Ever wonder what your wardrobe would look like without colours? Shirts, Kurtas and every clothing item, are only pale, white and colourless.

If our ancestors hadn’t introduced the human world to the technique of dyeing fabrics, our lives would have turned monotonous without any rainbow to colour saree drapes or suits in blue. What began as an experiment by a curiosity-driven human to add a natural tint of grey or yellow to his clothing now takes up most of the space in our homes.

Whether it is curtains, bedsheets, or indigo-coloured tees, the art of dyeing fabric has evolved, making it more convenient and affordable. Before diving into dyeing and dyeable fabrics, let’s spin the time wheel to 10,000 BCE.

Dyeing & Dyeable Fabrics: 4000 Years Ago & Now

Fabric dyeing is an integral part of the fashion world today. The apparel industry and handloom manufacturers use dyeing extensively to reduce overhead costs and maximise the use of existing business materials. In other words, the plain or colourless fabric can be given any pattern or hue depending on the ongoing lifestyle trends in the market. Additionally, the choice of shade further adds an artistic touch to your cushions, upholstery and clothing items.

Isn’t it amazing how the simple process of dipping, washing and sun-drying transforms a plain piece of cloth into something vibrant? But drenching every bit of fabric until a new tone emerged was a lot different initially.

• All Natural Dyes

Neolithic people were dependent on natural resources. Yet their exploration unfolded a new chapter in fashion history when they began using plant, insect and mineral dyes to give their clothes red, indigo and yellow colours.

According to records, the first instance of using dyes for garments was in the Middle East, Egypt and Asia, where fabric dyeing was used to distinguish between different classes. Soon, colours began to denote the status of an individual.

• Tyrion Purple– The Royal Hue

Undoubtedly the colour of clothes became a method to distinguish the clergy from others and vice versa. Yet there was one colour– Tyrion Purple– which was rare and expensive that only royalty could afford. It is still famous for its aesthetic and subtle appeal.

• 1850s, Industrial Revolution & Synthetic Dyes

The ambitious human couldn’t stop, and his imagination soon opened the palettes to synthetic dyes. This technique in the mid-1970s, for the first time, helped in dyeing garments directly without going through the rigorous steps of dipping fabric into colour and then shaping it into a garment.

However, the experimenting nature of humans didn’t stop there and further led to the introduction of new fabric types, making the process more complex. Every fabric requires a different amount of water and heat to generate a particular texture and shade quality. For instance, dyeing cotton is a water-intensive process that is causing wastewater issues presently.

Nonetheless, dyeing a piece of fabric is more than dipping it in a bucket of colour mixed with water. Though it doesn’t require rocket science, it demands expertise and knowledge of dyes and dyeable fabric. Plus, everyone could now wear their favourite colours without any restrictions.

That was a BINGO!

But how do you decide which type of dyeable fabric suits your purpose?

Types of Dyeable Fabrics

After experiencing numerous dynamic shifts, the fashion, art and design world has evolved significantly. It will be appropriate to say nothing in these three goes back to the 1850s until or unless it’s a pair of 90s vintage jeans. So, there’s no possibility of going a 360-degree shift to extracting colours the laborious way as we have made significant developments in this sector. In the colourful era of intricate motifs printed onto fabrics and talks of sustainability appearing on the ramp walks, a lot went around, from extracting pigments from plants to dyeing cotton.

From design outlines to becoming a canvas for printing and dyeing, your selection of fabric tells a story. As the list of fabrics is quite long, why not figure out the best dyeable fabrics that continue to stay on trend?

Here is a quick overview of fabrics that you can try for dyeing purposes:

• Cotton – Not So Common Dyeable Fabric

Cotton is a highly durable, breathable and versatile fabric. Dyeable cotton fabric remains a popular choice for dyeing due to its ability to absorb and retain the dye effectively.

• Silk – Sheen, Luxurious & Dyeable Fabric

Silk has an unusual luxury appeal. Its smooth surface is a good absorbent, resulting in a vibrant and long-lasting hue.

• Georgette – Lighter and Sheer Dyeable Fabric

The lightweight fabric has a crepe-like texture, which increases the possibility of adding vibrant and subtle colours using different techniques.

And the list goes on.

Wrap Up

Whether it was a search for dyeable fabric or Bandhani print fabric, you are on the right page. Fabric Depot has years of experience helping our customers find suitable material that meets their needs at accurate pricing without any quality bargains. We are your one-stop shop for all your fabric needs, offering various fabrics. Check out our wide range of dyeable fabrics.