Since before medieval times, lichens have been used to dye wool and other natural fibers in many cultures around the world. Specific lichens produce a rainbow of permanent colors on all types of fibers, producing shades of red, gold, brown, yellow and purple. This ancient but still thriving craft was introduced to Alaska fiber artists through workshops held in 2009 during the Cordova Fungus Festival in Cordova and the Tongass Rainforest Festival in Petersburg. Participants learned the history, technique and sustainable collection practices of lichens for their use as natural dyes. The hands-on workshops were conducted by one of North America’s prominent lichen dye historians and lichen dye experts, Dr. Karen Casselman of Nova Scotia, Canada. Casselman has worked for over 25 years in the history and technique of lichen dyes. She has written many books and research articles on the subject.

What makes lichens a desirable medium for fiber artists is that they contain unique pigments and chemicals that fix the color to the fiber without the added step of preparing the fiber to receive the natural pigment, called mordanting. They are also generally easy to find year-round when other natural dye materials such as mushrooms and plants are under snow or dead. Lichens are also one of the few natural dye sources in the Alaska Region that produce the often sought after purple hues. During the workshops, participants used two methods to extract color from lichens. The boiling water method produces a variety of earth tones, while other lichens fermented in ammonia produce the purples.

The workshops provided excellent opportunities for participants to connect with the natural world and learn about the variety of lichens in their habitats around Petersburg and Cordova. Participants learned about how lichens cycle nutrients within an ecosystem, as well as other ecological functions such as providing nesting material, food, and shelter for animals in Alaska’s temperate rainforest.

For the arboreal lichens which produce the earth tones, sustainable collecting practices include scavenging for lichens on roads, yards, or in ditches after a windstorm or firewood cutting. For the purple producing lichens which primarily grow on rocks, portions of the lichen body can be severed while leaving the rest to grow. They can also be gathered from the base of the rocks where lichens fall after being dislodged by animals or other natural processes. A dyer only needs about one-half cup of purple-producing lichens to dye one pound of wool or silk.

Volumes of lichen-dyed silk and wool were produced during the workshops, which will eventually be used in projects by the artists including quilting, knitting and crocheting. Although time consuming, arts and craft enthusiasts in remote Alaskan communities enjoy learning and using handcrafted processes which hark back to earlier times and reinforce their appreciation of nature. In fact, indigenous cultures of Southeast Alaska used lichens for dying basket material and mountain goat wool, a process some still use today. It is unknown what the future the craft of using lichens as natural dyes will be but one thing is sure; fiber artists of Cordova and Petersburg now see lichens and the color purple in a whole new light.

Would you like more informaton?

Visit these sites:

Cordova Fungus Festival

Tongass Rainforest Festival

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