forum: topics for discussion
At the forum we ask what topics should be discussed at whipup. So far some suggestions include:
Liten would like to see more about street art and guerilla crafting.
JohannaM would like more debate about art vs. craft vs. design. … Topics to sink our teeth into!
Beautiful things asks: I think I could be interested in learning how to be more environmentally friendly at home when I craft. Not just recycling ideas - though I’d LOVE some good ideas of how to use some of the mountain of packaging we get these days! I hadn’t thought until recently about the impact I have when I use paint and dye, particularly on the water supply.
Dyeing with natural dyes seems far more complicated and hit and miss than just opening the packet or jar. And is it less toxic? Any ideas?
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October 22nd, 2007 at 4:48 pm
I have done a little bit of natural dyeing with my work. The thing that surprised me was that you needed to use these nasty metal salts … which seemed more toxic (and more environmentally damaging?) than the salt or vinegar I used for chemical dyeing. I have the ashford book of dyeing (ISBN 0-908704-88-7) which has a section on natural dyeing. They do say that there are some natural dye sources that don’t require these metal salts (mordants). Environmental impact isn’t discussed however.
I do remember reading many years ago in an artists safety manual that the most damaging part of waste water from dyeing is actually its pH … and that it should be neutralized before disposing .. ie. add salt to an acidic bath. But then what about the production of these synthetic dyes?
I’m incredibly interested in finding out more about this … I’d like to build a studio in a couple of years and I’d like to ensure that this aspect is well set up from the outset.