how come every time i tye dye my colors fade?

[stendhal_syndrome]

after I rinse out all the extra dye they fade to a pastel color. what can I do to stop this?

[tiedyejudy]

Here are a couple of questions:  are your garments 100% cotton, or is there a synthetic fiber mixed with a natural one?
What kind of dye are you using?  Procion MX is best if you are dyeing natural fibers, such as cotton or silk
Are you using soda ash solution to activate the dyes?  If so, how much and how long do you allow it to 'batch' before you rinse out?
I find if I use Procion MX, 100% cotton, and either pre-soak with soda ash solution or add after I apply the dye and let it set for awhile, that I generally get very vivid colors.  Most of my dyeing is done using low water immersion, which is great for scrunch dyeing.  If you are tying patterns, a lot of dyers use direct application dyeing, in which case they often pre-soak in soda ash solution, squeeze out the excess, then either dye immediately or let the garment 'air dry' for awhile to reduce the amount of liquid, which can cause dilution when the dyes are applied.
Lastly, when you rinse/wash your dyed garment, are you using synthrapol to neutralize the soda ash solution?
Hopefully, the answer to these questions will help you resolve your fading problem, but keep asking questions if they don't!
Judy

[pburch]

Another page saying pretty much the same things as Judy:
Why did my tie-dyes come out too pale?

The number-one cause of problems is using Rit dye. The number-two cause is using polyester blend or stain-resistant shirts.

-Paula