Jul 12, 2014
Silkworms
Scientists in Singapore have been recently attempting a new, unusual method of dyeing fabric- starting before the thread even exists! The process of “intrinsically coloring” was designed specifically for silk. It involves feeding silkworms their usual diet of mulberry leaves while mixing in a little bit of fluorescent dye! The result is a beautiful, permanent hue. It is an efficient, easy process that saves huge amounts of water that would have otherwise been wasted on dyeing the silk, and takes away the need for harsh chemicals that harm the environment and textile workers. While this technique has not yet been introduced as mainstream, it definitely has a lot of potential!