Shibori is a resist-dyeing technique that involves folding, twisting, bunching, clamping, or tying fabric, then dipping it in indigo dye.
It is most well-known as a Japanese tradition, but traces of the technique can be found in many locations throughout history. That first remnant of indigo dye in Stone Age Peru could be considered a foundation of Shibori. Since then, a variety of different shibori techniques have existed all around the world. To name a few:
Plangi is a Malay-Indonesian technique where cloth is bound and bunched before dyed.
Bandhani is the term for a similar Indian process, where the tied patterns are small and intricate, and usually follow traditional designs and motifs.
African tie dyes, on the other hand, are known for brightly coloured and natural resist patterns that often include Ashanti, Akan, or Adinkra symbols.
As you can see, resist dye techniques based in stitching or tying have a diverse cultural history. Which brings us right back around to Japanese Shibori, one of the most popular influences on today’s western idea of tie dye.