Jump to content

chemistry and denim - old school dyes?

eldave04

By eldave04
in supershopper

 Share

Recommended Posts

eldave04

eldave04

Posted
Posted

I was reading my organic chemistry textbook today and came across something interesting - it seems that the dyes currently used are actually covalently bonded to the cotton of the denim - reducing fading/wear. However, back in the day many of the dyes were 'surface dyes' and did not actually bond to the fabric.

Does anyone know of any companies that still use these more natural surface dyes? I did a quick search and am pretty sure that 45 rpm and Aihikos do, but i don t know if they have unwashed denim for sale. Any insight would be much appreciated.

I m trying to find the best blank canvas for a unique fade pattern.

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
trinket

trinket

Posted
Posted

it's the regular ralf veggie indigo

http://www.nudiejeans.com/collection/collection.php?section=03%20regular_ralf&item=regular_ralf-veggie_indigo_f.jpg

i've got a pair of dry regular ralph (non-vegetable indigo)... the cut is great - slight flare, low waist. it's more a slacker-rock-cut than the vintage-carrot-cut

you can use the storefinder on their site. they have stores in sydney, and melbourne... and I have seen their stock in Seibu HK. not all of their outlets will stock the veggie indigo... so give them a call. the veggie indigo comes in a box with a special t-shirt.

_trinket

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
Serge d Nimes

Serge d Nimes

Posted
Posted

I am a chemistry dork too. In college I learned that synthetic indigo was the first synthetic compound ever developed. If i remember right, it was in the 1920's that they came up with it. Synthetic indigo is back in favor with the current style, so it is out there. The really good synthtic dye was made before the oil crisis in the early 70's. before then, they used heavy metals and crude oil to derrive it and it is much darker and has a much better contrast on the denim. just look at some old Levis big E's on ebay and you will know what I mean.

Live is too short for bad denim!

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
ringring

ringring

Posted
Posted

Von Bayer synthesised indigo around 1878. Henry Perkin made the first synthetic dye, mauve/mauveine about twenty years earlier.

For me, natural indigo denim isn't any better than old synth indigo denim or modern synth indigo denim. Each is interesting in it's own right. You can certainly produce deep contrasts with modern dyestuffs + multiple dips, long oxidation etc.

I'm no chemist, but I'm sure that modern indigo dyes are still surface dyes, after all they are chemically identical to natural indigo. The fact that indigo is removed by abrasion on modern denims is evidence of it being a surface dye.

Covalent dyes commonly are used in the reactive dyeing process for garment dyed clothing, rather than yarn dyed denim.

Edited by ringring on Feb 11, 2005 at 05:52 AM

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
johnmc

johnmc

Posted
Posted

The synthetic indigo invented by Adolf von Baeyer was the first indigo dye used by Levi Strauss, their jeans had previousely been brown. This same dye was used right up unto the mid 1970's. Imo nothing matches the vibrancy and intensity of colour of the old denim.

0
Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
 Share
Go to topic listing


×
×
  • Create New...
superfuture®
supertravel
products
services

  • follow us
    • superfuture
    © 2003 – 2023 superfuture® All Rights Reserved