4. Biochromes¶
INTRODUCTION¶
This weeks topic was about producing natural dyes and bacterial dyes, with a possible attempt of zero waste. To understand dyes, first we need to acknowledge the fact that color is everywhere. In fashion and in textiles we see colorful fabrics, that just makes us feel more attracted to them. The secret behind are the dyes that make a fabric come to live, and as seen in the class, color or pigments are produced by a living organism. Dye is a coloured substance that chemically bonds to the substrate to which it is being applied. Natural dyes are obtained from natural soruces which can be organic and inorganic. The organic sources come from plants, animals, organisms, and the inorganic come from minerals. Here is a short list of examples of sources:
- Plant: flower, stems, leaves, bark, wood, algae.
- Animal: insects, mollusks.
- Organis: bacteria, myco.
- Mineral: minerals, earth, rocks, salts, metals.
Dye stuff, another normal term, refers to the plant or material from which the dye is extracted. MOst often, a regular process of natural dyeing is this way. The dyestuff is collected, soaked in water for several hours, and heated to a low simmer to extract the dye, this extract is then combined with the textiles. After the dyebath is cool, the textiles is removed. In some cases, depending on the desired color and finishing, there is a treatment in which the textile or fibre can undergo by adding a mordant. A mordant is a substance, typically an inorganic oxide, which is combined with a dye bath to enhance the fastening process of the dye onto organic fibers. They enhance the light and wash fastness (ability to retain dye) of the dye on the fibers, both the protein based and the cellulose based ones. Mordants also have an impact on the final color. The 3 mordants used in this week were: alum, iron, and copper.
- Alum can be used on all kinds of fibers and helps to brighten the colors and assures a good light and wash fastness. For a plan based fibre you will need to use 10/15% of weight of fiber (WOF) of alum.
- Iron can be used to darken a color, use 3/5% of WOF, both powder or liquor.
- Copper helps darkening and saddening colors, it brings out greens and blues, use 5/7% of WOF powder or liquor.
There are also modifiers* which are substances applied only after the dye bath, that will make you get more shades, likewise you can get more shades by combining it with different mordants. There are four typologies of modifiers: acidic modifiers, which tends to make shades warmer, you will need to simmer in vinegar for 10 min. Alkaline modifiers make shades colder, you will need to por hot water on the crystals until they dissolve, then simmer 5/10 min. Copper modifiers make shades greener in tone, simmer in the copper liquor for 10/20 min. An iron modifiers** , which make the shades darker in tone, simmer in the iron liquor for 5 min.
Awesome! you are all set to start one of these fun recipes!!!! Just keep in mind these two tips: 1.Document every step, and label every yarn or fabric specifying the mordant or modifiers you are using so you can re do it in the future, and 2. If you are planing to use mordants, you need to think that after that process, your fabric will weight more, and either you dry the fabric first or consider an extra WOF for your dye bath.
RECIPES¶
TURMERIC
-Mix 1/8 WOF (Weight of fabric) of turmeric powder with a little warm water. -Add into the dye bath and simmer. -Rinse the fibers well after dyeing, but always use a pH neutral washing solution to prevent an unwanted color change.
Here is Rebecca weighing the fabrics.
Preparation of dye bath for turmeric, powder mixing to achieve a paste.
It smells as strong as it looks.
MADDER
We used dried plant tops that were already in small pieces. -Simmer gently for about one hour. We let the plant simmer overnight -Let the solution cool, then add the fibers and levae them to steep or apply gentle heat until you achieve a suitable depth of color.
COCHINEAL
-1/8 WOF cochineal powder for intense reds and fuchsias. -To process the dried bugs for dyeing, grind until you achive a fine powder. -Add some water and simmer genlty for one hour. -Let it cool, then strain the liquid and collect the partcicles left -Add fabrics and leave them to steep or apply gently heat. (Consider plenty of fabrics, as chochineal can have many shades)
ALKANET
-1/8 WOF alkanet root dried flakes & 1 liter of ethanol 96% -You will need to extract the dye through a solvent, which is the ethanol. -Place the flakes in a bowl and cover them with ethanol, stir on and off during 10 min. -Add enough water, boil and stir. Add fabircs, and simmer them until most of the dye in the water is absorbed.
BLACK BEANS
-5 WOF Black dried beans and water. -Exctract dye color in cold water until water turns brown and murky. -Leave fabrics in the cold bath dye for 12 hours.
CABBAGE
-Cut red cabagge into little pieces, add suficient water and cook it for 4 hours approx. -Strain cabbage -Adjust pH for desired color.
ROSES
We used dehydrated roses that smelled great, we even thought it could be a fabric that can have both color and smell. -Boil roses for a few hours and let it cool or in low heat until all the color of the roses is gone. -Strain roses -Adjust pH for desired color.
INK can be produced with the remains of the dye stuff, we used the alkanet with the ethanol, that in the same process of extracting, the alkanet was reduced and was ready to use as ink.
OUTCOME¶
At the end, I had a great experience and refresh on the topic of natural dyes. I look forward ro learn and experiment in the next couple of weeks with bacterial dyeing. For this weeks assignment I think I managed to experiemtn a lot with basic natural dyeing, and even better, with food that sometimes can be food waste like cabbage, or maybe give it a try to old flowers, could they have the same results as with dehydrated roses? I ended up doing myself little pantone/look alike cards that are devided into the 3 materials we used in the class: cotton, linen and silk. Each card has a sample swatch of the color achieved and in the back it has the basic information of what the type of fabric is, the dye stuff and an specification of any mordant or modifier used.