Create Unique Fabrics using Discharging Dye MethodsTechnique Based ArticleAuthor: Marie-Therese Wisniowski

Introduction
Deborah Segaert, the editor of one of Australia’s exciting new magazines for fibers, yarns and textiles, "Down Under Textiles" magazine (Creative Living Media) invited me to write a technique based article on discharging dye from fabrics for the November issue of the magazine.

The article, “Create Unique Personalized Fabrics – MultiSperse Discharge Dye Technique”, has been published in the November 2011, No. 6 Issue of “Down Under Textiles”. It is an in depth article that focuses on how to create your own unique personalized fabrics using the discharge process on natural fibers. Methodologies, various chemical formulae, technical information and my own processes are discussed in detail in the article.

Disclaimer: Marie-Therese Wisniowski, Art Quill Studio, and Art Quill & Co have no financial interest in “Down Under Textile” magazine (Creative Living Media) or in any of the products mentioned in the article.

Here is a snapshot of the article in order to whet your appetite.

In surface design "to discharge" means to remove some or most or the entire color from a dyed fabric. The color removal process can be created using a variety of chemicals and various methods such as stamping, stenciling, screen-printing, spraying and hand painting to create highly personalized, unique and complex fabric designs.

Whilst commercial and industrial discharge processes generally produce a white discharge color, artist’s usage has spawned a wider range of possible colors that the discharge process can realize. By careful manipulation, artists can produce multiple, varied colors and mottled, faded colors, which can also imbue imagery with a timeless appearance of being aged, worn or distressed.

To achieve such results, there are two different ways to chemically remove dye color from fabric. One route is by oxidation, which is - in the simplest form - the addition of oxygen to a dye molecule; the other route is via reduction, which is - in its simplest form - the removal of oxygen from a dye molecule. The reduction process is more popular due to occupational health and safety reasons.

Secure clean, dry, dyed fabric to your printing surface.

Keep steam ironing and move the iron to avoid vent marks having an effect until the cloth changes color to the hue you are after or until the fabric will not discharge any further.

The completed discharged piece of silk, which has been dyed, over-dyed, discharged and over-discharged.
Photograph courtesy of “Down Under Textiles” magazine.

Detail view of the completed discharged piece of silk that has been dyed, over-dyed, discharged and over-discharged.
Photograph courtesy of “Down Under Textiles” magazine.