The first International Colour Congress was held at Iowa State Saturday through Tuesday. Artists and academia from around the world gathered to learn about natural dyes.

The objective was to “promote interest in, scholarship related to and understanding of natural dyes in art, commercial enterprises and self expression,” said Sara Kadolph, associate professor of textiles and clothing.

Kadolph was happy with the congress.

“There’s going to be a splash of color across the world,” she said. “Now I think we’re on the map.”

Kadolph said the conference was formed after a textile event in Maine.

“My goal was to bring together dyers and develop recognition of what we’re doing,” Kadolph said.

“This was an opportunity for us to exchange ideas and methods, as well as promote natural dyeing. I think there’s going to be an international organization that develops out of it.”

Kadolph said Iowa State provided the best venue for the congress because of its ability to house and feed people.

“The reason the conference came here is because I’m here,” Kadolph said. “We started figuring out what the limitations would be and started the ball rolling. I was the only one who was in a permanent place and we needed somewhere with classrooms and dorms for cheap housing, so it came here by default.”

The congress was open to anyone interested in natural dyes, especially fiber artists, textile and clothing researchers, cultural anthropologists, historians, botanists, archaeologists, folklorists, chemists, entrepreneurs and hobbyists.

“What we’re seeing is an interest in renewable and sustainable agriculture and natural dyes are a perfect fit for that,” Kadolph said.

Kadolph said eight pre-conference and eight post-conference workshops were offered.

They featured methods of natural dyeing using mud, Scottish mushrooms, plant extracts, insects and shellfish to create different colors of dye.

The workshops will show techniques such as screen-printing and fiber art. There were methods shown for many different kinds of media, such as yarn, fiber, fabric and paper.

Six Canadian provinces, 35 U.S. states and 23 countries were represented in the workshops.

ISU alumna Susan Du Bois said she enjoyed the workshop.

“I got into dyeing seven years ago,” Du Bois said. “Mainly it’s a hobby and nothing else.”

Du Bois, who works in Des Moines, said the workshop was her first experience with natural dyes.

“As a home dyer, it’s not that important to be precise, but it’s nice to learn it that way,” Du Bois said.

One workshop goal was to teach Third World dyeing techniques. Natural dyes were used until the 1860s, when they were replaced by synthetic dyes. As a result, thousands were left unemployed, Kadolph said.

“There were a lot of people [at the Congress] representing non-profit government organizations that are working with natural dyes to provide incomes for families in undeveloped countries,” Kadolph said. “These people have noted the economic harm in using synthetic dyes and are finding a way to promote culturalism and industry within their countries through natural dyeing.”