How to Dye Canvas Shoes

October 2 2021

Dyeing shoes is one of our favorite transformations. Whether it’s a pair you wish came in a specific color (and doesn’t) or shoes you own that just need updating, use Rit to dye them to the color of your choosing with these three techniques.

Solid Dye

  1. Gather supplies.
  2. Wet sneakers until they’re damp. Use a towel to remove any excess water.
  3. Wearing protective gloves, prepare dyebath in a large container with hot water, the desired colour and 125 grams of salt. For this shoe, we used the Orange Scream colour formula.
  4. Dip damp sneakers lace-side down into dyebath for 2 — 3 minutes, making sure not to get dye on the soles.
  5. Once you’re satisfied with the colour, allow the sneaker to sit and absorb the dye for 30 minutes.
  6. Rinse sneakers in cool water until rinse water beings to run clear.
  7. Allow to air dry.

Dip Dyed

  1. Gather supplies.
  2. Wet sneakers until they’re damp. Use a towel to remove any excess water.
  3. Carefully tape off sneaker bottoms to prevent dye from bleeding into the soles.
  4. Wearing protective gloves, prepare two dyebaths with hot water and desired colours to create dip-dyed look. Keep in mind that the two colours will overlap to create a third colour in the middle.
  5. Add 125 grams of salt to each dyebath.
  6. Dip the front 2/3 of each sneaker into the first dyebath for 2 — 3 minutes.
  7. Dip the bottom 2/3 of each sneaker into the second dyebath for 2 — 3 minutes.
  8. Rinse sneakers in cool water until rinse water beings to run clear.
  9. Allow to air dry.

Tie-Dyed

  1. Gather supplies. You will need squeeze bottles for this technique.
  2. Wet sneakers until they’re damp. Use a towel to remove any excess water.
  3. Carefully tape off sneaker bottoms to prevent dye from bleeding into the soles.
  4. Wearing rubber gloves, mix 30 mL of desired colour with 0.5 liters of hot water and 12 grams of salt. Pour into squeeze bottle. Repeat for each colour.
  5. Place sneakers on a wire rack with a tray under it.
  6. Starting with the lightest colour, squirt dye onto sneakers as desired. Keep in mind that colours can overlap to create new hues.
  7. Repeat with other colours as desired.
  8. Once you’re satisfied with the colour, allow the sneaker to sit and absorb the dye for 30 minutes.
  9. Rinse sneakers in cool water until rinse water beings to run clear.
  10. Use a hair dryer to blow dry sneakers with hot air for five minutes.
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