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Q: What causes button dye stains?

picture of buttonsA: Button dye stains occur when the dyes on a colored button bleed during cleaning or finishing, creating discolorations or stains on the adjacent fabric. Some dyes used on buttons are soluble in drycleaning solvents, due to being improperly set by the manufacturer. During cleaning, the colors soften and stain the surrounding areas. In other cases, the dyes on the buttons withstand drycleaning but bleed upon contact with moisture, such as is found in steam finishing. Again, the fabric adjacent to the buttons becomes discolored or stained