The story of tie-dye tees is long and colorful – they meandered through civilizations and countercultures. Over time, we weaved into new styles and civilizations. Below, we’ll walk you through the history of tie-dye.
The beginning
Although many associate tie-dye with the hippie movement of the 1960s, its origins go back to ancient history. Variations of tie-dye have been discovered in art in cultures such as Japan, India, and Africa. In the 8th century, the Japanese practiced the art of shibori, an intricate fold, twist, and corpse of cloth that took place before it was soaked. India has also used a similar technique called Bandhani for centuries. Originally, these early forms of tie-dye were used to create detailed, complex patterns on cloth used for ritual garments and ceremonies.
The Hippie Culture
Tie-dye finally reached the peak of the 1960s as it became a powerful symbol of counterculture and hippie culture. This era marked the growing difference between society’s traditional values and an alternative lifestyle in search of peace, love, and freedom. Countless influential musicians and artists often wore tie-dye tees, starting with Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and The Grateful Dead.
Producing tie-dye tees was as important and impressive as the final product in this era. People gathered for tie-dye parties to tighten, bundle, and bolt the shirts to create a peer experience and a sense of shared creativity. That’s how serious it was.
Different Types of Tie-Dye T-Shirts
Fast forward to today, and you can find endless tie-dye t-shirts from suppliers like Wordans that are far more diverse. The classic rainbow spin is the most popular design:
- Shibori: A traditional Japanese technique where people fold, bend, or bunch the fabric and strangle it before staining it in indigo to produce complicated and intricate designs.
- Ombre: A pattern with a gradient effect where the colors gradually change from pale to dark. It’s a more subdued take on the tie-dye style but one that’s also quite sophisticated.
- Crinkle: Crinkle creates a more random appearance that looks like marble by crumpling the material before dying.
- Ice Dye: The fabric is covered with ice and then covered with powdered dye. The dyed ice melts on the fabric, and a watercolor pattern appears.
- Bullseye: High-contrast concentric circles created by folding and drying the fabric with dye.
Tie-Dye in Contemporary Fashion
While tie-dye has become an essential element of the contemporary fashion industry, different high-end designer brands have also included spin-dye pieces in their regular collections and even on the runway. Yes, you might not see it in 2024 on the runway, but it has happened. Although it is a once-denounced representation of the counterculture style, today, tie-dye is also an elegant design scheme.
Tie-dye as a DIY trend correlates with the direction of sustainable and individualized fashion. People either purchase second-hand clothes or upcycle existing ones, reinventing them with tie-dye. If you try it, tie-dye is really not difficult to do. The story of the tie-dye tee is as diverse as the shirts. We guarantee this style will consistently go in and out of fashion.
