The art of natural dyeing is as old as human civilization. Ancient dyers foraged for roots, stems, leaves, flowers, barks and fruits of plants, certain insects and shellfish by an elaborate series of extraction. Until the middle of last century, most dyes were derived from plant or animal sources. Among these are Indigo, Tyrian purple, Alizarin, Cochineal and Logwood dyes. Chinese text from 3,000 BC lists dye recipes to obtain red, black and yellow on silks. Ancient Indian texts describe several different yellow dyestuffs, how to obtain reds from the wood and bark of trees, and indigo to create blues on cotton. In Central and South America people dyed plant fibres in shades of red and purple with the cochineal insects (Dactylopius coccus). People have used various mordant recipes (preparing the fibre before dyeing), that include the use of alum, copper and iron oxides to darken or “sadden” the red, blue, green and purple dyes. They employed ingredients such as, lentils, vinegar, wild cucumber and barley malt, and animal urine. Woad (Isatis tinctoria), madder (Rubia tinctorum), kermes (made from the dried bodies of the female shield louse or scale insect (Kermes ilicis) and the heliotrope plant (Heliotropium arborescens) also deserve a special mention. Until 1856, all textiles throughout the world were dyed naturally. In the mid 1800’s the development of synthetic dyes changed the range of colours and dyeing methods. The use of natural dyes on a commercial scale barely exists but with renewed interest in natural dyeing, the future will follow a new path, but one firmly rooted in tradition.
Fibres fall into two categories, 1. Cellulose fibres and 2. Protein fibres. Cellulose fibres are fibres made with compounds of cellulose which can be obtained from the bark, wood or leaves of plants, or from other plant-based material. In addition to cellulose, the fibres may also contain hemicellulose and lignin, with different percentages of these components altering the mechanical properties of the fibres. Protein fibres are formed by natural animal sources such as wool, silk, alpaca and goat. Coatings such as natural oils, waxes and pectins are typically found in protein fibres that create an unwanted resist (preventing dye to adhere). Scouring prior to mordanting enables the dye to attach to the fibre, essential for quality results.
Using natural resources to colour fibre and textiles is a rewarding and excited process.
These natural dye materials are combined with non-toxic metal salts that helps extract colour which infuses into the fibre leaving a definitive outline, bearing veins, stems and growing patterns.
The condition of the plant, and external environment play an important role in how the plant material will react. Every plant lives an unforgiving life cycle. Every leaf including its, bug bites, burnt areas, veins, stems, bugs, residue, sap and soil conditions such as overall plant health and hydration are factors to consider when printing.
The unpredictability of eco-printing is what makes each garment unique.