DIY Fabric Treatments

[i-d-g]

Hello all,

I'm a 2nd year fashion design student, and we're starting to develop ideas for our collections.

My collection this year is focusing a lot on natural elements, specifically water and ice. I'm interested in treatments that can mimic the effect of water and ice on fabric OR a treatment that waterproofs fabric.

I have started experimenting with silicon and resin coatings, and I was wondering if sz had any something more to offer.

Thanks.

[zen dog]

Hi i-d-g, sorry about the delay, I had to get to my books and then forget to reply to you. "Shibori The Inventive Art of Japanese Shaped Resist Dyeing" has techniques that will give you a sense of water and ice. Another old trick is to put drops of water on fabric and airbrush color at an angle- it will dry and look like water beading up.

As for water proofing, I'm sure you are already beyond my limited knowledge- but waxes for restoring waxed fabric garments ("Otter" is one, I think) and talking to stores that deal with hiking, skiing,etc may give you products they use to water proof their garments, also, there used to be a spray that was used to revive the water resistant qualities of jackets. I'll let you do the online poking around and phone calls. A caution, so many things come out whose long term affects from skin contact aren't known, so, fine for a project, maybe not so for extended use.