Do you know what the process is? Most of us really don’t think about it. We want that red dress but have no clue as to the process.
People come into my shop all the time and say...oh you tie dye Most of the time I just smile and let them make the assumption. When you think of tie dye what comes to mind? I bet it is those mixed pattern from the 60’s era shirts. They were cheap so it got a reputation for being cheap.
The truth is, tie dye is a very labor intense process. Especially when you are doing production. It is very hands on process and should cost far more. As a comparison let’s look at Shibori dying. It is a pretty similar method but it is Japanese and therefore more exotic. People expect to pay more for it.
Most of the dying we do is batch hand dying. Which means it is one color but is not solid so you get variation in the fabric. It gives the garment more depth and enhances the piece. Why does the industry not use this method? Because it is too labor intense.
So, next time you look at a garment hopefully you will look with your eyes wide open.
