Natural dyeing

Abinaya TG
 Introduction
• The art of dying is as old as our civilization.
• Dyed textile remnants found during archaeological
excavations at different places all over the world
provide evidence to the practice of dying in ancient
civilizations.
• Natural dyes were used only for the coloring of
textiles from ancient times till the nineteenth century.
• natural dyes are derived from natural resources.
• Primitive dyeing techniques included sticking plants
to fabric or rubbing crushed pigments into cloth
• leaves, roots, barks, berries, nuts, funghis and lichens
are all good sources of natural dyes
 Coloring materials obtained from natural resources of
plant, animal, mineral and microbial origins were used
for coloration of various textile materials.
The textile industry plays a major role in the economy of
Asian and other countries.
In India, it accounts for the largest consumption of
dyestuff at 80%
India is the second largest exporter of dyestuff, after
China. Different regions of the world had their own
natural dyeing traditions utilizing the natural
resources available in that region.
Natural dyes are most beneficial when compared to the
synthetic dyes. Natural dyes on textile materials have
been attracting more of the following reasons;
• The wide viability of natural dyes and their huge
potential.
• Availability of experimental evidence for allergic and
toxic effects of synthetic dyes and non-toxic and
nonallergic effects of natural dyes.
Natural Dyeing using
croton leaves
Croton, also called Variegated Laurel, (Codiaeum
variegatum), colourful-leaved plant of the spurge
family
Its numerous varieties of shrubs or small trees with
brilliantly coloured, glossy, leathery leaves are much
grown as potted plants.
 Fabric pre preparation
fixation
• Any fabric has to be prepared before dyeing
• This ensures the die spread evenly in the fabric and
colour fastness is ensured.
• Put ¼ cup salt in 4 cups water. Add your fabric. If the
water does not cover your fabric, continue adding
water and salt in a 16:1 ratio until your fabric is
submerged.
• Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it simmer for
about an hour. This creates a fixative that will help
your fabric hold the color better, and which helps set
the dye in the fabric.
• Once finished, rinse your fabric in cold water and
squeeze the excess water from it.
 Wet method
• Put 1 cup of leaves and 4 cups of water in your
saucepan. Bring the water to the boil, then add
your fabric. If you have several yards of fabric, you
will need to keep increasing the recipe, in a 1:4
leaves to water ratio, until your fabric is fully
submerged.
• Simmer gently for at least 20 minutes (I took mine
off the heat after 30 minutes and left it to cool).
• Take the saucepan off the heat and put it, with
the fabric and the dyed water still in it, aside to
cool.
• Once the water is cooled you can take your fabrics
out or leave them to soak up more color if
desired. The longer the fabric is left in the water,
the more of the color it will take on.
• Your fabric can even be left in the cooled water
overnight if you want. Remember that the final
fabric will be lighter than what appears in the dye
bath.
• Once you are happy with the color of your fabric,
put on gloves, take the fabric out of the water,
and hang it outside to dry.
 Colloidal method

• For colloidal method, the leaves are

grinded with little amount of water.
• Then the dyestuff is poured on pan
and fabric is soaked in it for 1 hour.
Longer the fabric is soaked the
better the colour.
 Dry method

• For dry method, the leaves are let to

dry and then grinded into fine
powder
• This powder is mixed with water
and the fabric is soaked in it for
minimum of 45 mins. The fabric can
be left soaked overnight for better
results.
 Tie-and-Dye
• The African, Indian, and Japanese words,
adire, bandhana, and shibori, meaning to tie
and dye, have been used for centuries.
• The words describe a method of fabric design
that is called tie dyeing.
• In this process, parts of a piece of fabric are
pulled into tufts which are bound with string
or elastic bands.
• The material is then saturated with dye.
• Where the fabric is bound, it resists the dye;
elsewhere, dye is absorbed.