Z Cherry Blog

Tie-Dye

February 21st, 2008

Tie-Dye is a type of brightly-colored clothing that is exctremely popular in teen dancewear. Forms of Tie-Dye date back to Japan in the eight century, and it has also been a traditional form of clothing in Africa for many centuries.

Most shirts that use Tie-Dye are usually made from cotton.  They are made by mixing up a bowl of dye, then tying off parts of the shirt.  This can be done with string, or with rubber bands.  The tied-off parts of the shirt are then dipped in the dye, and left to dry out for several hours.  Bowles of different colors of dye may be mixed, so that different parts of the shirt can be dipped into them.

Once dried, the tied-off parts of the shirt will remain their original color, while the died portions will surround the uncolored portions in different shapes, depending on how they were tied.  The most popular patterns are spiral, V-shaped, and circular.  Tie-Dye was also extremely popular in the 1960s, as the colorful, chaotic patterns appealed to members of the countercultural movement.  

For many, Tie-Dye is a traditional way to brighten up clothes, and brighten up your day.

Entry Filed under: Arts