Ancient dyes: how were the fabrics coloured in the past?

Dyeing is an ancient art, born in India around the 30th century BC, when spices began to be used, after careful and careful processing, to dye fabrics. From those years to today, countless advances have been made: we have gone from natural colours applicable only to natural fabrics, such as linen, cotton and silk, to chemical dyes that can be used, in the form of a liquid bath – the dyes are dissolved in the water in which the tissues are immersed.

But how has the practice of dyeing changed over time? And what was used to colour the fabrics? In this article we retrace the history of ancient dyes, looking at natural products that have been, over the years, the protagonists of one of the most fascinating processes.

The history of ancient dyes

To reconstruct in detail the history of ancient dyes is an almost impossible operation that would require the chemical analysis of the ragged shreds of tissue that have come down to us: what we know is that, at least initially, among the Greeks, The Romans and the Phoenicians, were used only the primary colors in their clearest shade because it was not yet known the way to give life to the intermediate or more tenuous colors.

Among the first colors that we can clearly identify is the purple of Tyre, one of the pigments that has imprinted its footprint on the history of humanity: mainly employed by the Phoenicians, the great dyers of the fifteenth century BC. It was a bright and expensive shade of red, so much so that it became the symbol of aristocrats and Roman emperors.
To obtain the purple of Tyre a long and detailed procedure was necessary: the spiny moray eel was put to macerate in lead tubs filled with abundant salted water, so as to obtain a liquid tending to yellow which, After being exposed to the sun it assumed the traditional and vivid purple color.
The cost of Tyre’s purple was too high, so much so that, over the years, it fell into disuse, replaced by cheap imitations, such as the mauve color produced at Perkin thanks to a synthetic process.

The other color of extreme value was the Oltremare di Tiro, born from a procedure similar to that required for the production of the purple of Tiro: there was need, however, of two different molluscs, the first that gave the red color and the second that gave the fabric a unique bluish shade.

Insects, molluscs, plants and flowers were, in a similar way to the above, the protagonists of the history of the tincture of the Greeks and the Romans. It seems, among other things, that they possessed a not too limited range of colors, including yellow, blue, blue and red in addition to the traditional black and white.
For the production of the red color the Romans used a bath of color extracted from an insect, the cochineal.
All in all, however, the dyeing techniques and pigments used remained a real secret for centuries. It is enough to think that the Chinese imperial court demanded that no one should know the secrets of this refined and precious art.

The art of dyeing in Italy

After the Crusades, the art of dyeing fabrics finally arrived in Italy: in Florence in 1400 there were over 200 dyeing workshops. The first great commercial traffics delivered, then, in Italy rudimentary chemical substances, useful to obtain new colors and more and more sought, and machinery gradually more and more to the vanguard.
The synthetic colors appeared, from the outset, as cheaper, cheaper and resistant, which is why they did not take too long before replacing natural pigments. At the time, by the way, the effects of artificial colours on the environment were completely ignored, and their spread completely overwhelmed Europe first and then the whole world.

Today the art of ancient natural dyes is increasingly recovered by small local companies in which the skilled artisans, in compliance with an all-Italian tradition, give new life, after centuries, to those natural processes of pigment extraction from flowers and plants.
Recovering the ancient techniques means bringing back to the market, now dominated by clothes and colors standardized and devoid of soul, give a unique character and emotion to unique and inimitable clothes and accessories that, thanks to a coloring craft, acquire a value without price.
The history of Made in Italy leather goods, based in Florence, is combined with the long tradition of dyeing, between secrets and innovation, giving life to clothes and accessories that no one will resist.

Makeup for sewing leather or eco-leather

Italy, in addition to having a rich artistic, architectural, and cultural heritage, is celebrated all over the world, also for handicrafts, representing one of the strengths of the national economy.

Among the Italian regions, the most appreciated for its ancient craft tradition, especially at international level, is Tuscany. In this region, in fact, you can still admire the historic workshops of master craftsmen, where you can see how their skilled hands created these wonderful products.

