handle Natural Dye Thread Cover

How to handle Natural Dye Thread & fabric

The soft color from the natural dyes is significantly different from the vivid color with chemical dyes. We enjoy the color of Natural Dye Sashiko thread, especially in a process of making “Boro” so that both fabric and thread can age – change color – together with overtime. We repeatedly tested the color stability, either if the color fades out by washing, before introducing them online. However, the Natural Dyed & Hand Dyed Sashiko thread & fabric require some attention and understanding of how to handle. The color will not be washed away by regular care for the natural dye. However, we do not recommend to throw them to the washing machine with detergent (which may have kind of “bleach” in it). Here, we introduce how to handle Natural Dye Thread and Fabric.


“Don’t” do list | Handle Natural Dye Thread with care.

First of all, please never use “Bleach” in washing and to handle Natural Dye thread. One wash with bleach may (and most likely “will”) completely wash away the natural color and make it bright white. The bleach is strong enough to do its job – to make it bright white.

The point we have to pay attention here is that some of “regular detergent” may contain the same chemical as the bleach in it. For example, if a detergent say “stain removal”, then the detergent may be too strong for the Natural Dye color.

Also, putting the Natural Dye thread and fabric in the water with detergent for a long time is not a good idea. The more time the color touches the detergent, the more color may be washed away.


Do list | How to well Handle Natural Dye Thread

Generally speaking, the natural dye doesn’t go well with the chemical detergent. In need of using the detergent, please choose the “Neutral Detergent”. Although it is quite easy to find them in Japan, I do not find the neutral detergent easily in the US (we can find them but quite expensive). In that case, please try to find the “gentle” or “soft” detergent and make sure to test the thread and fabric if the color will be washed out or not. In my experience, most of the color will stay on unless the detergent is “gentle” and washed gently. However, as a baseline, please handle Natural Dye thread with maximum Care.


Super beautiful color from nature. Although the core enjoyment of natural dye is to enjoy the color change, it is so sad to lose the color.

Summary of Do and Don’t

Do:

  • Hand-wash with no detergent. Or gentle wash with Neutral Detergent.

Don’t:

  • Using Bleach, or strong detergent which may contain Bleach.
  • Machine wash with long-cycle (or extra wash cycle).
  • Leave the thread or fabric in water (with detergent) for a long time.


Understand the reaction process

It is probably difficult to find a “Natural Dye” items in the mass-produced market. It is because the process of natural-dye requires a lot of attention and care. The color from nature will not stay on the thread or fabric by dipping them into a vat. It isn’t like a watercolor, putting paint on the paper.

The natural color stays on the thread and fabric by chemical reaction with a catalyst. We usually use the metal, such as iron or copper, to make the reaction happen. In another example, the Authentic Japanese Indigo Dye (Hon-Aizome), they use the oxidation process to create such a beautiful blue. The fabric and thread right after dipped in the vat looks somewhat “gray” or “brown”. In a process of oxidation (touching the air that contains oxygen), the beautiful Japanese blue comes out.

The chemical reaction doesn’t mean using chemical materials. Here, chemical reaction equals to Oxidation and Reduction. Vinegar will make the liquid more acidic and ash (such as wood ash) make the water more alkalinity. Either of acidic and alkalinity affects the balance of Natural Dye and could end up with washing out the color or changing the color.

Therefore, we strongly recommend using natural detergent, or just water.


The natural dye before the Industrial Revolution

One of the big reasons we use the Natural Dye thread is to recreate the beauty of Japan in hundreds of years ago – before the industrial revolution. Back then, in Japan, they did not have the chemical (artificial) detergent or bleach to wash the fabric. They did not have a washing machine either.

Instead, they washed the fabric and thread by hands with care (attention). I hope you would do the same when you handle Natural Dye thread and fabric.

