Recolouring an old backpack

Yes, my thoughts exactly 💯 Let's try fabric paint in a spray. They're usually quite pigmented and watery consistency will make the job that much quicker and easier!

Marabu is a good and reliable paint, plus it comes in a spray bottle,like this one:

So once you've worked the whole area that needs a spruce, let it dry for a day, not less. As it's gonna be soaking wet, most likely.

Before the work, protect everything around from accidental splatters and place some plastic sheet (like disposable tablecloth for birthdays) to serve as you're working area.

I'd also wore some gloves 🧤

Marabu also likes a good heat setting, you could do that using craft heat gun ( it costs not more than 5-10$) and is useful on many occasions. This way is way more effective than using a regular hairdryer. Distance from the fabric at least 10cm. You'll need to touch-check that fabric really heats up.

Wait for 4-7days and definitely drop it for a laundry cycle in cold water before taking it for a run outside. You need to make sure that whatever extra paint that's not set will wash away and not rub off your garment.

Ideally is to throw your backpack for a warm cycle in a dryer after that. Otherwise, it should be ok as well.

✅Test newly painted backpack after laundry for color tackiness by rubbing a pained area with a piece of damp cloth/fabric. Hopefully, it'll come off clean😎🏆

I'm here to put some updates!

I've done almost everything as you described to me. Exceptions are washed only by hand in cold water and dried naturally (without using a warm cycle) due to having leather elements on my backpack.

So, my steps were:

1. I washed the backpack in cold water and dried it before painting

2. Bought black Marabu spray and a craft heat gun

3. Covered all leather and important materials with paper tape

4. Painted and left it drying outside

5. In 4 days, I checked the paints and it was ready to heat by a gun, removed the safety covers

6. Heated it and left it for an extra 2 days

7. Washed in cold water and dried the same as the first time (the water was a bit coloured by poor-grey colour)

8. Checked by colour tackiness by rubbing with it an old white textile

And results you can see in the attachments!

Even though it's hard to see a huge difference between how it was and how it is now, it's a bit of progress! Not an ideal result (I believe it should be better with good heating after painting), but I've done everything I could. Probably next time I'll do the gap between paintings and heating a bit less than 4 days.

But anyway, thank you for your help and the massive support you gave me.

I hope our dialogue will help with future answers for searchers.

I'm happy with the results for the first time doing so!

Hi! Sorry that I'm answering after a while... I so much enjoyed your project report, and glad that your first experience brought, maybe not the perfect result, but sill a positive one! Most of all I'm happy that your efforts clearly brought you joy.

There's one thing I noticed about what you said : "Probably next time I'll do the gap between paintings and heating a bit less than 4 days." - you really don't need to. 24hrs is enough for the paint to dry.

What you Could actually do more - is add one more paint layer, sort of a do-over, as this is what we do in fabric painting normally, to ensure color intensity. Like if I'm painting something on a T-shirt, for example, I would apply a first paint layer, then let it dry on its own and apply a second (and third if necessary), then let it dry, heat fix after a day. Where I usually suggest to give more days, as mentioned earlier, its between heat setting and laundry. Here it's best to give 4-7days after heat fixing.

Anyways, indeed this work of yours may be a good example for other guys. Thank you very much for sharing and letting us participate!