What Happens When You Dye a Powder-Coated Tumbler?

We’ve talked all about the amazing ways to customize a tumbler, but here’s one you may not have heard of: dyeing a powder-coated tumbler into custom colors!

We were so excited when a new video popped up from our good friend and MakerFlo Crafter Ashley Stillson. Ashley has a thriving craft business and YouTube channel called Chipped Builds. (You can also find her on Instagram @chippedbuilds.)

And in this new video, she decided to do a little experiment on our white 40oz gold-plated powder-coated tumbler. The question was, what would happen if you dyed the tumbler? Would it change colors, and if so, how would it turn out?

Well, we are happy to report that the experiment was a success!

Ashley was able to dye two powder-coated tumblers into purple and teal and make her own unique colors. Amazing job!

You can watch her full video here, and we’ll explain the experiment below 👇

Materials & Equipment

Here’s what Ashley used for the experiment:

• Our white 40oz gold-plated powder-coated tumbler (you could try any white powder-coated tumbler or cup)
• Synthetic fiber dye (she used Rit DyeMore in Smoky Blue and Purple)
• A pot for boiling the dye (make sure it’s big enough to fit the whole tumbler)
• A thermometer for the water
• Dish soap
• Tongs
• Water

[product=40oz-tumbler-gold-plated]Engrave these tumblers to reveal a golden surface underneath![/product]

How to Dye a Powder-Coated Tumbler

Here’s what she did!

1. Fill the pot with water and heat it to at least 200°F. (Make sure to follow your dye’s instructions as this may vary.) She used a thermometer to check the temperature. Make sure not to touch the thermometer onto the sides or bottom of the pot so you get an accurate reading.
2. Add soap and dye and mix. The dye called for 1 Tablespoon of dish soap before adding the dye. Ashley eyed the amount of dye and mixed the two colors to get the darker blue color for the first tumbler. This is where you can get creative and add dye in different amounts to get your desired effect!
3. Add the tumbler or cup. She didn’t have a pot big enough to hold the whole tumbler, which caused a little bit of variation in color. But if you have a big pot, you can submerge the tumbler in one go.
4. Let it soak until the color develops. After a while, the tumbler turned into a nice dark blue color! When you’re happy with the color, you can take it out with a pair of tongs.
5. Rinse and dry. Once you’re happy with the color, simply rinse off the excess dye and let it dry!

Ashley’s Tips for Getting the Best Results

1. Make sure your container is big enough to submerge the entire tumbler to get even color on all sides.
2. Experiment with the amount of dye and different color combinations to get the color you’re looking for.
3. Remember that the final color will be slightly lighter after you rinse off the excess dye.

Why Dye a Powder-Coated Tumbler?

Well, first of all, it’s fun! 😆

Also, you can create custom colors that you can’t find at your favorite supplier. (Like, ahem, MakerFlo Crafts.) We sell powder-coated tumblers in 10 different colors, but what if you want chartreuse? Or lemon yellow? 🍋

If you can master this technique, you could theoretically create powder-coated tumblers in any color!

Think wedding colors for a bride and groom or brand colors for a business. This could open up a bunch of new possibilities for your tumbler business or laser engraving business!

We asked Ashley what inspired her to try out this unique DIY project.

She said, "I was obsessed with the new gold-plated tumblers, but I wanted more color options beyond just black and white. Since I've dyed acrylic before, I had a good feeling it would work on these tumblers too. I love pushing the boundaries of crafting and experimenting because you never know what amazing things you can create!"

What Else Can You Do With a Powder-Coated Tumbler?

Powder-coated tumblers are designed for laser engraving. That’s the main use case for these tumblers, but you can also apply UV DTF stickers or custom-cut vinyl to create your own unique designs.

And in fact, Ashley made a follow-up video where she engraved the same tumbler she dyed and showed the result. (And spoiler alert, it looks awesome!) Check out the follow-up video here.

And good news, it seems like the tumblers have kept their color since! "The tumbler has held up surprisingly well," Ashley told us. "I believe that’s largely due to gentle handwashing, which has helped preserve the finish."

Will You Try This Experiment?

You can try this at home with white MakerFlo powder-coated tumblers in any size.

If you’re planning to buy powder-coated tumblers in bulk, save money with our Powder-Coated Tumbler Build-a-Bundle deal and get 10% off your entire order.

[product=40oz-tumbler-gold-plated]Engrave these tumblers to reveal a golden design![/product]

If you try this out, share your results with us in the Official MakerFlo Facebook Community! We can’t wait to see how it goes. ✨

And don't forget to follow Ashley and Chipped Builds on YouTube and Instagram @chippedbuilds for more awesome crafting tutorials and experiments. 🧪

She's now working on a new YouTube series called xTool F1 101 to help you learn more about the xTool F1 laser engraver and how to use it!

Here are some more posts you might enjoy:

• 1000+ Free Laser Engraving & Cutting Files for Commercial Use
• 127+ Unique Laser Engraving & Cutting Ideas Your Customers Will Love
• How to Customize a Tumbler in 12 Creative Ways