Tie Dye and Batik Fabrics: Say Hello to Colour!

It has been a long and demanding winter, with several named storms causing havoc across the UK and the COVID-19 Omicron variant keeping people indoors. Don't despair: there is light at the end of the tunnel in both regards! With spring almost here and the easing of COVID-19 restrictions across England, it's time to start looking forward to getting outdoors again and what better way to do it than with a major splash of colour?

Here at Croft Mill, we have a comprehensive range of fabrics in all colours of the rainbow. None, however, are more striking than our tie-dye and batik fabrics, which are the topic of this edition of our weekly blog.

Tie-Dye Fabric

Though you may think of tie-dyeing as a modern invention, the fact is that the very earliest evidence of the technique dates back to the Chinese Sui dynasty of the fifth century AD. Surviving examples of tie-dyed material have also been found in Peru and were created between 500 AD and 810 AD. Tie-dyeing is first noted in the western world in 1909; American professor Charles E. Pellow acquired some pieces of tie-dyed muslin before giving a lecture and demonstration of the technique at Colombia University.

Though tie dyeing can be done at home, it's a messy and time-consuming process. It consists of crumpling, twisting or folding fabric and binding it using string or elastic bands before submerging in dye. Some areas of the fabric are thus not exposed to the dye, resulting in the iconic patterns. Croft Mill can save you all this trouble with our gorgeous selection of digitally-printed tie-dye fabrics from POPPYEurope®, which are made using 100% Oeko-Tex® Standard cotton.

Batik Fabric

Both similar to yet entirely distinct from tie-dye fabrics, batik fabrics also have a long and rich heritage dating back over two millennia. The batik technique originated on the Indonesian island of Java and begins with an artist printing or drawing dots and lines onto fabric using wax. When dye is applied it is resisted by the wax, which is then removed with boiling water. The resulting patterns are an absolute joy to behold.

Our selection of batik fabrics is available in a variety of cottons including poplin and voile. Many of the fabrics are printed lovingly by hand and each is absolutely unique.

Both tie-dye and batik fabrics are exceptionally versatile and can be used to craft many different types of garments including skirts, sarongs, tops, dresses, kaftans and wraps. They are also ideal for all sorts of craft projects. Check out the Croft Mill website to discover the complete collection!