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Bondage for socks – cool dyeing technique for socks
by Stefanie Lechthaler
I poured chemicals over my new Galaxus socks
21/2/2026
Translation: Natalie McKay
Pictures: Stefanie Lechthaler
My purchases make it look like I’m preparing to commit a crime. But all I want to do is bleach my socks. Using a technique called reverse tie-dye.
I’m standing at the checkout and feeling paranoid because I imagine the cashier thinks I’m a criminal. And who could blame him? On the checkout conveyor belt, bleach, rubber bands, household gloves, a breathing mask and safety goggles are rolling towards him. I feel the need to justify myself: «For a DIY project», I explain nervously, as if deflecting suspicion from myself. «That’s exactly what a guilty person would say,» I think. I make a quick exit and get 3% hydrogen peroxide from the pharmacy.
I’m not planning to cover up a crime – I simply want to reverse tie-dye my new Galaxus socks.
At home, I put on old scraps of fabric that just about pass for clothes and that I don’t mind getting stained. First, I have to dip my new socks in water until they’re completely soaked, allowing the bleach to penetrate the fabric better. But the water runs off. A protective layer of air forms around the socks. What on earth?! So I push them into the bowl with all my might, as if I wanted to force a confession out of them.
This does the trick.
Should I’ve washed my new socks first?
Maybe.
Then, I wring them out and start tying them. I twist most of them like a hair bun, and secure the knot with an elastic band. I roll up a couple from the toe seam to the cuff, and twist another one at random before securing it with an elastic band. In the end, I have to admit to myself that I should’ve tied more experimental knots to get more varied results.
My kitchen becomes a lab
As soon as I’ve tied up all my socks, I put on my rubber gloves, safety goggles and mask, and open my windows. As explained in this video tutorial, I mix three parts tap water with one part bleach in a jug.
I pour the bleach solution over my knotted socks in a plastic tub, and place the container outside on my windowsill. Then I wait ten minutes and… nothing.
I have to bring in the big guns. I create a new mixture, this time with a more concentrated ratio of one part bleach to two parts tap water. Then the same procedure: bleach over the socks, clothes in the plastic tub, container on the windowsill, timer set to ten minutes and wait.
When the timer goes off, I take another look in the bucket and roll my eyes. Most of the fabric’s still black. I even rinse one of the socks out in the sink – it could be that the colour only shows when I wash it out. Negative.
Third time lucky
Some video tutorials say textiles shouldn’t be exposed to the chemicals for more than five minutes. Others recommend waiting up to half an hour. I come to the conclusion that I need to expose my stubborn Galaxus socks to the bleach mixture for longer. Three’s the magic number.
It works on my third go, when I use a two-to-one mixing ratio and wait for 20 minutes. The high-contrast pattern appears on my socks, and a rich orange glows alongside the black.
My kitchen now smells like a swimming pool because I’m using my sink to wash out the textiles that have changed colour. To stop the bleaching process and prevent the bleach from having any further effect on the fabrics, I mix one part hydrogen peroxide to 30 parts tap water in the bowl, and briefly immerse my socks in it. Then, I throw them in the washing machine and wash them at 40 degrees for half an hour, leaving them to their fate.
My patience pays off
When I take the dry socks off the drying rack, I jump for joy. The result looks exactly as I imagined it would: each sock is unique, yet recognisable. My old blue batik socks have now really had their day.
So you want to use bleach? Here’s what you need to know :
Basic sodium hypochlorite solution is toxic to aquatic organisms, and causes severe irritation to the skin and eyes. That’s why bleach must be kept out of reach of children. Bleach is hazardous waste, and mustn’t be poured down the drain undiluted. It’s best to empty the leftover bleach back into the original packaging or into a labelled container, and to and return it to a chemist, pharmacy or the point of sale.
If it comes into contact with your skin, wash the affected area immediately and thoroughly under running water with soap. To prevent eye damage, rinse immediately with water in the event of eye contact. Never mix bleach with acids or cleaning agents that contain acids, as this would produce toxic chlorine gas. Depending on the active chlorine content, the health risks can be more serious. If in doubt, you can get help and information by calling the poison hotline on 145 (in Switzerland) or by visiting the Tox Info website.
If you don’t want to use as many chemicals, you can also try the old-school batik method. Here’s how it works:
Header image: Stefanie Lechthaler
Painting the walls just before handing over the flat? Making your own kimchi? Soldering a broken raclette oven? There's nothing you can't do yourself. Well, perhaps sometimes, but I'll definitely give it a try.
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