DYE-a-LOG · DYE-a-LOG: A Global Reinterpretation of Synthetic Dye History in Non-European Textiles

DYE-a-LOG bridges the gap between the chemistry of synthetic dyes and the economic, social and cultural implications of their introduction in non-European textile-making practices, offering a new ground-breaking understanding of the complex dynamics underpinning this global phenomenon. It shifts from dominant Eurocentric perspectives that frame the development and spread of synthetic dyes as positive industrial progress to outward-looking narratives that restore agency to the various local and global stakeholders involved in the production, consumption and trade of 19th-century textiles, by asking: “What was the history of the adoption of synthetic dyes in different parts of the world? What factors led to the popularity of specific dyes/colours in different markets/areas, e.g. colonial policy, developing commercial networks, production purpose, fashion, and dye properties? How does the material evidence for the adoption of these materials relate to historical evidence?”DYE-a-LOG answers these questions using a pioneering transdisciplinary approach, integrating molecular science, economic, colour, textile and fashion history. The dialogue extends to diverse communities, including diaspora groups and contemporary textile makers, to ensure participation and impact beyond academia. It will deliver i) the unprecedented large-scale investigation of historic textiles from South/Southeast Asia and Latin America using state-of-the-art dye analysis; ii) the first exhaustive and open-access molecular database of early synthetic dyes; iii) the study of unexplored documentary records that trace the trajectories and statistics of early synthetic dye trading; iv) a new history of the adoption and impact of synthetic dyes and colours in local and global societies across the world. DYE-a-LOG resonates with contemporary debates on sustainability and decolonisation and will ultimately change the way object materiality may be envisaged to engage with colonial history and beyond.