Finland - Substances for natural coloring of tissues and textiles (2)
- 1. Substances fo r natural coloring of fabrics and textiles in the past and today
- 2. 0ver all knowledge * Natural dyes are mainly used to dye natural fibers, such as wool, but also silk, cotton, and linen. * Yarn, fabrics, and clothes can be dyed with natural dyes, as well as paper, leather, and wood. * When dyeing with natural dyes, it is good to know that the color will variate depending on where the plant has grown, soil type, moisture on the soil and several other affecting factors. The same plant may have a radically different outcome in different parts of a country * Also if the plant is growing in the sun or in the shadow has an effect to a final shade * Almost all plants can produce some kind of color, but they won't last so well. Some will fade in sunlight or while washing * To prevent the color from fading, the fabric has to be mordant. This means that the fabric is treated with some kind of mordants, for example, iron or copper sulfate, vinegar, citric acid or salt
- 3. Interview* We interviewed 47-year-old Soili Jukola- Kyt旦lehto. She is a professional clothing industry teacher. * She learned to dye fabrics with natural ingredients over twenty years ago. * She says: "There was a class where I was taught. We used there, for example, stinging nettles, onions and mushrooms. We went outside and gathered them, then we boiled them and finally, there was a liquid, and into that liquid, we added substances that would make the color stay better. After that, we took a test patch of wool or fabric and tried the color." * With mechanic and synthetic methods, the fabric will be dyed faster and more effective ways. The color will also be more likely the exact desired color. * However, with natural ingredients, the process will be more ecological, and the color will be even and warm. * Wool as a fiber is the most significant what
- 4. Natural dyeing today * With using onion peels and boiling them, the fabric will have different shades of green * Stinging nettles make a greenish gray color * Most mushrooms will give a strong shade of red * But when dyeing with natural dyes the shades will almost always be soft and gentle shades of nature * Shades will always be different and so you can never be sure what shade the final product will be * Wool as a fiber is the most significant what comes to natural dyeing. Wool is also easy to reuse * The natural dyeing methods have evolved and ada pted to modern day. For example, to make testing the right color easier, the microwave is a great help.
- 5. Natural dyeing in the past * The natural dyeing hasn't had any radical changes from the past * In the old times, it was common to dye tapestries, and rugs. * The dyeing process was also done in nature, close to the water and the ingredients. * Wool was the main ingredient. Linen was also often used for clothing and dyed. * Subsistence economy was common in the countryside, so everything used for dyeing came from nature. * Natural ingredients for dyeing are part of Finnish tradition and heritage. It dates back for hundreds of years. Dyeing pot in the past
- 6. Specific for my region or where are they from? * All materials used by Soili are from Finland and mostly from Pet辰j辰vesi.
- 8. Thanks for watching and for Soili answering for our questio ns! Made by Henna, Milla and Sofia