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Discover tie dye and how it has emerged as an art form in the US

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by , 03-19-2015 at 10:21 AM (816 Views)
      
   
Tie-dye is a modern-day term created in the mid-1960s in the United States for a set of longstanding resist-dyeing methods, and for the products of these types of processes. The process of tie-dye ordinarily consists of folding, twisting, pleating, or crimpling fabric or a item of clothing and binding with cord or elasticbands, followed by application of dye(s). The manipulations of the fabric prior to application of dye are termed resists, as they partially or completely hinder the applied dye from coloring the cloth. More complicated tie-dyes involve additional steps, including an initial application of dye preceding the resist, multiple sequential dye and resist steps, and employ other kinds of resists (stitching, stencils) and discharge.

Unlike typical resist-dyeing procedures, tie-dye is differentiated by the use of vivid, saturated primary colors and bold patterns. These patterns, including the spiral, mandala, and peace sign, along with using multiple bold colors, have become cliched since the height of popularity of tie-dye in the 60's and 70's. The vast majority of currently produced tie-dyes utilize these kinds of designs, and most are mass-produced for wholesale distribution. That being said, a new attraction in more ' refined' tie-dye is manifesting in the fashion industry, represented by simple motifs, monochromatic color schemes, and a focus on fashionable garments and materials other than cotton. A few artisans continue to pursue tie-dye as an art form as opposed to a commodity.

A variety of dyes can be used in tie-dyeing, including household, fiber reactive, acid, and vat dyes. Most early (1960s) tie-dyes were made with retail household dyes, particularly those made by Rit. So as to be practical on different fibers, these kinds of dyes are made up of a range of different dyes, and thus are much less effective, and most likely to bleed and fade, compared to pure dyes designed for certain fibers. This is the basis for the famous 'pink socks' phenomenon that occurs when fabrics dyed with mixed dyes are washed with various other garments. Many tie-dyes are now dyed with Procion MX fiber reactive dyes, a class of dyes effective on cellulose fibers such as cotton, hemp, rayon, and linen. This class of dyes works with fibers at basic (high) pH, forming a wash-fast, permanent bond. Soda ash (sodium carbonate) is the most common agent utilized to increase the pH and launch the reaction, and is either added in directly to the dye, or in a solution of water in which garments are soaked right before dyeing. Procion dyes are basically safe and straightforward to use, and are the same dyes used commercially to color cellulosic fabrics.

Protein-based fibers for example, silk, wool, and feathers, and also the synthetic polyamide fiber, nylon, can be dyed with acid dyes. As may be expected from the name, acid dyes are effective at acidic (low) pH, where they create ionic bonds with the fiber. Acid dyes are also very safe (some are used as food dyes) and straightforward to use. Vat dyes, including indigo, are a third class of dyes that are effective on cellulosic fibers and silk. Vat dyes are insoluble in water in their unreduced form, and the vat dye must be chemically reduced before they can be used to color material. This is accomplished by heating the dye in a strongly basic solution of sodium hydroxide (lye) or sodium carbonate (caustic potash) containing a reducing agent such as sodium hydrosulfite or thiourea dioxide. The fabric is immersed in the dye bath, and after removal the vat dye oxidizes to its insoluble form, binding with high wash-fastness to the fiber. However, vat dyes, and most especially indigo, should be treated after dyeing by 'soaping' to prevent the dye from rubbing (crocking) off. Vat dyes can be used to simultaneously dye the fabric and to remove underlying fiber-reactive dye (i.e., can dye a black cotton fabric yellow) due to the bleaching action of the reducing bath. The additional complexity and safety issues (particularly when using strong bases for example, lye) restrict use of vat dyes in tie-dye to experts.

Discharge agents are employed to bleach color from previously-dyed fabrics, and can be used in a kind of reverse tie-dye. Household bleach (sodium hypochlorite) can be used to discharge fiber reactive dyes on bleach-resistant fibers such as cotton or hemp (but not on wool or silk), however the results are variable, as some fiber reactive dyes are a bit more resistant to bleach than others. It is very important to bleach only as long as called for to get the desired shade, and to neutralize the bleach with agents for example, sodium bisulfite, to avoid damage to the fibers. Thiourea dioxide is another commonly used discharge agent that can be used on cotton, wool, or silk. A thiourea dioxide discharge bath is made with hot water is made gently basic with sodium carbonate. The results of thiourea dioxide discharge differ considerably from bleach discharge. Discharge techniques, particularly using household bleach, are a readily accessible way to tie-dye without having to use of often messy and relatively expensive dyes.

Tie-dyeing was known in the United States by 1909, after Professor Charles E. Pellow of Columbia University gathered a number of examples of tie-dyed muslin and then delivered a lecture and live demo of the method.

Although shibori and batik methods were used sometimes in Western chic before the 1960s, current psychedelic tie-dying did not grow into a fad up to the late 1960s following the example set by rock stars like Janis Joplin and John Sebastian (who did his own personal dyeing). The 2011 film narrative Magic Trip, that reveals amateur film footage captured during the 1964 cross-country bus trip of countercultural icon Ken Kesey and his Merry Pranksters, shows the travelers creating a sort of tie-dye by consuming LSD beside a pond and spilling enamel-based model aircraft paint into it, prior to positioning a white teeshirt upon the surface of the water. Although the process is closer to paper marbling, in the accompanying story, the travelers claim credit for inventing tie-dyeing.

Tie-dying, particularly after the intro of inexpensive Rit dyes, eventually became popular as a cheap and accessible method to personalize cheap T-shirts, singlets, frocks, denims, army surplus apparel, and other clothing into psychedelic creations. Some of the leading names in tie-dye at this particular time were Water Baby Dye Works (run by Ann Thomas and Maureen Mubeem), Bert Bliss, and Up Tied, the latter attaining a Coty Award for "major creativity in fabrics" in 1970. Up Tied created [url=http://groovyblueberry.com]Tie Dye Hippie Clothes[/url][b]-dyed velvets and silk[/b] chiffons which were used for unique one-of-a-kind garments by Halston, Donald Brooks, and Gayle Kirkpatrick, while another tie-dyer, Smooth Tooth Inc. dyed clothing for Dior and Jonathan Logan. In late 1960s London, Gordon Deighton created tie-dyed shirts and pants for young stylish men which he easily sold through the Simpsons of Piccadilly department store in London.

Groovy Blueberry is an example of a small business which supplies locally crafted tie dye clothing and accessories. Based in the town of New Paltz NY, which has a sizable hippy community together with a thriving student population. Groovy Blueberry supports many different community artists and is well known throughout the USA and internationally as the premium supplier of high quality tie dye garments. Many of the designs are actually unique to Groovy Blueberry and their specialist knowledge in tie dye treatments is just what helps make them stand out as a manufacturer of tie dye items. To this end you can discover Groovy Blueberry goods at many different stores all throughout the Us and worldwide.

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