Our Craft
The tie-dyeing technique of the Bai ethnic group in Dali is a precious handicraft passed down through centuries of agricultural civilization and daily life of the Bai people. It is also a cultural heritage created, practiced, and continued by Bai women over a long period of time. As a representative project of national intangible cultural heritage, it embodies the Bai people's understanding of nature, plant colors, the symbolism of patterns, and the aesthetics of life, and allows traditional dyeing and weaving to continue to grow in contemporary spaces.
PATTERN ORIGIN
DRAWING
Every textile begins with a pattern, but the drawing is not only decoration. It decides where the cloth will breathe, where it will resist color, and where the dye may enter. Before the first fold is made, the final image already begins as a quiet plan between paper, fabric, and hand.
FABRIC PREPARATION
CLOTH
Botanical dye materials are prepared before dyeing, and the dye liquid is adjusted according to the fiber, weave, fabric weight, and desired color depth.
A well-prepared dye vat depends on plant materials, water, timing, and experience. It directly affects the richness and final appearance of the fabric.
HAND-RESIST PROCESS
ZAHUA
Zahua is the stage where the pattern is held inside the cloth. The fabric is folded,gathered, stitched, pinched, rolled, or tightly bound by hand. Every knot, distance, and tension changes how color will be blocked or received, making skill and experience visible in the final mark.
PLANT-DYE VAT
THE VAT
The dye vat is prepared with plant color, water, air, time, and careful observation. A well-kept vat is never only a container of color. Its depth depends on fermentation, season, material, and the judgment of the vat keeper, who adjusts the dye for each fabric.
RINSING & AIRING
WEATHER
After dyeing, the cloth is rinsed, washed, opened to the air, and left to dry slowly. This stage depends on water, sunlight, wind, humidity, and time. The color continues to settle as the fabric breathes, making nature an essential part of the final surface.
OPENING PROCESS
REVEAL
The final image appears only when the threads are opened. After dyeing and drying, the cloth is untied, washed again, dried, pressed, and finished by hand. No two pieces can be fully repeated. The pattern is shaped by intention, labor, material, nature, and time.