This is something we all have dealt with at some point with our clothing. Lucille well understands this which is probably why she posted the question.

If it was me I'd use nicely warm water to remove the funk.

These problems are because of manufactures cheapening out our textiles. Than they slap a washing instruction tag on everything including 100% cotton sheets to wash in cold water...this is to protect the manufacturers since cotton can well handle hot water unless quality is is very poor. Our mothers/grandmothers would have been shocked at a wash in cold water bed sheet as they well know even the best detergent can't remove oils without heat.

Mamapinky is right, I went through all this when I got my sports leggings and sports bras. At that time, I was completely clueless about 'bloom' and thought that one washed all that sort of stuff in cold water. At that time I wasn't so much worried about fading as I was about the items stretching and losing their shape.

Mama I picked up my Cheer this morning at Walmart, thank you for the recommendation.

Well crud, I just got my 'Retayne' and read the directions. It says after washing with Retayne, after that I can only use cold water not hot water. That just won't work. After one gets a bunch of sweaty BO soaked into something, hot water is the only thing that will really get it out.

I guess if I have to choose between some fading, and wearing stinky clothes, they are going to have to fade. But maybe the Cheer will help as it is less harsh.