Botanical Dyeing
Botanical dyeing is a dyeing method in which pigments obtained from plant flowers, leaves, roots, bark, fruits, and other parts are used to dye fibers and textile, with mordanting applied as needed.
Contents5 sections
Definition and Overview
Botanical dyeing is a method of dyeing fibers, thread, textile, and more with dyes derived from plants. Mordants may be used together to fix pigments to the fibers or to change the color tone. The finish varies greatly depending on the material, type of plant, and dyeing conditions.
While yarn dyed and piece dyed are terms that describe differences in the dyeing process, botanical dyeing is a term that focuses mainly on the origin of the dye and the dyeing method. Even in textile made with botanical dyeing, the dyeing may be done at the thread stage or after the textile is made.
Characteristics of Color and Texture
Botanical dyeing using plant-derived pigments may produce complex, subdued color tones and slight variations in light and dark shades. It is used in projects that make use of a natural, soft impression combined with the inherent look of the material.
Texture is not determined by botanical dyeing alone, but also varies depending on the fibers of the base fabric, weave or knit structure, scouring, and finishing processes. Also, because it is plant-derived, one cannot uniformly expect functions such as antibacterial properties or safety simply for that reason alone.
Main Applications and Material Selection
It is used for items such as shirts, blouses, dresses, skirts, scarves, and fashion miscellaneous goods where the look of color is intended to be shown as a design element. In lightweight natural-fiber textile, it is also used to create a soft impression for spring and summer.
Because the dyeing result differs depending on the fiber, it is important to confirm dyeing results for the materials to be used, such as cotton, linen, silk, and wool. In blended or union fabric materials, color appearance may differ by component, so check in advance whether the intended heathered effect or shading is achieved.
- Do not decide on the planned color from the swatch alone; confirm it with a test roll under conditions close to mass production.
- Also check color differences and uneven dyeing on the front and back of the textile, near the selvage, and within the roll.
- Select accessories and sewing thread while also considering color differences from the main body and changes after washing.
Handling and Sewing Notes
With botanical dyeing, the color tone may change due to sunlight, washing, sweat, friction, and so on. In particular, for dark colors, check for color transfer due to dry and wet rubbing, and for transfer to other products when wet. Depending on the product application, confirm test results such as lightfastness, wash fastness, and rub fastness.
Shrinkage and dimensional change are affected not only by botanical dyeing itself, but also by the material, pre-treatment, and finishing conditions. Before cutting and sewing, if necessary, carry out boiling water treatment or similar processes, and before mass production, confirm shrinkage rate, skew, and color change through washing tests, then reflect them in the specifications and care label.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can botanical-dyed textile be washed at home?
Whether washing is possible depends on the material, dyeing conditions, and post-processing, so follow the care label for each product. In general, prolonged soaking and strong friction are avoided, and washing separately from light-colored items may be considered. At the planning stage, confirm color change and shrinkage rate through washing tests.
Are botanical dyeing and natural dyes the same thing?
They are sometimes used with similar meanings, but natural dyes may include dyes derived from animals or minerals in addition to plants. Botanical dyeing usually refers to dyeing that uses plant-derived dyes. In transactions and labeling, it is safest to confirm the range of dyes used with the supplier.
Does lot variation occur in botanical dyeing?
Differences in hue and shading may occur depending on the condition of the plant material, harvest time, extraction conditions, mordanting, and the temperature and time during dyeing. In mass production, it is important to use the approved sample as the standard, check the color for each lot, and confirm in advance the reproducibility for additional production.
