Making Custom Jordan 1 with Rit Dye

When Rit Dye sent over a care package after seeing our recent Jordan 4 custom, we knew we had to make something amazing. 

The only problem? Making this Custom Jordan 1 didn't quite go to plan. Mistakes were made, but in the end Vick Almighty was able to turn tragedy into triumph. 

A Word of Caution — Don't Make This Mistake

The concept that Vick came up with was a bleached Denim Jordan 1. The idea here was to bleach the denim on the Jordan 1, then dye it with the Rit Dye. We learned very quickly that this was a mistake. By submerging the shoes in bleach, the leather was ruined. 

Luckily we had another pair at our sneaker store, Many Worlds, and Vick applied the bleach with a brush the second time around to save the project. 

With the Denim Jordan 1 bleached to perfection, it's time to spruce this shoe up with some fun, bright colors thanks to Rit Dye. 

How to Dye Jordans with Rit Dye

There are a couple ways you can go about dyeing sneakers. Vick opted for the direct application method, which is the simplest but scariest of the bunch. To dye the sneakers Vick put a few different colors of Rit Dye into squeeze bottles and then applied the dye directly onto the denim of the shoes. 

If you plan on attempting this method of dyeing shoes, make sure you wear gloves! Things can get extremely messy in a hurry, and it's not always easy to get dye off of your skin. 

The Details

Vick took this custom to the next level with the gradient dye, but we shouldn't overlook the smaller details that really make the shoe pop. 

One of the best details is the custom 3M Nike logo where you'd usually see the classic Jordan Wings. This touch really put the custom over the top and brought it together as a whole. 

Another fun addition was the distressing of the denim. Vick did this in a few minutes with the help of his trust Dremel. 

Tragedy to Triumph

Now that this Rit Dye Custom Jordan 1 is complete, what are your thoughts? We learned a lot about bleaching and dyeing sneakers through the process, and are stoked with the results. Despite the early setback, Vick came in clutch and created something that we're proud of! 

Check out the full video if you haven't already, and leave a comment with what you'd rate this custom Jordan  out of 10!