Stihl HiFlex Colour Change Problem..!!!..??

Bogdan

Hello Everyone,

I purchased a Stihl HiFlex jacket and matching trousers around April 2009. On the first wash a few weeks later, the bright high visibility on both had dramatically changed to a lovely shade of olive green..?? Although a good colour as camouflage in a green environment, that was not the idea...!!

Both items had been washed together at the recommended temperature of 40C, using Ariel Excel Gel Actilift washing detergent and then left to air dry naturally.

I took the jacket back to my suppliers (I did not bother taking the trousers back as they only have a small flash of orange at the back).

The suppliers got me a replacement via Stihl a few weeks later.

I received my jacket and had not used it that much and it was washed for the first time a few weeks ago with the same trousers in the same way.

Well you've guessed it, the orange is now olive green again.

I took the jacket back to the supplier and have received a message that a replacement is waiting for me.

Although, this time, Stihl have said this is the last time they are going to replace it Free Of Charge, because no one else has had this problem...!!!

SO PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF ANY OF YOU HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM..!!

Many Thanks,

Bogdan

Eric Frei

I haven't heard of the problem, and the die running out sounds like the issue, shouldn't happen.

On garments there is usually a washing instructions label, I wonder what that says?

Probably a batch affected issue with a new supplier, is it Made in China?

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TrevMcRev

Sounds strange

I have a hiflex jacket & pants from around the same era, washed them together no probs.

Not familiar with your detergent....sounds heavy duty, though shouldn't really be a problem unless it has a bleaching agent in it.

Bogdan

Hello Trev,

Thanks for your feedback.

Yes, you may be right about the detergent.

I probably changed to Ariel Excel Gel Actilift around the same period I bought the HiFlex gear, I had been using Ariel powder detergent prior to this.

I conducted an small experiment at the weekend using small samples of the patching swatches Stihl supply with the garments and soaked them all in separate glasses of water with the detergent and all the fabrics colours ran.

So its probably the blacks dying the orange.

I will try and call the detergent manufacturers.

Cheers,

Bogdan