How to Choose and Use the Best Paint for Fabrics in 2024

Finding the right paint for fabrics can be challenging, with a number of choices and considerations depending on the type of fabric, use and durability desired.

With a little research and experimentation, however, you can create custom artwork on everyday objects like jackets and t-shirts, as well as change the color of drab or unsightly upholstered items in your home.

Fabric painting is also perfect for adding details and accents on pillows, making decorative banners or bunting or customizing things like napkins, curtains and tablecloths. 

Can you paint directly on fabric? Definitely! We’ve rounded up some options for buying supplies, as well as painting tips for beginners that will have you designing beautiful objects.

We’ve also included where to buy paint for fabrics, what kind to buy, how to ensure longevity of your creation and some recipes for making any acrylic paint fabric-friendly. 

Jump to Section 

• Best Paint for Fabrics Introduction: The Basics
• What Kind of Paint Can Be Used on Fabric?
• How to Choose the Right Fabric Paint for Your Project
• Common Tools Used and Where to Buy Paint for Fabrics
• Best Permanent Fabric Paint Techniques
• How to Use Paint for Fabrics
• Tips for Removing Paint from Fabric
• Aftercare for Fabric Paint
• The Best Paint for Fabrics Projects to Try
• Acrylic Paint for Fabrics and How to Make Your Own

Best Paint for Fabrics Introduction: The Basics

Are you planning to apply paint to fabric? Then there are some things to keep in mind, and some supplies to purchase, as you prepare your fabric for painting.

Choosing the best paint for fabrics can involve numerous considerations that will affect your paint mediums, techniques and fabric aftercare. Is the fabric made of natural fibers or synthetics? The former tends to take paint easier while the latter can be more resistant and require more coats.

Will you be wearing or laundering the finished product or is it just meant for short-term use? Objects like decorative banners and upholstery will not be washed as regularly, while wearable items may need to be laundered.

How thick is the fabric in terms of opacity and weave? Some fabrics are more porous and take up the paint more readily. Focusing on these aspects will help you better choose your materials and application techniques. 

What Kind of Paint Can Be Used on Fabric?

What is the best paint to use on fabric? Water-based paints are often used for fabrics, with many varieties of dedicated fabric paint being. Then there is acrylic-based paint that's mixed with a textile medium.

While acrylic is a paint for fabrics that can be used alone, the results are often less durable or permanent and tend to make fabric stiffer and unyielding. This is particularly true if you need to use more paint to achieve your desired opaqueness.

Many crafters recommend alcohol-based paints, though they can prove less durable over time. And finally, there are pigments and dyes manufactured specifically for fabrics, which can work well if you want a more layered and gradient effect on a fabric similar to a watercolor effect.

How to Choose the Right Fabric Paint for Your Project

There are many options for acrylic paints designed for fabric, like Liquitex, Arteza or Jacquard. You can choose from different options for a multitude of fabrics, application techniques and painting styles.

Acrylic fabric paints work on several materials like cotton, poly blends, velvet, knitted yarn, crochet, suede and flannel. You can also purchase puffy fabric paints, which give some texture and dimensions to your design.

Simply Spray is the best paint for fabrics like stretched upholstery because it doesn't dramatically change the feel of the fabric. Other paints and dyes are designed for very specific fabrics like silk, satin or jacquard fabrics.

You can also use any shade of acrylic by mixing it with a textile medium as instructed below. This is often the approach to be able to get a full range of colors and blending opportunities that may not exist in common fabric paint shades.

Fabric paint pens are also perfect for adding smaller and more detailed accents to fabric. Puffy paints, often sold in inexpensive sets, can work great for adding texture and 3-D appeal to fabrics.

Common Tools Used and Where to Buy Paint for Fabrics

What are the common tools used in fabric painting? Common tools for applying paint include brushes of various sizes. Use larger ones for bigger stretches of fabric and smaller brushes that are designed for acrylics and more detailed painting.

You can also use items like sticks, toothpicks and cotton swabs to get into even smaller detailing and tight spaces like under buttons. Many fabric painting projects employ stencils or stamps that are applied with paint to the fabric surface.

Airbrush application is another popular approach to painting fabric, especially apparel, while other types of spray applicators can work well on upholstery and larger painting surfaces. 

If you’re looking for where to buy paints for fabric that are specifically designed for textiles, they can be found online at Amazon or Dick Blick, in craft stores like Michaels and Hobby Lobby, as well as fabric stores like Jo Anns.

Spray paints for upholstery can also be found in the same venues, as well as at automotive supply stores, where they sell vinyl & upholstery paint designed for car seats. Look for brands like Simply Spray, Liquitex, Folk Art, Bluebird, Fabric Creations and Jacquard Fabric Paint. 

Best Permanent Fabric Paint Techniques

Is fabric paint permanent on clothes? It can be depending on the paint type you use.

If you plan to create your art on a surface that will stand up to numerous washings and wear, make sure to use paint that contains a textile medium. This medium allows paint to permeate the fabric deeper than just laying on top — different from ordinary acrylic paint. It also leaves the fabric in a condition more closely resembling the original softness and texture. 

Fabric paint for clothes and permanent fabric paint must usually be combined with applying some type of heat to set the paint. This can be accomplished in a few different ways.

Many use an iron for this after the last coat of paint has dried. Other paints can be set by running the painted fabric through the dryer to apply heat evenly. Some items can set nicely with a hairdryer. 

Tips for ironing paints for fabric: Always iron at the hottest setting and don't use steam. Either iron from the back side of the material for 5 minutes or place a clean dry cloth over the front of the design. Then iron for 5 minutes. Always try to keep the iron moving to prevent thematerial from scorching.

