Alum

A double salt of aluminium and potassium that is used as a mordant in textile-dyeing processes, particularly when dyeing natural fibres. In South Asia, it was primarily used to fix reds obtained from madder and other alizarin dyes obtained from plants.

All Tags: Materials & Mediums | Textile

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fixer

In photography, a chemical solution used in the final stage of processing photographic film. It contains sodium or ammonium thiosulphate,…

Hank

A unit of measure in the textile industry, it describes a coiled or wrapped length of yarn or loosely gathered…

Multi-Ply Yarn

Yarn that consists of two or more threads twisted together. Plied yarn produces strong and flexible fabric.

stop bath

An acidic solution that is used to stop the development of photographic film once it is sufficiently developed. It acts…

Albumen Paper

Photographic printing paper that is coated with albumen, or egg white, and salt before being dipped in a silver nitrate…

Papier-Mâché

Meaning “chewed paper” in French, it is a composite material made of pulped paper mixed with a glue or adhesive…

Plaster of Paris

A material used in architectural ornamentation, art and medicine. Made of calcium sulfate hemihydrate, it hardens and sets when moistened…

Bast Fibre

A soft but strong plant-based fibre derived from the inner bark of certain plants such as jute, flax and hemp.…