Tie-dye clothing is a fashion trend that keeps on popping in and out of favor since its invention in the mid of the 1960s.
In recent years, especially since 2019, it has yet again become the staple fashion statement for people of all generations, celebrities, and online influencers alike.
What Is It?
Tie-dye clothing, as mentioned earlier is a clothing dyeing technique where the fabric is –
- Folded
- Twisted
- Pleated and
- Bound with either strings or rubber bands.
Then, dye is added into the mix and the resulting patterns are chaotic yet symmetrical that does not have any resemblance even if the dress materials are being dyed in a factory!
A Bit Of History
In the United States, tie-dye clothes showed up in the 1960s psychedelic counterculture. It was the fashion statement for the ‘coming of age’ crowd. Furthermore, it is also a fashion statement that has a lot of traction in Nigeria, India, and China and the reason is it’s a relatively easy cloth dyeing method.
Why Is It Making A Comeback?
Tie-dye clothes are making a comeback as people these days are reviving old fashion trends such as the widespread adoption of –
- Tevas
- Fleece jackets and
- Birkenstocks.
Furthermore, tie-dyed clothes are often associated with unpretentious fashion where the person wearing the tie-dyed cloth is not trying to pretend to be someone else but is rather expressing his or her taste in fashion in the truest sense possible.
Another aspect of tie-dye clothes is that since no single dress material that is tie-dye will look similar in any sense to another, wearing tie-dyed clothes allows a person to look unique even if he or she is attending an event where everyone is wearing tie-dyed clothes!
How Can People Take Tie Dye Clothing Projects On Themselves?
There are so many ways to tie-dye fabric. Two of the most popular ways along with their steps are mentioned in the section below –
For Spiral Patterns– Spiral patterns are a classic tie-dyeing style where the pattern collects itself into a single coil. The resulting pattern will be similar to a corkscrew pattern that emerges from the middle and spreads out gradually.
How To Do It?
- Fold the fabric and create a basic spiral
- Spread the fabric on a flat surface
- Pinch the center with your thumb and two fingers
- Then twist the cloth all the while holding the same down with your two fingers
- Then close the spiral using your free hand and then
- Tie the spiral using rubber bands or twine.
For Rosettes– Rosettes are yet another popular tie-dye pattern that is known for its series of overlapping small circles that seem to be linked together in the finished tie-dye fabric.
How To Do It?
- First, gather multiple points in the fabric and tie them together using a rubber band.
- Then plot the pattern for the rosette on the gathered points.
- After this, you would need to tie up the points together again using rubber bands and then
- Fasten the rest of the fabric.
How To Finish The Tie Dye Process?
Well, it is simple. All you would need to do is follow the simple steps mentioned below –
- You have to start by rinsing the tie-dye your fabric with cold water
- Then you have to remove the twin of the rubber bands
- After this, you would have to wash the tie-dye clothes using lukewarm water and then remove the excess water by squeezing the fabric gently.
- The last step is to air dry the fabric for the best results.
Tie-dye clothes have been in and out of vogue since the inception of this method but no thanks to the pandemic, it got a new breath of life as Instagram influencers, arts and crafts channels on YouTube have been showcasing how a person with no previous experience with this cloth dyeing process can also make tie-dye clothes with relative ease. Hence, if you too are having the urge to try this out for yourself then you can follow the steps mentioned above, and in case you want to buy tie-dye clothes then be sure to buy them from reputed brands or at least a reputed influencer so that your money and time do not go to waste.