Prof. Wendy Weiss attends International Dye Conference in Korea

10 Nov 2008    

Outdoor runway show dress rehearsal at Int'l Natural Dye Conference in Daegue City, Korea. Photo: W. Weiss

Natural dye specialists from around the globe converged in Daegue, S. Korea at the end of September to present their current research and program details to an international audience at the International Symposium and Exhibition of Natural Dyes (ISEND). ISEND is one of the top natural dye conferences in the world, and TCD's Professor Wendy Weiss was on hand to share in the convivial spirit of exchange and communication that characterizes this colloquium.

Participants in this conference represent diverse interests. There are representatives of producer groups from economically challenged areas of the globe, whose lifestyles are endangered by encroaching industrial development, by logging and mining, and by widespread poverty. There are individuals whose passion for natural dye stems from an ecological imperative mixed with an aesthetic appreciation for the inherent qualities of color. Weiss remarked, "In this time of radical global change, it was truly exciting to share ideas with a group of like-minded, committed professionals."

Indigo-dyed fold samples alongside clamp-dyed samples blowing in the wind as they dry at the ISEND workshops. Photo: W. Weiss.

Prof. Weiss reported that conference presentations fell into four morning sessions with 37 papers and 34 posters presented, and a concluding roundtable discussion. Afternoons provided time for hands-on workshops with outdoor demonstrations of natural dye procedures using printing, painting and immersion techniques with a multitude of colorants. An exhibition of 130 artworks, two runway shows, and a vendor hall complemented the programs.

Among the important topics addressed during the course of the conference were certification, nomenclature, eco-friendly disclosure, quality requirements and standards for natural dyes. These and other issues facing proponents of natural dyes reflected their goal to position themselves and their movement as vital, and sustainable, players in the global marketplace.