Not sure if I looked hard enough, but I couldn’t find anywhere on the interweb documenting the process (in pictures) behind dyeing a pair of sneakers, more specifically Tretorns. Being my first time to dye a pair of sneakers I didn’t know exactly what to expect and didn’t really have any standard guidelines to follow except for wet your shoe, dip in in the dye and let it dry.
[DISCLAIMER] By no means am I an expert on dyeing shoes, this is just a template that y’all can choose or not choose to follow that may make you more comfortable when deciding to dye a pair of canvas sneakers.
Raw Materials:
Fill a bucket or sink (preferably stainless steel) with water and let your brand new, untouched Tretorns soak in the the sink full of water until the canvas is completely soaked. You can also use a tub, but make sure it’s porcelain because other tubs are more conducive to staining once they are cleaned. Just make sure you follow the instructions on the back of the dye because the cleaning process can be a real pain.
Work In Process:
Once your shoes are soaked, fill the sink or tub with the dye until it is distributed uniformly throughout. Make sure you use gloves or something other than your bare hands to mix the dye to reduce any staining that may occur on your fingernails (unless you want your fingernails to match your shoes). Now you’re ready to put your shoes in facedown so the dye can soak into the canvas. I used an old pair of chopsticks to fully submerge the shoes into the dye when they decided to float to the top. I left my shoes in there for 30 minutes or so because I wanted the color to be a bit darker. Basically just set it (in the dye) and forget it…for about 30 minutes or longer if you want the shoes darker.
Finished Goods:
When 30 minutes were up I pulled them out of the sink and let them dry for over two days. I didn’t want the dye to really soak into the sole of the shoe so I mixed a bit of alcohol and water and wiped down the sole completely with a towel. Immediately drain and clean the sink after you take your shoes out of the dye because the longer you let the dye soak the longer it’ll take to clean. (ADDED STEP) After about two days worth of drying, I gave the shoes a salt water bath to remove any residual dye so when I put them on it didn’t stain my feet. I’m not sure if this helped, but I just wanted to ensure all the dye was removed. I found that the salt water bath made my shoes a tad bit lighter, so this step may not be necessary if you want your shoes to be darker. Once the shoes are completely dry you have a nice, finished product just in time for spring! The Tretorn Nylite - “Astros Orange” sneakers are a great way to pay homage to our beloved baseball team as well as add some pop to your wardrobe.
