Chinese textiles are globally popular nowadays. But do you know anything about the traditional Chinese dyeing techniques which have been used for centuries to create intriguing patterns and designs on fabrics?

Dating back as far as 2,000 years ago, the traditional Chinese dyeing techniques have been fashionable off and on in different times. They centered on three basic types of resist dyeing, including tie-dyeing (jiaoxie or zharan), batik (laxie or laran), and clamp-resist dyeing (jiaxie or jiaran). In the language of dyeing, a resist is just what the word implies, a substance or process that stops dye from dyeing the fabric in certain places.

 Tie-dyeing

The concept behind tie-dyeing is to restrict the dye from reaching certain areas of the cloth, this is achieved through the use of knots, threads, rocks, sticks and rubber bands. The color of the parts the dye reaches changes but the restricted parts stay untouched, giving a pleasant color contrast.

This method appeared in the 3rd to 4th century in China and is still used today. Bright colors, an unlimited variety of patterns and color combinations, and the simplicity of the techniques contribute to its enduring appeal.