A professional who dyes articles, such as garments, drapes, and slipcovers in kettles or dyeing machines, and mixes dyes and chemicals according to standard formulas or by matching customers' samples against color cards that provide formulas. Respnsibilities include:

• Examines garment to identify fabric and original dye by sight, touch, or by testing sample with fire or chemical reagent.
• Computes and weighs out powdered dye, oil, and acids, following formulas.
• Dissolves dye in boiling water and tests dye on swatch of fabric.
• Adds dyes to water until desired color is produced.
• Immerses garment in solution and stirs with stick, or dyes garment in rotary-drum or paddle-dyeing machine.
• Removes or directs dyer helper to remove garments from kettle or machine, and rinses them in water and acetic acid solution to remove excess dye and to fix colors.
• Directs dyer helper in operation of extractor and drier.
• May mix chemicals to make bleaching bath, and immerse garments in bath before dyeing to remove original colors.
• May use spray gun to spray dye onto garments.