Natural Dye Use In The United States By Individuals Communities And Industries

The purpose of this dissertation was to better understand how and why individuals, communities, and industries use natural dyes in the United States. My overarching questions were: 1. Who currently uses natural dyes and why? 2. How are natural dyes currently used? 3. What are the challenges and possibilities of production? To examine these questions I incorporated interviews, participant observation fieldwork, and film production into my data collection methods. Over the course of three years, I gathered 40 interviews with 33 different individuals involved in the use of natural dyes. My research first looked at the challenges and innovations that surround the use of natural dyes in the U.S. fashion supply chain. I found that fashion labels must deal with color inconsistencies from natural dyes due to variable growing conditions for plants, water quality, and manufacturing setups. This has led to scientific and agricultural innovations by companies to mitigate variabilities in processed natural dye stuff. Furthermore, fashion labels find it a challenge to communicate and market information about natural dyes. Production dyers would find ways to educate their clients about the realities of using natural colorants. Next, I explored how and why people use natural dyes. I found that individuals use natural dyes because of their own perceived environmental and health concerns, to create a sense of personal fulfillment, and to have autonomy over the production process. I then argued that my participants tied personal identity and meaning to natural dyes. Finally, I used my work in the natural dye community and the internet as sources of information to explore textile-centric epistemologies that fuel dual purposes of commodification and community building. I argue that individuals build a community interested in buying their knowledge. Many times, physical and virtual knowledge sharing is communal. Knowledge can be shared for free at events such as knitting circles, quilt retreats, and weaving guilds. Knowledge can also be sold through in-person and online classes or workshops. However, this connects back to the identities of individuals who can financially afford to take workshops or feel included in physical and virtual spaces. This can lead to underrepresented communities being left out of textile craft communities.

This long-awaited guide serves as a tool to explain the general principles of natural dyeing, and to help dyers to become more accomplished at their craft through an increased understanding of the process. Photos of more than 450 samples demonstrate the results of actual dye tests, and detailed information covers every aspect of natural dyeing including theory, fibers, mordants, dyes, printing, organic indigo vats, finishing, and the evaluation of dye fastness. Special techniques of printing and discharging indigo are featured as well. The book is intended for dyers and printers who wish to more completely understand the "why" and the "how," while ensuring safe and sustainable practices. Written by a textile engineer and chemist (Boutrup) and a textile artist and practitioner (Ellis), its detailed and tested recipes for every process, including charts and comparisons, make it the ideal resource for dyers with all levels of experience.

This book describes some 300 plants and 30 animals (marine mollusks and scale insects) that are used as sources for natural dyes. Botanical or zoological details are given for each source and the chemical structures is shown for each dye. Dyes employed by different civilisations, identified by dye analyses, are illustrated and relevant historical recipes and detailed descriptions of dyeing processes by traditional dyers are quoted and explained in the light of modern science. Other current uses of natural colorants, e.g. in medicine and for food and cosmetics, and replacement of synthetic by natural dyes are also noted.

Like 75% of American women, Ronnie Citron-Fink colored her hair. Yet as an environmental journalist, she knew all those unpronounceable chemical names on the back of the hair dye box were far from safe. So Ronnie decided to ditch the dye and go in search of answers. What are the risks of hair dye? Are there safer alternatives? Will I still feel like me when I have gray hair? True Roots follows her journey from dark dyes to a silver crown of glory, from fear of aging to embracing natural beauty. Along the way, women of all ages can learn to protect themselves from dangerous products and discover a new hair story--one built on individuality, health, and truth.

Handbook of Natural Colorants Second Edition A detailed survey of a variety of natural colorants and their different applications including textiles, polymers, and cosmetics Colorants describe a wide range of materials such as dyes, pigments, inks, paint, or chemicals, which are used in small quantities but play an important role in many products such as textiles, polymers, food, and cosmetics. As the effects of climate change begin to be felt, there has been a shift in focus in the field to renewable resources and sustainability, and an interest in the replacement of oil-based products with greener substitutions. As the push to adopt natural resources grows, there have been significant developments in the research and application of natural colorants as a step in the transition to a bio-based economy. The second edition of Handbook of Natural Colorants provides a detailed introduction to natural colorants in a marriage of theory and practice, from seed of plant to consumer demand. Presenting a wide range of viewpoints, the book briefly discusses the history of coloration technology and the current position of natural colorants before highlighting detailed information on regional plant source availability, colorant production and properties, as well as analytical methods for isolation, identification, and toxicity aspects. It also presents key applications in technical use and consumer products, including the use of natural colorants in textiles, hair dyeing, printing, and packaging. Finally, the text considers environmental and economic aspects of natural colorants. Handbook of Natural Colorants is a useful reference for dyers, textile producers, and researchers in the evolving field of sustainable chemistry, environmental sciences, agricultural sciences, and polymer sciences. Revised and updated content throughout to reflect developments in research and applications over the past decade New content on biotechnology in natural colorant production, natural colorants for mass coloration polymers, natural colorants in printing/packaging, and plant-based pigments Discusses strategies for scale-up, including consideration of energy, waste, and effluents For more information on the Wiley Series in Renewable Resources, visit www.wiley.com/go/rrs

This updated 2nd edition features a revised chapter. True Colors is about artists who create color from natural materials and about the historical importance and environmental sustainability of this practice. Deep conversations with 26 artisans from every part of the globe reveal their wisdom, traditions, and know-how—and suggest that we ignore what they know at our peril. Traditional approaches to making color offer sustainable options to a fashion system badly in need of them and memorable cultural narratives to a world hungry for beauty and spirituality. True Colors provides an immersive visual experience and an inspiring travelogue of personal stories and practical information from artists who are leaving their mark on the world.

A hot-button societal issue, sustainability has become a frequently heard term in every industrial segment. Sustainability in apparel production is a vast topic and it has many facets. Handbook of Sustainable Apparel Production covers all aspects of sustainable apparel production including the raw materials employed, sustainable manufacturing proce