Regular tie-dye asks you to squeeze bottles of color exactly where you want them. Ice dyeing asks you to pile on ice and walk away. Jacquard Products, the Healdsburg, California, maker of textile dyes and craft supplies, has six new Ice Dye Kits, and each one dyes 5+ shirts. We picked RainForest, which turns a white T-shirt into a green-and-yellow starburst.
Disclosure: This is free editorial; nobody paid for it. Jacquard Products shared product information with our editors. We haven’t play-tested the kit yet, so everything here comes from Jacquard’s sell sheet and website, checked Nov. 4, 2026, 4:35 PM PT. Jacquard has had a paid ToyShow listing on ToyDirectory.com, so under our policy its products get highlights instead of cons.
Jacquard RainForest Ice Dye Kit
Maker: Jacquard Products | Item JAC9303 | $10.99
A T-shirt dyed with RainForest Ice Dye. Photo: Jacquard Products
Kid Hook
It looks like a magic trick. Jacquard’s Ice Dyes are blends of many distinct colors that, in the maker’s words, “separate and ‘split’ into incredible multi-color patterns” as the ice melts. Jacquard compares the folded fabric to a mountain range: the peaks dye a different color than the valleys. Nobody knows exactly what the shirt will look like until it’s rinsed.
What’s in the box
Kit contents. Photo: Jacquard Products
- Ice Dye Shaker (1 oz / 28.25 g)
- Soda Ash Dye Fixer (1/3 lb / 151.2 g)
- Gloves
- Rubber bands
You supply the cotton shirts, the ice (or snow), a colander and a container to catch the melt.
How it works
Per Jacquard’s instructions: soak cotton fabric in soda ash solution (the maker says 2 cups of soda ash per gallon of water for ice dyeing), wring it out, then tie, fold or scrunch it. Set it in a colander, cover it with ice or snow and sprinkle the dye over the ice. Let the ice melt overnight in a warm place, then rinse and wash 24–48 hours later.
Parent Reality Check
- It’s a two-day project. The ice melts overnight and the rinse comes 24–48 hours later, so plan it for a weekend.
- This is real fiber-reactive dye. Jacquard’s Ice Dyes are part of its Procion MX line, the dye it sells to artists. Set up somewhere that can handle drips, like a garage, yard or laundry sink.
- Grown-ups handle the powder. See Jacquard’s own safety guidance below. Kids can do the folding, scrunching and the big reveal.
Highlights
- Dyes 5+ shirts per kit (sell sheet)
- Gloves, fixer and rubber bands are in the box
- Jacquard describes the results as permanent and vibrant (sell sheet)
- Every shirt comes out different, which makes it a good party or sleepover project
Manufacturer age grade: Not published on Jacquard’s website or sell sheet. Read the package before buying for a child.
Safety: Jacquard doesn’t publish a kit-specific warning online, so read the package. Jacquard’s safety guidance for its Procion MX dyes (from its Procion MX instructions) reads: “Always wear rubber gloves.” “Wear a NIOSH/MSHA dust mask or respirator when working with dry powders. Inhaling the dye powder or soda ash in large quantities may cause serious health problems.” “Use measuring cups, spoons and utensils for dyeing only. Don’t mix with kitchen utensils.” On Nov. 4, 2026, a search of the CPSC recall database (saferproducts.gov) for Jacquard and for “ice dye” found no recalls.
Price: $10.99 (Jacquard’s suggested retail price and its online store price; in stock at the store, Nov. 4, 2026, 4:35 PM PT). We didn’t find the Ice Dye Kits on Amazon.
The other five colors
The six Ice Dye Kits. Photo: Jacquard Products
The same kit, at the same price, also comes in Spumoni, Nebula, Meteorite, Poinsettia and Black Opal.
The Bottom Line
For about the price of one graphic tee, the RainForest Ice Dye Kit makes 5+ one-of-a-kind shirts. It needs patience and an adult on dye-powder duty, but the big reveal is worth it.
Sources
- Jacquard Products: Ice Dye Kits
- Jacquard store: Ice Dye Kits
- Jacquard Products: Procion MX Ice Dyes
- Jacquard: Procion MX instructions (PDF)
- Jacquard Products, Ice Dye Kits sell sheet (sent to ToyDirectory.com, Nov. 2026)
- CPSC recall database (saferproducts.gov)
Writer's Bio: Driven by a fascination with how young people learn, grow, and connect, Laura N. Larsson has spent years researching the role of play and social media in child and adolescent development. Since 2012, she has combined her ecommerce background with in-depth interviews of children and teenagers, producing insightful articles that explore the evolving interplay between play, communication, and online interaction. 
