4. BioChromes

Biochrome is a naturally occurring substance which imparts colour to the tissues of plants or animals. Plants and animals commonly possess characteristic pigments. They range in plants from those that impart the brilliant hues of many fungi, through those that give rise to the various browns, reds, and greens of species that can synthesize their food from inorganic substances (autotrophs), to the colourful pigments found in the flowers of seed plants.

DYEING

Dyeing is the application of dyes or pigments on textile materials such as fibers, yarns, and fabrics to achieve color with desired hue and fastness.

Benefits of Fabric Dyeing

• When Fabric Dyeing, colors are rich and you control the intensity of the color.
  
• You can dye fabric to your specifications.
  
• There are a variety of dyes to choose from including plants.
  
• You can add patterns and effects in a variety of ways with simple techniques and tools.
  

FABRIC DYEING is so much fun and everyday is a new surprise. It's not the "cleanest" thing to do, but the sky is literally the limit when you start. Be sure that you use tools, containers, etc...that will be used specifically for your dye room and to not just grab something from the kitchen to use and put it back when you're done

Famous people (In spanish)

ANABEL TORRES
Fashion designer and textile artist Anabel Torres, through her brand Antesis, designs and sells sustainably hand-dyed items. In her first course at Domestika, Anabel teaches the technique of textile dyeing with natural pigments.
You can follow her work on Instagram

Domestika

In this live from Domestika she explains some details that we must consider during our natural dyeing practices.

FABRICS

Fabrics that can be dyed are those made from natural or protein fibres, such as cotton, linen, wool, silk, hemp and esparto grass. Fabrics containing up to 50% polyester or acrylic can also be dyed.
Synthetic fabrics such as polyamide, elastane, lycra or nylon cannot be dyed. Also, stitching and seams, which are usually sewn with polyester threads, will not be dyed. To dye fabrics, a natural dye extracted from food can be used.

We selected wool and raw blanket to work on this exercise and since our goal was to create a kind of color wheel, we decided to cut 10x10 cm squares with the laser cutter.
To cut this materials with laser I used the following parameters:
Max POWER: 35
Min POWER: 25
Work SPEED mm/s: 60

COLOR

In Mexico we have a great diversity of dye plants, in which yellow colors dominate. In any region of our country we find plants or flowers from which this color is extracted; there are also ochres, blues, reds, violets and blacks produced from indigo, cochineal and brazilwood.

For our dyeing practice we selected flowers and fruits that we could find around us, for example:

DYEING PROCESS

Fabric Preparation

Washing

Before dyeing, it's essential to wash the fabric thoroughly to remove any dirt, oils, or finishes that may be present. Use a mild detergent and avoid fabric softeners, as they can affect the absorption of the color.

Mordanting (Fixing the Color)

Plant pigments don't adhere well to the fabric fibers without a mordant. Mordanting helps to fix the color onto the fabric, ensuring it's more durable and resistant to fading from washing.

Common Mordants:

Alum: A widely used mordant, suitable for most plant-based fibers like cotton and linen.
Tannin or cream of tartar: Often used in combination with alum for brighter effects.
Iron Mordant: Produces darker, more muted colors and is often used in dyeing with plants like oak or ivy.
Vinegar and Salt: In some cases, homemade mordants using vinegar or salt can be used, although results may vary.

How to Prepare the Mordant:

Dissolve the mordant (e.g., alum) in hot water. The typical ratio is about 15-20 grams of alum per 100 grams of fabric. Soak the fabric in the mordant solution for at least 1-2 hours. Some people prefer to leave it overnight. After soaking, rinse the fabric well before moving on to the next step.

Material Infusion

Preparing the Natural Material

Dry or Fresh: The first step is deciding whether to use fresh or dried plants. Dried materials are generally recommended because their pigments tend to be more concentrated and are easier to store. If using fresh plants, make sure they are clean and free of mold.

Chop or Crush: To release the pigments more effectively, you'll need to chop, crush, or mash the plants, flowers, roots, etc. The smaller the pieces, the easier it is for the pigments to be released into the water. Some people use a mortar and pestle to crush the plants, while others simply cut them finely with scissors or a knife.

Preparing the Dye

The next step is to extract the pigment from the plants. This can be done through "infusion" or boiling, depending on the material.

Boiling:

• Place the plant material (around 100-150 grams per 500 ml of water) in a pot.
  
• Cover with water (preferably rainwater or distilled water) and bring to a simmer.
  
• Let it cook at a low heat for 1-2 hours, stirring occasionally. Some plants require more time, so check if the color is being extracted well.
  
• Once the color has concentrated, turn off the heat and let the mixture cool.
  

Infusion (for more delicate plants):

• For more delicate plants like flowers, herbs, or fruits, use the infusion method instead of boiling. Place the plant material in a container and pour hot water (not boiling) over it.
  
• Let it steep for 24-48 hours to allow the pigments to be extracted slowly.
  
• After that time, strain the mixture to remove the solid plant material.
  

Straining the Dye

Once the pigments have been extracted, strain the mixture using a fine sieve or cloth to remove any solid plant parts. What remains will be the dye that you’ll use to color the fabric.

Color Testing

In our experiment with natural dyes, we conducted color tests using two common chemical solutions: sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). These substances are useful for modifying the pH of the dye bath and observing how they affect the color of natural pigments.

The main goal of these tests was to study how the pH of the solution influences the shade of color obtained when dyeing fabric with natural pigments. We know that pH can alter the chemical structure of compounds in natural dyes, leading to significant variations in the final color.

Conclusions

The use of sodium hydroxide and hydrochloric acid in the color tests demonstrated how pH can significantly influence the results of dyeing with natural pigments. These results help us better understand how to manipulate the colors we obtain and adjust the conditions of the dyeing process to achieve the desired shades.

Adjusting the pH—whether more acidic or more alkaline—proves to be a powerful tool for experimenting with tones and hues when working with natural dyes, offering greater versatility and control in our dyeing projects.

Fabric Dyeing

Soak the Fabric: Once you have the dye ready, soak the fabric in the dye bath. Make sure the fabric is fully submerged and covers all areas evenly.
Boil the Fabric: If necessary, you can boil the fabric in the dye bath for 30-60 minutes to ensure the color sticks well.
Let it Rest: Allow the fabric to sit in the dye bath until you achieve the desired color.
Drying: Rinse the fabric in cold water until the water runs clear, then hang it to dry. Keep in mind that the final color may be darker once the fabric has dried.

Bougainvillea dyeing

Process recorded by Maricruz Chavez

FINAL RESULT

1.- Turmeric
2.- Turmeric + sodium hydroxide
3.- Achiote + Hydrochloric acid
4.- Achiote
5.- Turmeric concentrated
6.-Bougainvillea + Hydrochloric acid
7.- Hibiscus concentrated
8.- Bougainvillea
9.- Muicle leaves dilute
10.- Muicle leaves concentrated
11.- Indigo + Hydrochloric acid
12.- Indigo concentrated
13.- Indigo
14.- Muicle leaves + Hydrochloric acid
15.- Hibiscus dilute + achiote
16.- Avocado seed + hibiscus dilute