Do hooked rugs fade in the sun? They sure do, and some colors fade more than others. It can be disappointing to work so hard on a project only to have it fade over time.
Color fastness means to the extent that a colored textile fabric will fade or change over time. Some colors will fade more than others over time, with red being particularly problematic. A striking example of color fade can be seen with this table runner that was hooked six years ago. It used a purple/mauve and yellow mix. Here it is freshly hooked:
Since that time, this piece has been on a coffee table in a living room that gets moderate sunlight. A piece hooked from the same wool at the same time, and has been sitting in a closet with no sun exposure shows the difference in fading for these colors. The yellow has fared better over time, but the purple/mauve has dramatically changed color.
An easy way to detect the amount of color fade in a piece is to look at the back and the front of the piece. This rug used a mix of reds and purples, and some of the colors have faded quite a bit in the last 5 years, again with moderate sun exposure.
So what can be done? First, reducing the amount of sunlight that hits a rug hooking, wool applique or other fiber art project can help keep colors bright. If you display pieces in a sunny place, there are UV blocking window films that can be added to reduce the amount of UV exposure.
It's also important to remember which colors fade more, and expect this to happen over time even with attempts to reduce the amount of sun exposure.
Finally, some colors will run if washed. The dye process at Loopy Wool ensures the dye is fully absorbed into the fabric, but if washed in hot water, reds and some other colors are likely to run. Avoid washing wool unless necessary, and spot cleaning a piece rather than using water can also help.
