Research Project: Chemical Treatments of Fabric

The aim of this project is to research and document safe chemical treatments for textile dyeing and printing processes in Australian studio practice This research covers the following techniques: Bleach (Discharge Printing) when a pre-dyed fabric is printed or painted with a reducing agent which removes the dye Buckle (also referred to as Cloque, Cockling and Lye Crimping) three-dimensional qualities in fabrics are created by the application of strong alkalis (sodium hydroxide) to natural cellulose fabrics which allow the treated areas to shrink and buckle Burn-out involves carbonising the cellulosic fibre content of a fabric (in the form of a design) and then washing it out, so that the physical strength and structural stability of the fabric is still maintained. The effect creates a fabric that is partly translucent and opaque. It must be pointed out that these techniques are not new and have been practised by industry for many years. Burn-out stopped being practised in Australia approximately 20 years ago due to changes in fashion and therefore lack of demand. Discharge Printing is being practised to a lessor extent in Australia, mainly for camouflage fabrics and Cloque is practised by industry in the form of plisse and seersucker fabrics. Many practitioners recognise the value of these techniques, but there is a gap in the knowledge of suppliers and there is no body of standardised instructions. This has hindered these areas being developed by art practitioners in Australia. Our main aim is to interpret these industry practises making it safe and accessible to hand practitioners in Australia. Previously, information has been written in accordance with European standards, conditions and climates for European industry. Australian conditions, especially our warm climate, affects the setting of dyes and what types of chemicals and printing processes can be used successfully with these techniques. There are many variations and combinations of these techniques and we are not endeavouring to cover them all. We have focussed mainly on cellulosic fibred fabrics and this will give hand practitioners enough latitude to expand on. In 1996 we visited universities, individual practitioners and industry in the United Kingdom and Denmark for research, practical experimentation and documentation. We were able to look at best practice for setting up a safe workshop for chemical treatments of fabrics. The highlight of our trip was a five day visit to the Danmarks Designskole which included practical experimentation with Joy Boutrup who is the leading exponent of the chemical treatments of fabrics. She has taught master classes in these techniques in Europe, and America in collaboration with Professor Jason Pollen of the Kansas City Art Institute. On our return we sorted through the information gathered overseas and from Australian dye and chemical companies to make it applicable in Australia for hand practitioners. Initially we had to source fabrics, chemicals and dyes in Australia. Then we experimented with the recipes of burn-out, discharge printing and cloque fabrics at the Australian National University's (ANU) upgraded Textiles Workshop in conjunction with the ANU Occupational Health and Safety Unit and Chemistry Department. The result is this manual which will be distributed widely. By using this format it allows for further updating of information as it comes to hand. We welcome comments, recommendations and exchange of information. Further Developments We visited the USA in May - June 1997 for 28 days. In that time we participated in workshops focussing on practical experimentation in our area of research and we attended Material Culture - the USA Surface Design Association's biannual conference which was an opportunity for great networking with 523 participants from all over the United States, South America, Europe and Asia. We visited exhibitions, galleries, museums, textile institutions and workshop studios in Chicago, Lawrence, Kansas, New York, Washington and Philadelphia. A lot of interest was generated in "Bleach Buckle and Burn" Chemical Treatments of Fabrics because there is no equivalent publication in the USA. By liaising with practitioners and exchanging information on the very latest developments from America and Europe we were well placed to carry out our studio practice in preparation for SHIFT: Contemporary Textile Practice - Towards The Next Millennium , the Textiles Symposium held at the Textiles Workshop in the Canberra School of Art, Australian National University, in July 1998. The Symposium encompassed a lot of Australian contemporary textile practitioners and overseas artists as participants and lecturers.

For your copy please send cheque for AUS$15.00 for purchasers outside Australia (to cover postage)
and AUS$10.00 for purchasers within Australia. Please make it payable to Australian National University.
Address: Textiles Workshop, Australian National University, School of Art, Building 105, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200 Australia
Phone: 02 61255833, Fax: 02 61255723