By the way, this is my personal endnote (which may contradict what I had written so far). Anyhow, I DO wash my Sashiko Stitched Denim with the gentle detergent in a washing machine… I had washed probably more than 100 times over 1~2 years, but I can still see the thread color. The yellow from mountain peach looks more like white, but it still has yellowish color (I believe). I always wash it separately, with a gentle cycle of the washing machine, with a small amount of detergent as I feel. I sometimes do not add the detergent, but at some point, the jeans get smelly that we need some detergent… I hope you can find your own way to handle Natural Dye thread and fabric.


Shop our Natural Dye Sashiko Thread

Kakishibu Dye Sashiko Thread | 2020 Collection

K_2105
$27.80
In stock
1
Product Details

We are happy to offer the Persimmon Dye Sashiko Thread this year again, continuously.

For More Available Kakishibu, please check this Batch!


[Restocked 2021]

We decided continue this beautiful journey with Kakishibu Persimmon Tannin Dye. This is a batch we made in 2020, and start offering it in 2021.


Persimmon (Kakishibu) Dye requires deep experience and detailed techniques to prepare the appropriate materials and stabilize the color. First of all, the Kakishibu liquid smells bad, I mean, really bad. We fortunately found a great Kakishibu Dye professionals, and thanks to their help, we achieved these 5 beautiful colors.


Persimmon Dye = Persimmon Tannin = Kakishibu

Kakishibu is a form of liquid (or sometime powdered) made from un-ripe persimmon. Get the juice from green un-ripe persimmon and ferment the juice.


Five Shades options (Choices) are available.

  • K2B (2105) - Persimmon Dark Brown (Burned Brown) *It looks like Black on the photo, but it is closwer to Dark Brown, with a slight of variegation of Gray Area. - SOLD OUT.
  • K3 (2105) - Persimmon Gray slight Variegated (Less Variegated, more Solid than the photo).
  • K4 (2105) - Persimmon Silver / Light Gray
  • K5 (2105) - Persimmon Gold/Ocher/Brown Variegated

*Stock is limited. We will not be able to restock the same color (We need to wait for the next batch, which will be available in 2022).

*It is challenging to replicate the exact same color on the screen. Please refer to my hand color for the comparison. I will keep adding photos.

*The pricing is for 1 skein of Sashiko Thread.

*I received a review mentioning about the color of K2B. It is NOT the pitch-black we imagine. It is more like dark brown with black taste.


[Important Note]

Please Read Before Purchase

*The layer of Kakishibu Persimmon Tannin will make Sashiko thread stiff. The darker the color is, the more stiff it gets. For example, the Dark Brown Color (K2B) is the most stiff one in this collection. If you would like to soften the thread, you may soak the thread to the luke water with a bit of fabric softner. Since we wanted to keep thread as less chemical as possible, we kept it as is. Even the thread is stiff, the experience of stitching won't be so different.

*Since Kakishibu Dye is a type of dye "addig the layer" to the thread, some of the dark color (here the Dark Brown Color K2B) may leave Black/Brown color on the fabric when you take the threads out after stitching on the light (white) fabric.

*Since the outcome of Kakishibu Dye greatly varies from the sunlight, it is very difficult to have the exact same color. We keep eye on the inventory, but there is a possibility of being in short. In those cases, we may ask you to agree to receive the most similar color to your order. Since every threads are dyed by hands with natural dyes, the colors may be a bit different from the photos depends on the screen you are looking at. The difference in variegated colors may be more significant because of the "variegated" character. If you have the specific colors you would like to have in your mind, please contact Atsushi first. We appreciate your understanding.




Product Information

  • Manufacture in Japan
  • Material : Egyptian Cotton 100%, Natural Kakishibu (Product of Gifu, Japan)
  • Length : About 145 meter per skein
  • Weight : About 28 g

*Please read the article of How to handle Natural Dye Thread and Fabric.

https://upcyclestitches.com/how-to-handle-natural-dye-thread-fabric/


*This page is for Persimmon Kakishibu Dye Sashiko Thread. If you are interested in Previous Kakihibu Dye Sashiko Thread (Collection of 2019), please visit this page.

https://upcyclestitches.com/store/Kakishibu-Sashik...

*Specifically Designed for Sashiko purpose.


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