Links/Research: E-list and newsletter info for dyers, ban on solvent dyes
More notices of resources, today they're for dyers!
Discussion E-list
The DyersLIST is an Internet mailing list intended for discussion of technical questions, problems and information related to immersion dyeing and to the surface application of synthetic dyes, textile pigments and related chemicals to fabric and fiber. Subscribers should restrict postings to these topics and avoid commercial postings of any sort. Subscription information is available here.
Company Newsletters
Most all of the big dye distribution companies also publish quarterly e-newsletters. These always announce new products, discontinued products, sales, etc., but most also offer tips on safety &/or techniques. If you order from them, you get on the lists automatically, but you can also request to be added.
Dye Pro Services in Calgary are the North American distributors of Dylon products. Their newsletter comes out quarterly and is largely product information and safety updates, with a "folksy" friendly tone. There's no link on their site to subscribe, but i'm sure emailing customer service with a request would get you added.
Dharma Trading Company does have a subscription form on their site, and their list is a bit more informal, issued sporadically. During the academic year, i got one every couple of months, but now it's been a while since they've sent anything out. Their newsletter is written in the same conversational Cali-speak tone as their catalogue, and not only features specials and product info, but has a recurring "designer spotlight," where they feature artists and artisans who work with their products and examples of their work.
PRO Chemical & Dye don't to my knowledge run an email newsletter, but on their splash page, you can click a link at the bottom to be added to their postal mailing list, which will apprise you of their upcoming workshop schedule. PRO Chemical conducts a variety of professional workshops on a number of dyeing techniques using their range of products.
Oil and alcohol based dye ban in CA and CT?
Yesterday i was at my local Tandy Leather Factory doing some restock shopping, and the proprietor informed me that they were phasing out all oil- and alcohol-based leather dyes on a national level (this means Fiebings and other familiar industrial brands sold in quarts and gallons).
Reportedly, the reason for this is that California had banned these dyes--Tandy's corporate headquarters had forbidden them to ship any orders for them to CA addresses--and that Connecticut was moving toward banning them as well. He expressed a concern that, for environmental-protection purposes, this seemed to be a growing trend, which was why as a company Tandy is apparently phasing out all oil- and solvent-based dyes and switching to a line of water-based products released under the brand, "Eco-Flo: Earth-Friendly, Low VOC Products for Leather."
I'm a regular customer there and do a lot of business with them, so he gave me some samples to try out on upcoming products. I'll post a full report when i am finished trying them out, but i thought i'd mention it here and now, in case you live in one of the ban states and are wondering why you are having trouble finding Fiebings dyes or something.
Discussion E-list
The DyersLIST is an Internet mailing list intended for discussion of technical questions, problems and information related to immersion dyeing and to the surface application of synthetic dyes, textile pigments and related chemicals to fabric and fiber. Subscribers should restrict postings to these topics and avoid commercial postings of any sort. Subscription information is available here.
Company Newsletters
Most all of the big dye distribution companies also publish quarterly e-newsletters. These always announce new products, discontinued products, sales, etc., but most also offer tips on safety &/or techniques. If you order from them, you get on the lists automatically, but you can also request to be added.
Dye Pro Services in Calgary are the North American distributors of Dylon products. Their newsletter comes out quarterly and is largely product information and safety updates, with a "folksy" friendly tone. There's no link on their site to subscribe, but i'm sure emailing customer service with a request would get you added.
Dharma Trading Company does have a subscription form on their site, and their list is a bit more informal, issued sporadically. During the academic year, i got one every couple of months, but now it's been a while since they've sent anything out. Their newsletter is written in the same conversational Cali-speak tone as their catalogue, and not only features specials and product info, but has a recurring "designer spotlight," where they feature artists and artisans who work with their products and examples of their work.
PRO Chemical & Dye don't to my knowledge run an email newsletter, but on their splash page, you can click a link at the bottom to be added to their postal mailing list, which will apprise you of their upcoming workshop schedule. PRO Chemical conducts a variety of professional workshops on a number of dyeing techniques using their range of products.
Oil and alcohol based dye ban in CA and CT?
Yesterday i was at my local Tandy Leather Factory doing some restock shopping, and the proprietor informed me that they were phasing out all oil- and alcohol-based leather dyes on a national level (this means Fiebings and other familiar industrial brands sold in quarts and gallons).
Reportedly, the reason for this is that California had banned these dyes--Tandy's corporate headquarters had forbidden them to ship any orders for them to CA addresses--and that Connecticut was moving toward banning them as well. He expressed a concern that, for environmental-protection purposes, this seemed to be a growing trend, which was why as a company Tandy is apparently phasing out all oil- and solvent-based dyes and switching to a line of water-based products released under the brand, "Eco-Flo: Earth-Friendly, Low VOC Products for Leather."
I'm a regular customer there and do a lot of business with them, so he gave me some samples to try out on upcoming products. I'll post a full report when i am finished trying them out, but i thought i'd mention it here and now, in case you live in one of the ban states and are wondering why you are having trouble finding Fiebings dyes or something.