Product Feature: Jacquard Indigo Tie Dye Kit
Indigo dye has a rich and complex history. It is one of the world’s oldest and most prized textile dyes. Examples of indigo dyed cloth have been dated at over 6000 years old! Researchers believe that it may have even been used by our Neolithic ancestors for cave art and body painting.
For many centuries, indigo was only produced in places with climates that were most suitable to growing indigo plant species. India, Indonesia, Japan, China, Egypt, Africa, Central and South America were the most notable of these places. As demand for indigo dye grew in European countries, natural indigo production played a central role in trading, colonization, and the enslavement of populations where indigo was readily grown and processed. Click here to read more about the dark history of indigo.
The complicated process of fermenting the plant leaves for making dye and dyeing textiles with indigo has been historically revered as magical in eastern cultures, and fabrics dyed with indigo were used for religious rituals and in creating coded social status symbols in textiles. In parts of Indonesia, the process is still considered sacred and only women are allowed to take part in the process, passing the skill down to their daughters. Men are forbidden from even observing any part of the dyeing process, with the interesting exception of gay men!
Indigo dye was synthesized in 1897 by chemist Adolf vonBaeyer and its mass production resulted in the downfall of indigo plantations, a rise in dye workers exposure to toxic chemicals, and finally to the popular, safe indigo dyes we use today to color our blue jeans.
Here are some other great links about the fascinating subject of indigo:
After steeping yourself in the history indigo, discover the beauty of Indigo dying made easy with Jacquard’s Indigo Tie Dye Kit , available online and at all three supply stores.
Get inspired by the many creative techniques and uses for indigo dye!
Soy Wax Batik
Check out these videos from Jacquard to learn all the things you can do with this kit:
You might want to pick up these other supplies too:
Enjoy your indigo dyeing adventure! We'd love to see what you create! Don't forget to enter your finished project in our instagram contest to win a $50 gift card. Get the details here.