How to Use Paint for Fabrics

Begin by preparing your fabric, which should be freshly washed and lint tolled to remove any lint or debris. If it’s a soft fabric like a piece of clothing, ironing out wrinkles and creases to set a smooth surface for applying paint.

Use painter's tape to tape off any areas where you don’t want the paint to go and to achieve straight lines at the border of an image, if desired. Before painting a large area, you may want to do a test of the paint you intend to use on a small sample of fabric or a place that isn’t visible. This will help you get the results you want and avoid headaches if you need to adjust your materials or process. 

What is the best way to paint on clothes? Lay your fabric flat on your painting surface, making sure to place layers of cardboard or other cloth between layers of fabric to prevent them from soaking through.

Try to keep the surface you're working with as tight as possible using clips or pins to keep the fabric in place. Apply paint with your chosen tool, making sure to get paint into the seams, buttonholes, visible pockets or pleats. 

Many projects will require multiple coats, especially if you're working with thicker fabrics and more saturated opaque colors. Allow each coat to dry fully before adding the next.

Top tip: Keep in mind that colors will usually dry lighter than when they first go on. 

How do you paint fabric without it getting stiff? Using paint for fabrics with a textile medium can help maintain some of the original softness and flexibility of the fabric, though the more paint you apply, the more likely it is to stiffen and harden the underlying fabric. This means you will have to balance opacity with a minimum number of coats in many cases. 

Tips for Removing Paint from Fabric

If you accidentally get paint on areas you do not want or make a mistake in your artwork, there are a few different ways to try removing paint. Though, results may vary depending on the kind of paint and porosity of the fabrics; in other words how easily does paint seep through the fabric.

Some acrylic paint can be removed easily with a mix of hot water and dish soap. You can also use concentrated laundry soap on the area followed by a gentle wash cycle.

For more tenacious paint marks, try isopropyl alcohol or denatured alcohol spirits blotted on and rinsed off. Acetone, like in nail polish remover, may also work, though it can damage or discolor some fabrics. These materials also work if you are finished with your projects and are wondering how to clean paint brushes or stencils after use. 

Aftercare for Fabric Paint

Does acrylic paint wash off clothes once dry? After heat setting your paint for fabrics, most fabrics will be safe to launder or wear. Allow at least 4 days, however, before the first wash.

Hand wash or use a delicate cycle in the washer. Wash the item separate from other clothing for the first few washes, just in case the paint dissolves and discolors the other clothing.

You should also avoid the dryer, especially at higher temperatures. Hang-drying your creations is a much better alternative.

If you have to iron the fabric after using permanent fabric paint, use a low setting and keep in mind the recommended instructions for the fabric care as well as the painted segments.  

The Best Paint for Fabrics Projects to Try

Stylize Your Kicks

Once you have become familiar with types of paint for fabric and creative techniques, you can put them to use. A great place to start is at the bottom.

Shoes are quite easy to add fabric paint to. This is because they only seldom require laundering and are accommodating to a wide variety of acrylic paints, even those without textile medium mixed in.

Canvas shoes are particularly great for painting, where you can create scenes, graphic designs, words and washes of color on shoes easily that will remain visible for a long time. To get ideas, check out these great acrylic painting ideas for beginners.

Restore Your Furniture

A perfect fix for unsightly upholstery in your home is to paint over it. Simply Spray and other spray-on upholstery paints work splendidly for this, allowing you to work easily over larger areas.

It’s great for flipping thrift pieces of furniture or changing an heirloom to more closely align with your design vision. Smaller pieces are a great place to start if you're a beginner, like cushions and ottomans.

Fabric Paint for Clothes

Another great surface for fabric painting for beginners is wearable objects. Jeans and denim serve as particularly great canvases for creating. Add details to your back pockets or paint a custom denim jacket design.

Paint a t-shirt using an airbrush or a silk screen technique — which uses a thick ink like Speedball brand inks but has the durability of fabric paints. Painting is also great for accessories like canvas tote bags, leather purses, hats and belts. 

Acrylic Paint for Fabrics and How to Make Your Own

The Adding Fabric or Textile Medium Method

If you want a broader range of colors than your crafting store can provide in pre-mixed fabric paints, you can easily and inexpensively create your own using any shade of acrylic paint and an equal amount of textile medium.

This makes the paint more suitable for your designs and more subtle on fabric surfaces. While many recommend a 1:1 ratio of medium to paint, you may want to adjust according to your project, since some experienced DIYers recommend a 1:2 ratio instead.

The Glycerine Method

If you don't have access to a bottle of textile medium, you can also create a homemade version out of one part white vinegar, one part vegetable glycerin and two parts water. This is then mixed with paint on a 1:1 ratio to create a formula that is fabric-friendly and laundry-proof. 

The Glue and Shaving Cream Method

A fun way to make inexpensive puffy acrylic paint for fabrics is this DIY recipe that involves three tablespoons of shaving cream, one tablespoon of Elmer’s school glue and some acrylic paint to achieve the desired color.

This is a great material for kids to use since it's non-toxic and much easier to clean up than other methods and materials. 

Latex Paint and Fabric Softener

Some DIYers also recommend making a solution of regular latex paint and fabric softener, which makes the paint easier to apply and penetrates the fabric underneath more thoroughly.

Mix paint and softener in equal ratios and apply with a sponge or brush to the upholstery. According to Architectural Digest, the mixture is especially great for giving a blended and supple leather look to fabric pieces. 

Fabric painting is both an art and a science of finding just the right combination of paint and fabric to make your masterpiece. It can also be a great way to express your personality and create custom pieces of clothing and furniture for your home.

For more unique painting activities, check out other experiences happening on Classpop!