Between tradition and innovation, Tuscan craftsmanship is considered one of the most prestigious and destined to remain for a long time. Its products, in fact, have always been considered of excellent quality and unique.

The masters of craftsmanship, also protagonists of the many exhibitions in the Tuscan territory, range from ceramics to iron, from paper to glass, from textiles to leather goods.

Handicraft products in leather and eco-leather

In Tuscany there are many shops dedicated to leather and leather processing, particularly appreciated to produce suitcases and briefcases, wallets, belts, and bags. In addition, there are many schools dedicated to leather processing, which create high quality craftsmen.

The method of manufacturing leather goods has very ancient origins. It dates back, in fact, to the distant 1200, through the development of the two very sophisticated techniques so-called tanning and plugging by hand. Over time, the art of tanning has been enriched with increasingly innovative and sophisticated techniques, which have made the leather accessory a high-quality product.

Methods of stitching the skin

Leather products are very special especially for their visible seams. These, however, can be ruined with the passage of time, due to rubbing or weathering, leading to the breaking of the wire, even the best. The sewing technique used could however slow down this process.

Even the skin can be sewn either by machine or by hand. It is obvious that a hand-sewn product, in addition to having a higher price, certainly has a higher value than a machine sewn, since it is made directly by a craftsman. The hand stitching also makes the leather product more durable over time.


Machine-stitching

This sewing method is the best known. Two wires are used: one is carried over by the needle and the other is carried under the so-called fuse. In this way it is possible to also use two threads having two different colors, thus making the seam more particular and, maybe, adapting the colors to the type of leather that you are working with.

It is a much faster and cheaper method of hand stitching, as it allows to shorten the processing time of the products, thus increasing the quantities.

Hand-stitching

The hand stitching, instead, uses a single thread with two needles, which pass in the same hole from the two sides of the skin, crossing at the centre.

The holes in which the two needles pass are, of course, made before their passage, otherwise it would be too difficult to pierce the skin only with the needle. To make them, similar tools are used to shape a fork with the teeth equally distant from each other, on which a hammer is struck. Another technique to puncture the skin, is to mark the distance between a point and the other through the so-called cauldron and, subsequently, make the holes with a single hand awl, called lesina.

In hand stitching, moreover, is often used which, lubricating the wire, makes this technique easier. Beeswax, however, not only facilitates stitching, but also helps to protect the wire from moisture and atmospheric agents, in addition to consolidating it to the skin. This allows any seam made in this way to resist for a long time.

It is easy to notice how this is a technique that makes the seam much more robust and safer than the one made by machine.

Florence Leather Market

The Florence Leather Market is one of the leading companies in the sale of high quality Made in Italy leather products, thanks to its skilled artisans who make every item by hand. It also offers a luxury product at a not too excessive price.

The raw material for the Florence Leather Market is fundamental, as it considers it the basis for making quality products. In fact, the product is made with the best Italian leather. The selected leather is worked in a natural way making the final product soft to the touch. The leather object is sewn by hand by the artisans of the workshop of Florence with very precise sewing techniques.

Within its collection you can find several genuine leather items such as bags, clutches, backpacks, belts, and wallets.

Leather bags are suitable for all occasions, every single detail is defined to make the article fashionable and practical. The original and practical leather backpacks combine elegance with casual. The clutches are very appreciated by women who need to use a small bag for special events. Belts and wallets have a well-defined seam and, thanks to the natural leather processing, are soft and practical.

The line of Messenger bags deserves special attention. They are large, comfortable, and practical bags with adjustable shoulder straps. Particularly roomy and durable, they are perfect for the office, since you can insert numerous documents, tablets, and any

electronic device. Finally, the Messenger bags are equipped with several pockets, both small and large, useful for those who need to carry many items even for a simple walk.

Conclusions

Today leather accessories are becoming more and more fashionable. Very appreciated are the leather bags, which make the outfits of every woman. But to be truly exclusive and original, the leather must be worked and sewn with professionalism, to make any product unique and quality. For this reason, it is very important that artisans use the most sophisticated techniques especially in the seam.