# Dye Bath Liquor Ratio Calculator

> Find the material-to-liquor ratio (MLR) of a dye bath, the water needed for a fabric load, or how much fabric a bath volume can take.

Category: Textile & apparel · Applies to: Worldwide · Last updated: 2026-10-29
Interactive calculator: https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/dye-bath-liquor-ratio-calculator

Liquor ratio (MLR) is the bath volume in litres per kilogram of fabric, written 1 : x. Know any two of fabric weight, bath volume and ratio to find the third.

Also called: MLR calculator, Material to liquor ratio calculator.

## Inputs
- Find (options: Liquor ratio, Bath volume, Fabric load; default ratio)
- Fabric weight (unit kg; default 50)
- Bath volume (unit L; default 400)
- Liquor ratio 1 : (default 8)

## Results
- Answer
- Litres per kg of fabric
- Bath volume
- Fabric weight

## Formula

```
Liquor ratio x = Bath volume (L) ÷ Fabric weight (kg);  Bath = Fabric × x;  Fabric = Bath ÷ x
```

Where:
- x: litres of liquor per kg of fabric, written 1 : x

## Worked example
1. x = 400 L ÷ 50 kg = 8.
2. So the liquor ratio is 1 : 8.

**Result:** 50 kg of fabric in 400 litres of bath is a liquor ratio of 1 : 8.

## What the result means

Lower ratios use less water, chemicals and heat, but the machine and fabric must still circulate freely; stay within the machine maker’s rated range.

## Assumptions and limits
- 1 litre of bath is treated as 1 kg (water-based liquor).
- Water held in wet fabric at loading is not included.

## Questions

### Is 1:8 the same as 8:1?

In dyeing, both usually mean 8 litres per kg of fabric; the fabric is the “1”.

### Does liquor ratio change the dye amount?

Not for dyes dosed as % owf, but it changes the amount of salt and alkali dosed in g/L.

## Related calculators
- [Textile Dye Recipe Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/textile-dye-recipe-calculator)
- [Fabric Roll Weight Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/fabric-roll-weight-calculator)
- [Textile Dyeing Water Consumption Calculator](https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/textile-dyeing-water-consumption-calculator)

Source: GM¹X CalcVerse — https://calculators.geekmidst.com/calculators/dye-bath-liquor-ratio-calculator