black residue from black fabric

[gene]

I did several furniture pieces in a black micro fiber fabric.

I got a call today that the homeowner sat on the sofa with white clothes and when she got up there was a black residue on her clothes. She said she can wipe the fabric with a white cloth and get a black residue.

I did not see anything like this when I was upholstering the furniture. I have a cutting table with a white canvas top and there was no black residue on this.

Has anyone had this experience before?

If the problem is as described, would a fabric protection like Scotchguard eliminate the problem?

Thanks,

gene

[sofadoc]

Is it a fiber residue? Or is the dye rubbing off?
Either way, I don't think Scotchguard will fix it. But it sure can't hurt to try.

Hope it was COM ;D

[Mojo]

Hmmmmmmmm

This sounds like Chinese fabric with poor dye. They are noted for producing fabrics with bad dye release problems.

Try using some 303 fabric guard. You can order it off e-bay or get it locally at an RV store.
Or try using scotch guard. It may help but only temporarily.

Please tell me this was COM and your not going to be on the hook for this ? I would hate to see you take a beating on this Gene. :(

Chris

[Mike]

Havnt done furniture but i have seen res sunbrella tuyrn red where it rest over a rear seat   I also hope it eas the customers cloth.

[gene]

Thanks for the comments.

It is COM. It's with a good customer, Interior Designer, and I want to try to have answers for her if there is really a problem with the fabric.

I'm also wondering what, if anything, could have changed from the time I worked on it and several weeks later when the customer complained. Humidity? Dry air? ???

gene

[west coast]

They call it crocking if the colour is coming off. If its just looks like colour but actually fibres that can be brushed off then its just cut fibres finding their way out and that will go away and if its COM well I would never have sold you this :). I had a burgundy velvet do this a few years ago, it was crocking and it actually said on the fabric content label the percentage of crocking to be expected my customer had other opinions needless to say as neither one of us saw the info on the label. It did eventually subside but was not a good situation until it did and the customer is still a customer phew.

[cthomps]

If it is the dye releasing, your customer may have some luck with vinegar.  It "may" set the dye.  If there is no other solution, I would take a scrap of fabric, soak in vinegar/water mix, let dry and test it on some white fabric.  If it works and does not damage the fabric by being wet, you may be able to spray the piece with the same result.  I use about a cup of vinegar to a washer load of water.

Definitely test first.... and only "worth a shot".

This is a common problem in the fashion fabric world, especially cottons.  Vinegar is my friend:)  Salt baths also work, but I don't know how you would do it with a piece of furniture.

[gene]

Update: I got an email from the Interior Designer that the fabric mfg will pay to have the 3 pieces of furniture reupholstered. I don't have any more details than this, at this time. I'll post any technical info if I can get it.

I am amazed that black residue was coming off on the homeowners' clothes, but nothing came off the fabric while I was working with it. I have a cutting table that has a white canvas cover and nothing came off on that. I worked with an off white fabric right after I finished these 3 pieces of furniture and there was no problem there.

I read about fabric crocking and I wonder if there's some sort of oxidation that occurred after the fabric was unrolled and exposed to the air? Or did it just take time for the dye to start crocking?

Anyway, as companies continue to try to find ways to cut costs, we may be finding more of these types of problems.

gene

[Alsworld]

Please forgive my ignorance, just learning your terminologies.  COM?  Customer Ordered Material?  And Crocking, what West Coast described?  Don't want to hijack the thread, just learn.  Thanks.

Alan

[sofadoc]

COM: Customer's Own Material

It simply refers to fabric furnished by the customer (not purchased from the upholsterer).
Most upholsterers have a very limited guarantee for jobs covered with COM.

As for crocking, I can't add much to WC's definition.

[Alsworld]

Thanks Sofadoc,  I appreciate the response.  Learning the upholsters lingo myself.  Back to the discussion...

[baileyuph]

So, the general conclusion is crocking will eventually crock out and the problem will go away?

Sounds reasonable anyway.

Hard to believe there is a wet residue on a roll of fabric. 

To recover with the same material will likely start another crocking cycle?

Crocking is equal to shedding?  Too much shedding, would possibly leave the fabric thinner and lighter in color?

Anyway, Gene what did you learn and do as a result?

Doyle

[gene]

Doyle, I understand what crocking is now. It can be either the dye itself coming off or tiny bits of cut fibers coming off. The fibers being cut when they make the nap, such as in chenille.

I would think that crocking would have to have a limit to it but how much dye /fibers do you want to deal with until it runs out and no more comes off?

What I did not learn was why did the fabric not crock when I was working with it. I roll out all bolts of fabric to check for yardage and damage. I had this fabric in my studio for almost 4 weeks working with it on a sofa, chair, and ottoman and I found no crocking at all.

I do have a concern that when I get the furniture back it may get black stuff all over my cutting table and such.

gene

[gene]

Update: The Interior Designer finally got 29 yards of new black micro fiber fabric. She opened it up and ran her hand across it and black stuff (probably the dye) came off on her hand.

She has chosen a different fabric.

My question is still "Why did that black stuff not come off on me when I reupholstered the sofa, chair, and ottoman?" It started coming off a week or two after it had been delivered. But with this second 29 yards it was immediately noticable.

Also, I will be taking the old black fabric off in the back of my studio where I cut wood. I'd hate to have black stuff showing up on future projects.

gene

[gene]

I've started taking off the old black fabric. It is really a strange feeling to be taking off fabric that I just put on a few months ago. It's like I want to constantly stop and double check that this is what I'm supposed to be doing.

gene