4. Biochromes¶
This week I was able to experiment with different organic ingredients to dye a variety of types of fabrics, at the same time creating pigment was something fantastic and beautiful. Thanks to my mentors Petra, Emma and Julia who guided and taught me.
Explorations¶
Biochromes are colors chemically formed microscopic, natural pigments. They are a coloring matter that can be extracted from a plant or animal. Biochromes are locally positive, biobased, and produce zero waste. Natural dyes only work on natural fibers. Types of bio-based fibers include vegetal, ceullulose fibers, (cotton and linen), animal, protein fibers, (silk and wool), man made (viscose), and chemically recycled. With treatment and mordanting, they can be used with biochromes. Some sources include: insects, seeds, fruits, leaves, flowers, bark, roots, berries, mushrooms, clay, soils, and bacteria. From biochromes you can form inks, dyes, and pigments.
Throughout this week we are working with silk, viscose, cotton, and linen.
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Silk is a natural protein fiber, some forms of which can be woven into textiles. The protein fiber of silk is composed mainly of fibroin and is produced by certain insect larvae to form cocoons.
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Viscose is derived from the 'cellulose' or wood pulp from fast growing, regenerative trees such as eucalyptus, beech and pine, as well as plants such as bamboo.
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Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective case, around the seeds of the cotton plants of the genus Gossypium in the mallow family Malvaceae.
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Linen is a durable natural fiber derived from the flax plant. The finest linen comes from Europe, and specifically from Belgium, where an optimal climate and rich soil allows for strong, beautiful flax.
Tools Needed
- Pots
- Measuring cups
- Spoons
- Scale
- Bowls
- Containers
- Coffee filter papers
Sources Used
Dyes¶
Dyes are colored substanced that chemically bond to the subtrate to which they are applied. Below are the steps to scour, mordant, and dye the fabrics.
| TERM | DEFINITION |
|---|---|
| Scour | cleaning the fibers, removing waxes & oils present in them. It is mainly done on processed cellulose fibers. (viscose, cotton, and linen). |
| Mordant | substance, alum or iron, which can be used in water alone or combined with a dye bath to enhance the fastening proces of the dye onto organic fibers. |
| WOF | Woight of fabric, checking the wight of tho fabric while it is still dry before any other process. |
| Alum | a mineral found in nature in both pure and impure forms. It is a mineral salt. An alum is a type of chemical compound, usually a hydrated double sulfate salt of aluminium. We use alum to mordant the fabrics to help brighten the colors. |
| Iron | can be made at home with water, vinegar, and rusty nails. Used for mordanting and for modifying colors. |
Step 1: Weighing¶
Weigh each type of fabric on its own and note them down. We first cut the fabrics into squares of 15 x 15 cm and then weighed them.
The weights we recorded are:
- Silk: 46.4 g
- Viscose: 115.9 g
- Cotton: 265.5 g
- Linen: 327.2 g
Step 2: Scouring¶
As scouring is only done to the plant fibers, we calculated the viscose, cotton, and linen and added 2% of the sum of their weights of soda carbonate in a pot of water.
- Total weights = 708.6 g
- 2% of 708.6 = 14.172 g
We placed the fabrics into the water+soda carboante mix and let it simmer for an hour. After scouring them, we rinsed them and clustered one of each material and rolled them as 'burritos' to aid with the mordanting and dyeing processes to come.
Step 3: Mordanting¶
As a group, we decided to mordant the fabrics and not the dye baths so we split the 'burritos' into two piles. We mordanted one pile with Alum and the other with Iron. To calculate the mordants needed we recalculated the total weights (with the silk) and then divided it into two.
Amounts
- Iron: 1% of WOF
- Alum: 15% of WOF
Calculations
- Total WOF = 825 g
- Each pile = 412.5 g
- Iron = 1% of 412.5 = 4.125 g
- Alum = 15% of 412.5 = 62 g
We added the 'burritos' into the preheated mordanted pots and let them simmer for a while.
Step 4: Dye Baths¶
While the fabrics were being prepped we began with prepping the sources for the dye baths.
Hot Bath
- Onion Peels (stable)
- Avocado Pits (somewhat stable)
- Carrot Greens (fugitive)
- Spinach
- Pomegranate Skin
It is advisable to remove the seeds so that we only obtain the skin pigment.
For the hot baths, we chopped the sources and placed them in pots on medium heat and let them simmer for a few hours. Make sure not to let it boil.
It is important to filter the liquids before following the following steps, if they are not removed they could vary the color tone in certain sectors of the fabric.
We can use a strainer or also a paper filter that is usually used for coffee
After having filtered the liquids we can cook the fabrics, this can vary from 45 minutes to 1 hour, it is a matter of seeing how the fabrics absorb the color.
- Cook at medium temperature, being careful not to boil the water.
Cold Bath
We wash the fabrics with water to remove excess pigment, sometimes it can remain as a powder.
After that we can hang them and let them dry.
After they were completely dry, I ironed them to remove the wrinkles so I could start making my biopantone.
Digital BioPantone¶
Here I leave you a very useful resource from the 2023/2024 class of the Fab Lab BCN
Download FabLab BCN 23/24 Digital BioPantone
Digital BioPantone 2¶
I continued to create my color palette according to the cooking times and also wanting to show the color differences that are generated if you use iron sulfate or rock alum.
Iron sulfate generates darker colors and rock alum generates lighter and brighter ones.
ROSE HIP - IRON¶
Time of cooking = 67 min.
ROSE HIP - ALUM¶
Time of cooking = 83 min.
SUNFLOWER SEES - IRON¶
Time of cooking = 60 min.
SUNFLOWER SEES - ALUM¶
Time of cooking = 60 min.
TIMERIC - IRON¶
Time of cooking = 100 min.
TIMERIC - ALUM¶
Time of cooking = 90 min.
BARK - IRON¶
Time of cooking = 97 min.
This one really was my favorite.
BARK - ALUM¶
Time of cooking = 96 min.
SOURCES¶
Field Trip to Organic Cotton Colours¶
They offer 100% naturally colorful organic cotton. Their cultivation is carried out through regenerative agriculture practices. Three tones that are born from the seed; ecru, green and brown.
Santi Mallorqui Gou, CEO of OCC, toured us around the shop and explained their manifesto and their business model.
The cultivation is carried out through regenerative agricultural practices where crops of up to five foods coesxist with organic cotton to generate natural nutrition of the soil. They make the cotton available to designers and brands in any form that is needed. They also keep it pure by ensuring no chemicals in the processing of the cotton.
Learn more about OCC here