Entertainment Fashion & Style Can I Dye Clothes With Food Coloring? Share PINTEREST Email Print Protein fibers are any fiber derived from animals. Win Initiative/Getty Images Fashion & Style Do It Yourself Accessories Tops & Sweaters Dresses Skirts Jeans Pants Outerwear Lingerie & Swimwear Shoes Skincare Advice Makeup Hair Fragrance Tattoos and Body Piercings Kids and Teens Bumps & Babies Learn More By Rain Blanken Updated July 14, 2017 Question: Can I Dye Clothes With Food Coloring? "I have a scarf and some food coloring. Will this end well?" Answer: The answer depends on what your scarf is made of. Food coloring will work great as an acidic dye, but these well really only work well on protein fibers- those that have been derived from animals, like wool and angora. [List of Protein Fibers] If you have a plant-based (cellulose) fiber like cotton, linen or rayon; then your best bet is to use a fiber reactive dye, like those found in tie dye kits. These are cheap and easy to apply using cold water, so trying to use food coloring instead just doesn't make much sense. More Questions About Dyeing Clothing Protein (Wool, Cashmere, Silk) What are Protein Fibers? How to Dye Protein FibersLearn about Acid Dyes Cellulose (Cotton, Linen, Hemp) What are Cellulose Fibers? How to Dye Cellulose Fibers Learn about Fiber Reactive Dye Synthetics (Spandex, Nylon, Polyester) List of Synthetic Fibers How to Dye Synthetic Fibers