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Does a beautiful garment always reflect a beautiful process, one that respects both people and the planet? Before they touch our skin, clothes are worn with our eyes, and the first thing we see are colors.
The fashion industry ranks as the second-largest consumer of water globally, and much of this consumption comes from a damaging practice: textile dyeing. It is in fact the second most polluting industrial process worldwide. According to the World Bank, dyeing of textiles and poor wastewater management account for 20% of global industrial water pollution. Dyeing just one tonne of fabric can require up to 200 tonnes of water. Beyond excessive water use, the dyeing and finishing stages involve over 8,000 chemical substances, including heavy metals, carcinogenic azo dyes, endocrine disruptors, and microplastics and are commonly used to treat and color fabrics, threatening ecosystems and health of local people.
To address these environmental and health impacts, we can turn to the wisdom of the past. Across the world, skilled artisans are keeping ancient dyeing traditions alive, adding nature’s touch to textiles with patience, purpose, and care. Mud dyeing is one such tradition, an age-old textile Malian technique that’s familiar to Burkina Faso, Guinea, Côte D’Ivoire and Senegal. Indigo dyeing is another, using a purplish-blue dyeing material extracted from the leaves and stems of the indigo tree. The word “indigo” itself comes from the deep, dark blue color it produces.
Today, we introduce you to Gondé Abdoulaye, an artisan practicing mud dyeing since 2002, part of CABES’s network of artisans in Burkina Faso, and a proud member of the Baobab Association since 2018. Cabes (Commerce et Artisanat, pour le Bien Être Social) – EFI social enterprise partner in Burkina Faso – was founded in 2014, currently has a network of 91 associations and 2,400+ artisans, mostly women, who specialize in transforming GOTS-certified dyes and organic cotton into the quintessence of Burkinabe textile Faso Dan Fani.
EFI: What are the steps in the natural dyeing process for cotton? Could you walk us through them in detail?
Gondé Abdoulaye (G.A.): For mud dyeing, I start with the Siiga plant. It’s crushed and left to macerate for 3-4 hours. The fabric is soaked in this liquid. Then I draw patterns on the cloth using mud, either freehand or with stencils. After drying and washing, I build up color layers. For example, orange requires several rounds of mud application and washing. To fix the colors, I use potassium alum, or sometimes salt with lemon and potash.
As for indigo, the traditional method is used less often today. It begins by pounding indigo leaves with potash to form balls. These are fermented in a 2-meter-deep cemented pit with water, wood ash, and potash for at least a week. Before dyeing, we often fold, tie, or stitch the fabric to create patterns. It’s soaked overnight, then untied the next day.
There’s also a technique using imported indigo, mixed with hot water and potash. I fix the color using salt and alum.
EFI: What natural dye sources do you use?
G.A.: My dyes come from nature: Siiga, raisin tree bark, néré, ficus, red sorghum leaves, cassia seeds, clay, and wood ash. To make an orange dye, I mix raisin bark with potash. The more potash, the deeper the color. To make a red one, I boil the bark longer with more potash. One bath gives red, the second gives brown.
For traditional indigo, the dye comes from the leaves of the indigo plant, wood ash, and potash. The tree grows during the rainy season, and we use the leaves, pounding them with potash to form balls. That’s how we start the indigo process.
EFI: What techniques do you use to create different shades or patterns?
G.A.: I use sun-drying to influence brightness. Sun gives vivid colors, shade gives darker ones. For indigo, I use folding, tying, or hand stitching before dyeing to create resist patterns.
EFI: What type of mud do you use for mud dyeing, and how is it prepared?
G.A.: I use black, grey, or red clay, depending on what’s available. In rural areas, I collect it straight from the riverbank and use it as is. But in Ouagadougou, I gather it from dams or lowland areas. First, I macerate Siiga leaves, then I place the clay in a container and pour the Siiga water over it. I stir it thoroughly for a good amount of time. After that, I add rusted iron or iron oxide, which enriches the mixture. Sometimes, I also macerate the iron with dolo (traditional millet beer) or lemon. This process helps create a strong black tone.
EFI: How do you manage the wastewater from the dyeing process?
G.A.: I use the wastewater from my dyeing to water my plants, because everything I work with is natural, there’s nothing chemical in it. But I don’t reuse the water from imported indigo, since it’s not entirely natural.
EFI: What are the key factors (temperature, pH, soaking time, dye concentration) to ensure high-quality, consistent dyeing?
G.A.: The soaking and drying time depends on the thickness of the fabric. Light fabric dries faster especially in the sun. In the past, we used to lay the fabric directly on the ground to dry, but that could cause stains, so now I hang it on a line instead. I use room-temperature water, and judge soaking time by how well the fabric absorbs the dye. As for concentration, there’s no exact measurement. For instance, if I’m dyeing a piece of fabric, I judge by eye whether one liter of water will be enough.
EFI: Are you working on new techniques or improvements in natural dyeing?
G.A.: Yes, I’m always experimenting. I’ve been doing mud-dyeing since 2000, and while I still practice it, I’ve made a lot of progress and refinements to move forward. My techniques are different from others. I combine calligraphy techniques with traditional mud dye, and I’ve shifted from freehand to stencil work for precision. I’ve even created portraits in Mud dye, which the person who taught me didn’t do. I’ve also done a lot of research on color, both here in Burkina Faso and elsewhere. But here, the availability of materials is limited, so it’s hard to meet large orders. That said, I’ve experimented with everything – even rice leaves and corn leaves – but it’s still too uncertain and inconsistent to rely on.
EFI: How long does training in natural dyeing take?
G.A.: Learning the basic technique takes about three days, but mastering the craft takes at least a week or more. For modern indigo, a week of practice is usually enough.
EFI: How do you access the market?
G.A.: Mostly through word of mouth. I use social media a bit, and I’ve taken part in many fairs and exhibitions. But lately, it’s become harder due to security issues and cost. Exhibitions are where we sell the most, but you need resources to participate. For example, I’ve only been able to attend the SIAO (Salon International de l’Artisanat de Ouagadougou) since 2006 when I had enough means.
EFI: How has dyeing improved your life?
G.A.: Natural dyeing has been my livelihood for over 20 years. I used to get more orders from Europe and lived well from my work. Things have slowed, but I still earn enough to care for my family. Most importantly, I feel free when I’m doing mud dyeing, and that feeling of freedom is what keeps me going.
About Cabes
Founded in 2014, CABES (Commerce et Artisanat, pour le Bien Être Social) is a network of 91 associations and 2,400+ artisans, mostly women, who specialize in transforming GOTS-certified dyes and organic cotton into the quintessence of Burkinabe textile Faso Dan Fani. CABES specializes in the production of traditional West African textiles. Learn more here.
In West Africa, EFI is supported by the European Union (EU) and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and the Pacific States (OACPS) under the ACP – Business Friendly Programme.
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The Ethical Fashion Initiative is a programme of the International Trade Centre, a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization.
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