Faux Fur Questions!~

[DAINTY KITT0N]

I have a few questions about faux fur:

1. Where's a good place to buy some for a reasonable price? I know it's going to be a little pricey > u <;;

AND

2. I have seen it at my local fabric and craft stores but it's only in 'normal' colors like black, browns, and white. I want to get some fun colors like pastels! And, if it's harder to find is it possible to dye that fabric without actually ruining it?

Thanks in advance ^ U ^

[Kilted]

What are you planning to use it for? The type of faux fur you'd want to use for raver legwarmers vs. plushies vs. trim for a coat vs. a whole fur coat are very different. You may be able to get something suitable for all but the last from your fabric store or you may have to order from a designer fabric store like Mood but it depends on what exactly you're looking for.

[Albino Sea Monkey]

I don't know where to get it for the cheapest, but I definitely wouldn't be buying it from Mood. Mood may be discount fabrics, but they are discount designer fabrics which are going to be expensive even with the discount. Most of their fake fur is in the $50 a yard range. The only reason I'd buy anything from Mood would be if I was looking for something very professional-quality that I really couldn't find anywhere else.

I can help you with the dye part tho!

Most faux furs are 100% acrylic fabric, or have a large percentage of acrylic and then other manmade fibers in it. These kinds of fibers are hard to dye. You can't just go get a box of RIT and toss it in there. It might turn colors, but it's really only the dye sitting on top of the fur, and it will rub off and make a mess. Plus the color will be pretty dull.

You need to get special "disperse dyes" to dye these kinds of fibers. The most widely available is "iDye Ploly" (specifically the Poly one, don't get the one that just says "iDye" ). iDye Poly is actually meant for polyester and nylon, not really acrylic, but it will dye acrylic a medium or pale shade, but not anything vibrant.

Here's some more information on dying acrylic.

[DAINTY KITT0N]

Thank you both for the replies! Very helpful!


Also, Albino : You think possibly doing the sharpie dye method that some people use on synthetic wigs may work? Considering they're both of a synthetic material? It's going to be made into keychains, the little fluffy balls and 'tails' so, pastel is actually fine by me but I'd like to get some vibrant furs at some point later. Maybe not though, i'm still unsure > u <;;


Thanks again both of you!
emotion_bigheart

[Albino Sea Monkey]

I did come across this Sharpie-Dye tut for Faux Fur when I was looking for the right name for the disperse dye packs, so I assume it would work.

But you're probably going to end up spending more on Sharpies to make your dye than it would be to just go out and buy iDye Poly. A pack of iDye is like, $3 at most, and dyes 2lbs of fabric. If you're going to do the sharpie method, then you're going to spend $1-$2 on alcohol, and then you'll need 2-3 markers for just one pastel color, which, when buying individual markers, is going to cost about $4.

So. $3 for iDye... or double the price to do the marker stain. Just for one color.

[DAINTY KITT0N]

Albino Sea Monkey

I did come across this Sharpie-Dye tut for Faux Fur when I was looking for the right name for the disperse dye packs, so I assume it would work.

But you're probably going to end up spending more on Sharpies to make your dye than it would be to just go out and buy iDye Poly. A pack of iDye is like, $3 at most, and dyes 2lbs of fabric. If you're going to do the sharpie method, then you're going to spend $1-$2 on alcohol, and then you'll need 2-3 markers for just one pastel color, which, when buying individual markers, is going to cost about $4.

So. $3 for iDye... or double the price to do the marker stain. Just for one color.

Yeah, I checked out the dye after posting and realized I was going to have to spend wayyy too much on the sharpies to get a desired color.

I might go check out a fabric only store to see if they have more vibrant colored furs, I'm fine with dying my pastels though~

Thank you again ^ U ^

[Albino Sea Monkey]

OH! I can't believe I forgot to mention this earlier.
Have you ever heard of making your own faux fur out of yarn? Then you can get practically any color under the sun for cheap. Since your projects are on such a small scale, it wouldn't be as time consuming as what this technique is normally used for (furry tails). It will still take more time than cutting and sewing faux fur, but you have more color options and the ability to blend colors (for say, making stripped hair or tails), and gives you more control over your colors and even the length of your fur/hair.

Here's a decent-ish tutorial.

I've used this technique to make wigs for my ball jointed dolls. If you know crochet basics, this technique isn't very hard at all. I usually knit my base, and then use a crochet hook to attach the yarn. I'm not very into anything furry related, but the yarn tails some people make with this technique are just SO gorgeous.

[DAINTY KITT0N]

Albino Sea Monkey

OH! I can't believe I forgot to mention this earlier.
Have you ever heard of making your own faux fur out of yarn? Then you can get practically any color under the sun for cheap. Since your projects are on such a small scale, it wouldn't be as time consuming as what this technique is normally used for (furry tails). It will still take more time than cutting and sewing faux fur, but you have more color options and the ability to blend colors (for say, making stripped hair or tails), and gives you more control over your colors and even the length of your fur/hair.

Here's a decent-ish tutorial.

I've used this technique to make wigs for my ball jointed dolls. If you know crochet basics, this technique isn't very hard at all. I usually knit my base, and then use a crochet hook to attach the yarn. I'm not very into anything furry related, but the yarn tails some people make with this technique are just SO gorgeous.

Oh wow! I've never seen them done like that! Thank you!

And I'm not into anything furry related either really, I just saw the little furry ball things on cellphones and wanted to make some like that, the tails are small too, but I'm really obsessed with cellphone charms > u <

so thank you sososo much! that one will definitely be something I can do!

[biobunny1]

Albino Sea Monkey

I don't know where to get it for the cheapest, but I definitely wouldn't be buying it from Mood. Mood may be discount fabrics, but they are discount designer fabrics which are going to be expensive even with the discount. Most of their fake fur is in the $50 a yard range. The only reason I'd buy anything from Mood would be if I was looking for something very professional-quality that I really couldn't find anywhere else.

I can help you with the dye part tho!

Most faux furs are 100% acrylic fabric, or have a large percentage of acrylic and then other manmade fibers in it. These kinds of fibers are hard to dye. You can't just go get a box of RIT and toss it in there. It might turn colors, but it's really only the dye sitting on top of the fur, and it will rub off and make a mess. Plus the color will be pretty dull.

You need to get special "disperse dyes" to dye these kinds of fibers. The most widely available is "iDye Ploly" (specifically the Poly one, don't get the one that just says "iDye" ). iDye Poly is actually meant for polyester and nylon, not really acrylic, but it will dye acrylic a medium or pale shade, but not anything vibrant.

Here's some more information on dying acrylic.

you are good!! i like you! acid milling dyes are amazing for acrylic textile and the colours come out really well, but the acidity means thick rubber gloves and goggles!! also after dying the loose ends may become crinkled so just brush them out after rinsing and put it up on the clothes line or use a hairdryer on cold setting and blow in the direction you/she wants the fur to go ^.^ ( yeah as a textile design student i had to take a whole class dedicated to different method of dying for different fibres and fabrics)

[Niamh the Fae]

If you care more about softness than a realistic look, minky is one type to consider. It's similar to the material fuzzy blankets are made of. If you haven't seen it on the fabric store, search for online fabric stores that carry it and compare prices, taking shipping into account. (I don't know which are cheapest.)

[Dundeleedum]

If all you make is cellphone charms, just go to a local fur store and ask for a piece of scrap fur. They'll probably give it to you for free.

Fake fur is just one of those fail materials I wouldn't touch with a 10 meter long pole.