Centuries of textile dyeing and printing history are accessible through the Society of Dyers and Colorists’ (SDC) ground-breaking digital Textile Collection archive, an extensive online resource. Researchers, professionals, and fans worldwide may now readily access this recently disclosed collection for the first time.
With over 50,000 artifacts, journals, and books—including the Turkey Red Collection and handwritten dyers’ notebooks documenting the switch from natural to synthetic dyes—the archive is being painstakingly cataloged by Shelley Hollingdrake, the SDC’s historical collections expert.
Hollingdrake stated, “We are just getting started on this exciting journey, but the new website already enables us to engage with our community in a truly meaningful way.” The collection provides a unique look into the development of color science and its worldwide influence, showcasing everything from 19th-century dyes to scientific apparatus. Educating a larger audience about the rich history of textile dyeing is immensely fulfilling.
The interactive archive, which was put together in honor of the Society’s 140th anniversary this year, serves as a priceless resource for contemporary study and teaching in addition as showcasing the science and creativity of the past. Online access to the collection is available at collections.sdc.org.uk.
Along with the digital debut, the collection will be on display in person during the 43rd International Conference on Dyes in History and Archaeology (DHA43), which the SDC is getting ready to organize at Leeds’ Cloth Hall Court from October 23–25, 2024. The conference will highlight the value of archives like the SDC’s in promoting both scholarly study and business practice, with 24 talks on the history of color.
