It doesn’t matter whether you’re a fashion freak or a costume designer for an ancient theatrical performance, knowing how to age fabric will always be beneficial to you. Several methods are available, each is fairly straightforward. However, some methods may be time-consuming while others may not be. Once you are aware of all of the techniques, you should be able to choose which process you want to follow. The methods do require patience, however.
Methods to Age Fabric
For aging, light-colored cotton, silk, linen, and wool fabrics are suggested uses. Because these fabrics absorb color easily. You can use tea, coffee, walnut, nutmeg, acrylic paint, cinnamon, ginger, or vanilla for your desired complexion.
1. Using Tea
For a reddish-brown color, you can use tea. You will need four tea bags or four teaspoons of tea and a large bowl with water as much as needed to soak the fabric completely. You can use more tea for your desired complexion. Boil the water with tea or tea bags then soak the clothing and shimmer it for about 10 minutes. If you cool the water with the fabric you will get a more intense color. Later dry it normally.
2. Using Coffee
Nearly the same procedure of getting tea stain is followed in getting coffee stain on a piece of fabric, though the fabric can have a strong coffee smell in it. Use two cups of instant or brewed coffee with water and boil them. The more coffee you use the darker color you get. After boiling, turn off the stove, mix the solution with a wooden spoon, soak the clothing, and cover the bowl with a lid. The more time you leave fabric with the mixture the more color it absorbs. Afterward, rinse and dry the fabric.
3. Using Walnut
Black walnuts are more effective for dyeing cloth and giving it an aged look. But you can also use English or Persian walnuts. Get 10 walnuts with shells in a bag and soak them in water for one or two days or boil them for at least an hour. After soaking the fabric in the water, leave it for at least two hours. Again, you can use more or fewer walnuts for your desired color. The more time you keep the fabric in the mixture the more deep the color will be. By using turmeric you can also get the same type of color. At the end of the method, rinse the clothing wearing gloves and dry it normally.
4. Using Bleach
To distress or age dark-colored cloth, bleach is the best. You will need to fill one-fourth of a spray bottle with bleach and the rest of the bottle with water. Then shake it well before spraying the mixture on a fabric. You can dry it in direct sunlight for a more faded look though it works completely opposite in light-colored or white-colored fabric.
5. Using Acrylic Paint
Do you love painting?? Then this method will seem easy and interesting to you. In order to start, get brown or yellow-colored acrylic paint before mixing it with water. One or two cups of water will be enough. Later draw with a paintbrush on the dress you want to make it look aged. You can make your desired color by mixing some other acrylic paints with it. Paint the area of the armpits, neck, and back of the dress. But using a spray bottle will make the job easier. You can alternate acrylic paint with vanilla as it works the same on fabrics.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger is also usable for aging fabric. The processes of using these are mostly the same as using walnuts. These elements give a mild yellow color. You will need a wooden spoon and rubber gloves to not get stains on your hand or on other utensils. You can also have a faded or damaged look on your fabric by rubbing it on sandpaper or freshly cut grasses. In case you have a lot of time and patience you can wash your clothes regularly. Wash the fabric harshly using a lot of detergents, next dry it in direct sunlight to have the aged look.
Things To Keep In Mind
In the case of cleaning aged fabrics, you have to be very cautious. The fabrics with tea, coffee, walnut, turmeric, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, vanilla, and acrylic paint cannot be washed in hot water and strong cleansers. You need to wash these clothes gently and dry them in the shade. Drywashing these clothes is also a good idea. Normal irons should be avoided to press these fabrics, rather you can use a mild heated one. Taking care of these fabrics demands a lot of attention. You can protect your hand from heat and hue by wearing gloves and using a wooden spoon.
Conclusion
You can use any of the methods below to create an ancient and classy appearance. All methods call for a large bowl, along with a large stove sometimes. In order to fix the quantity of the elements, you can experiment with various fabrics containing various amounts of elements. Each of the methods outlined is very straightforward. They will help you achieve the color of your choice.
As faded denim fabric is now in style, the method of using bleach, sandpaper, washing harshly, and drying regularly in the sun can also be applied to denim. Washing the clothes in cold water will give them an everlasting stain. However, not having enough patience in doing any of the procedures will create great chaos. So if you are interested in doing these, prepare yourself accordingly. Sharing them with friends and family can also be fun.
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