Has anyone dyed garden chair cushions?

[dinomum13]

My green cotton garden chair cushions are looking very faded and replacements seem to cost a fortune.

I wondered if it possible to dye them? I'm worried it might be a false economy and that the dye might come off on peoples clothes.
I'd be grateful if anyone has any advice

Check that they’re 100% cotton as polyester doesn’t take home dye well. Dying them black would result in a dusty grey (voice of experience).

I would imagine that the fabric (and any finish applied to it) for garden cushions would be unlikely to take dye well, given that it's presumably made to be at least somewhat water resistant.

Is making a new set of covers an option for you?

If they're 100% cotton you can dye them in the washing machine with Procion MX dyes, which you can buy from a number of places (I like Kemtex). One of the Dylon dyes is Procion but I can't remember which one. If they're a mix, the cotton will take the dye but any synthetic fibres won't and you'll end up with a heathered colour. The thread's likely to be polyester and it won't take the dye, which can be a problem if you dye light things dark but if you're trying to restore the original colour it should be fine.

The dye will fix firmly to the fibres and any that doesn't will wash off if you wash them in the machine after you dye them. There shouldn't be enough dye left to transfer to clothing.

Thanks all - I've just checked and they have polyester mix so I'm not going to chance it - thanks for warning me!