Dyeing

The use of dye and pattern began in the Paleolithic era, around 30,000 BCE, with cave paintings in Europe and the Americas. Later, humans painted their bodies with minerals or plant-based dyes before using dyes on fabric. Tribes in the Amazon used annatto, derived from the seeds of the achiote tree, as body paint, while Britain's Celts used blue dyes from the woad plant to create blue body paint. Some North American Indian tribes mixed bloodroot with bear grease to make war paint. Gradually people also began to dye the fabrics they wore and used in their homes. Other substances in nature such as clay, mud, or the purple dye made from seashells have also been used to dye fabrics or yarn.

Naturally derived substances have also been used as cosmetics and hair coloring. The first-century CE Roman writer Pliny records the use of black walnut shells to create hair dye. He also mentions the plant weld, which yields a yellow dye that the Romans used for dyeing the robes of vestal virgins and for women's wedding garments.

The Egyptians began using leaves from plants, such as indigo, to make dyes. By adding an alkali such as plant ashes, lime water, or urine to the crushed leaves, a blue color was extracted. Henna, a flowering plant, was used to color men's mustaches and beards, horses' tails and manes, and parts of the bodies of mummies.

In Asia, printing blocks have been found that are about 5,000 years old. After Alexander the Great invaded India in 327 BCE, new trade routes brought the silks and other fabrics to the rest of Asia, Greece, and Egypt. According to manuscripts of the era, by the fourth century BCE, Indians had begun using indigo as a dye. By the second century CE, Indian fabrics had reached Europe and Africa.

Peru offers the earliest examples (200–100 BCE) of resist dyeing, a process of dyeing that involves wax patterns or designs that resist the dye. The technique spread into other pre-Columbian civilizations as well. The art of resist dyeing evolved into batik and tie-dye.

As people realized that plant-based dyes could be permanent when fermented or mixed with other chemicals, called mordants, techniques advanced. One of the earliest examples of fabric dyeing in Britain can be found in the green wools of the Bayeux Tapestry. Dyers' guilds existed in medieval Italy, and books describing dyeing methods were written.

The industry changed with the 1850s creation of mauveine, the first synthetic dye, by British chemist William Henry Perkin. Natural dyes were replaced by aniline dye, made of coal tar. Although these colors were liable to fade, they were easier to make and use. Contemporary technology allows creation of unusual colors, as well as of pigments that can change color or give off a fragrance in response to light, heat, or stress.

Techniques

Seven steps comprise the direct dyeing process for fabric, which can be adapted for dyeing yarn. First, the fabric must be pre-scoured. To do this, place the fabric into a washing machine and use a hot-water setting. Then, add a teaspoon of Synthrapol SP and a teaspoon of a dye activator for every three yards of fabric. When the cycle ends, the fabric can be dried and put away for later dyeing or placed directly into a solution for soaking. In this second step, a dust mask and rubber gloves are necessary. Wet or dry fabric is placed in a solution of dye activator and salt for 30 minutes to 24 hours. The solution can be reused.

Next, the dye is mixed. Instructions come with commercially prepared dyes to give proportions of mix and water. Only after mixing should the protective gloves and mask be removed. The fourth step is the actual dyeing of the fabric, which can be dry, wet, or damp. Fabric should be placed on a protected surface or in a plastic tray. It can be scrunched, folded, or tied; the dye can be squirted or dribbled onto the surface. Curing is the fifth step. This step will take between 30 minutes and 24 hours, and will entail all of the fabric being placed in a plastic bag or covered with plastic to prevent it from drying out. Once it is cured, the fabric can be rinsed in warm water.

The final step is the after wash, with another two tablespoons of Synthrapol SP added to a hot cycle. When the fabric has dried, it is ready to become clothing or part of a quilt or other decorative item.

Trends

Concerns have arisen about the environmental impact of the textile industry. Many people are returning to plant-based dyes to create natural colors. Some fabric artists are turning to dyeing their own fabrics or yarns to have more control over the colors or patterns available. Meanwhile, interest in Shibori continues to grow, with some dedicated fabric artists traveling to Japan to attend workshops and visit well-known artists.

Dyeing for Fun vs. Profit

Most people who dye cloth or yarn do so as a means of getting exactly the color or pattern they want for a particular work. Some of the dyers own shops to sell their creations. The dyeing process is labor-intensive and can be physically demanding. The chemicals with which a dyer works are dangerous; in addition, repetitive strain injuries are possible.

Given the amount of already-dyed fabric and yarn, few people will find dyeing a profitable business. However, some people have developed specialty markets for dyed yarn spun from their own sheep or fabric dyed with colors blended from plants in the garden. These cottage industries may be more likely in certain regions of the country or among the Amish.

Learning More

Organizations  

Textile Society of America <http://www.textilesociety.org/>

World Shibori Network <http://shiboriorg.wordpress.com/>

Books  

Cannon, John and Margaret. Dye Plants. Portland, OR: Timber Press, 2002.

Cardon, Dominique. Natural Dyes: Sources, Tradition, Technology and Science. London: Archetype Publications, 2007.

Epp, Dianne N. The Chemistry of Natural Dyes. Middletown, OH: Terrific Science Press, 1995.

LaBelle, Linda. The Yarn Lover's Guide to Hand Dyeing. New York: Potter Craft, 2007.

Mori, Joyce, and Cynthia Myerberg. Dye It! Paint It! Quilt It!: Making and Using One-of-a-Kind Fabrics in Quilts. Radnor, PA: Chilton Book Company, 1996.

Mori, Joyce, and Cynthia Myerberg. Dyeing to Quilt: Quick Direct-Dye Methods for Quilt Makers. Lincolnwood, IL: The Quilt Digest Press, 1997.

Richards, Lynne and Ronald J. Tyrl. Dyes from American Native Plants: A Practical Guide. Portland, OR: Timber Press, Inc., 2005.

Wells, Kate. Fabric Dyeing and Printing. Loveland, CO: Interweave Press, 1997.