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Hey there. This is the last episode of the year. Thanks for reading (and listening too maybe? maybe not!)
I hope you bundle up and stay safe and stay sane and stay vigilant. I feel like I’m sort of falling apart at the seams? It’s bad out there.
But at least this last topic of 2023 is one I’ve been meaning to cover forever. COLOR. And specifically- dye.
In fashion, color is very obviously a signifier of class. To use some extreme examples:
Black and white seems like the definition of chic. If you wanted to be sophisticated and mature, you could just wear black and white all the time. Which is so interesting, because, of course, color used to be the signifier of wealth:
And then, during industrialization, dye became “democratized.” Which is to say it could be made cheaply. And dangerously. Especially in the case of green, which was made out of arsenic.
But Arsenic Green was just the beginning. Everything changed when this hottie came along:
When he was 18 years old, sexy chemist William Perkin was trying to synthesize a treatment for malaria out of coal tar, and came up with a beaker of brilliant purple.
…which was actually no big deal. Scientists came up with weird artificial colors all the time. What was different was that Perkin was like “oh, I could sell this stuff.” And his color, Mauve, became a bona fide sensation.
Mauve unleashed a torrent of new colors- also all made from coal tar. Which led directly to the world we live in today, where everything - every artificial color- seems to be made with some kind of petrochemical.
As soon as color came to be seen as common- even vulgar!- and not to mention potentially unhealthy - the backlash began. The turn against color.
If you’re looking for safe colors, I recommend all of the cool NYC brands that work with the wonderful dyehouse I visited, Not Just Lace. Among them are Assembly, Judi Rose, Dion Lee, and Collina Strada
And if you’d like to look at some of the totally undyed textiles I mentioned- these are amazing- you can buy some directly from Sally Fox’s site
Another place you can buy Sally Fox’s cotton is one of my all time favorite boutiques in the world: Oakland’s Kosa Arts. (I wear their double wrap dress CONSTANTLY)
The company that is dying without water is called Dyecoo. And if you’d like to hear more from the wildly charming Matthew Shifrin, his podcast is called Blind Guy Travels- and its on the best network in the world. Radiotopia.
Radiotopia is the best. They’re basically a non-profit who exists to support independen audio makers. And they can’t do it without their donors. Their annual fundraiser is is here! Donate today to support Articles of Interest.
I hope to make more episodes next year- but I don’t know exactly how many or when! These things take a long time to bust out. But there will be more. Please stay tuned?
Thank you. So much.
Super niche recommendation, but on Netflix there is a show called “Korea No. 1” where the hosts go and experience what it’s like to do traditional Korean labor and craft. Episode six “Jjock” shows the intense process of harvesting indigo, processing the indigo into dye, and then using that dye. Apparently this color is very culturally significant in Korea. It was fascinating AND funny.
Unrelated to this pod ep, but relevant to the pod as a whole is another episode: number four “Hosi” which is about the traditional method of processing ramie into fibers and then using the fiber to weave fabric. They have to use their TEETH to process it!
Highly recommend both episodes to fans of this show.
Avery, as a fan of the show I have no worries about timing or amount of eps for next season, I'm just overjoyed you will be continuing the show!! Articles of Interest is my favorite podcast and I highly respect/appreciate the amount of time and effort you put into each one. I hope you have a great rest of your year!!