Printed vs dyed fabric: what is the difference?

Three stages at which cloth is dyed

Colour can go in at different points, and the later it goes in, the more one batch is likely to differ from the next.

• Fibre dyed: loose fibre is coloured before spinning, which gives heathered or melange effects.
• Yarn dyed: the yarn is coloured before weaving, which is how woven stripes and checks are made; see our article on yarn-dyed fabric.
• Piece dyed: the finished cloth is dyed in one colour. Most plain trousers, dupattas and linings are made this way.

How printing differs

Printing applies colour in a pattern to one face of the cloth, by block, screen, roller or digital machine; our guide to block, screen and digital print compares the methods. Dye-based prints soak into the fibres to a degree, while pigment prints sit in a binder on top. Either way, the colour is concentrated on the surface.

The two are not always separate. A print can be laid over a dyed ground, and a discharge print removes colour from a dyed cloth in a pattern, so one fabric can be both dyed and printed.

Checking the reverse

Turn the cloth over in daylight and compare the two faces:

• Same on both sides: almost certainly dyed, or yarn dyed if there is a pattern.
• Pattern paler on the back, with white showing at the edges of motifs: printed.
• Sheer fabrics such as chiffon: a print can soak through and look almost as strong behind, so look at the edges of the cloth instead.
• Selvedge: a white or differently coloured edge beside a full print is a strong sign of printing.

How each wears, fades and matches

Before any suit is cut, a colour-fastness test is worth doing on both kinds, especially dark dyes and strong prints that sit beside white.

• Fading: good dyed colour fades slowly and evenly. Prints can fade along folds and rub points, and pigment prints may soften or crack after many washes.
• Handle: heavy pigment printing can leave the printed areas slightly stiffer than the ground.
• Matching: pieces dyed separately rarely match exactly, even in the same named colour, because every dye batch differs. Our article on buying a plain fabric to match a printed piece has practical tips.
• Grain: a print can be applied slightly off the straight grain. Cutting follows the grain, so a skewed print can look tilted on the finished garment.

When you order

When you send fabric for Stitching Only, photos of both sides help us see how the colour sits and whether a print runs straight. Mention any piece you need to match. Colours can look slightly different on screen, so the agreed colours are set out in the written quote; start with a quote request.