Tie Dye Clothing Is Not Just For Grandmas Anymore

The history behind tie dye clothing is something every good hippie clothes loving bohemian should know a little bit about. Tie dye is one of the many resist dying arts where fabric is dyed and not dyed in certain patterns with bright colors on knit or woven fabric usually made of cotton. Though Americans typically associate this fabric with the 60s and the hippie movement, many different cultures throughout the world use this type of dying in modern days.

Tie die fashion became all the rage beginning in the late 1960s and early 1970s out West where the counter culture movement was underway. Places like the Haight were filled to the brim with tie dye fabric which became tie dye dresses, shirts, tapestries and so much more! I have even seen vehicles that looked tie dyed!

Many of the 60s musicians like Janis Joplin, The Grateful Dead and Joe Cocker wore tie dye t shirts, skirts, dresses and more.

Tie dye clothing is dyed by folding material into various patterns, tying the cloth to hold that shape with string or rubber bands. Then dye is used on only certain parts of the fabric. Because the ties keep the rest of the clothing from getting dye on it, patterns of various shades and white or non-dyed sections result. You can form different tie dye clothing designs using various colors as well as different tying patterns. This is typically done on wet cloth because it takes the dye easier. This is what makes the colors look like they fade into one another. Once the dye has done its job the fabric is rinsed.

Sometimes soda (sodium carbonate) is added to the process to raise the pH. This helps to keep the design from fading. This is done by either soaking the wet clothing in soda and water, or it’s added directly to the dye itself.

The tie dye supplies therefore include soda, water, dye and the garment itself. You will also need either string or rubber bands, a bucket or something to soak and dye in as well as rinse. Other than that you will want a place to dry and store your fabric.

Tie dye clothing is one of the earliest surviving Peruvian arts which date from 500 to 800 A.D. The Japanese also did a form of tie dye called Shibori. They have done it since at least the 8th century. In this form they stitched elaborate patterns and then tightly gathered the material before dying. This made very intricate designs which they used for kimonos. West Africa also employs a type of tie dye clothing. Many think this style in particular was what inspired the hippie clothes we now consider tie dye clothes. Indonesia also has a kind of tie dye women’s clothing where they dye the warp or weft before a cloth is woven.

Believe it or not, tie dying was known in the United States as early as 1909, but of course was not popularize until the hippie movement swept the nation.

Quality tie dye clothing does not fade or run when washed and uses various patterns which are esthetically pleasing to the wearer. For some the more simple the better. For others there are random spirals, V shapes, circles and more. Each effect can be accomplished by different tying patterns and colors.

In recent years you can find tie dye on just about anything. Tie dye hoodies to underwear are available in mainstream shops where anyone can pick them up without having to actually get their fingers stained with dye. Additionally the types of fabric now extend past the traditional cotton and t shirts, woven tapestries and such to include tie dye clothing made from hemp! Who would have thought?

About the Author

Jacob Simon writes about tie dye clothing, bohemian clothes frequently on his site. He enjoys all kinds of hippie stuff including alternative energy, gaming, gardening, crochet, quilting and emergency preparedness. Visit he and his wife’s site to learn more.

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