Museums And Archives

Dyevolution – a discovery of textile colour and sustainability

Dyevolution will research, protect and celebrate hidden physical, social and industrial heritage recently discovered in six original dye ledgers at Sunny Bank Mills. Previously undiscovered dye samples reveal a pivotal point in the UK’s textile industry - the transition from using natural to synthetic dyes, a significant moment in the industry’s history. Exploration of this physical heritage will reveal the stories of a largely unknown aspect of textile history – the dyeing process - and the untold stories about the technology, the work force and contributors to UK’s world renown textile industry. An engagement programme, informed by research and analysis and the stories this will reveal, will connect more to this important social, cultural and industrial heritage. The project will contribute to understanding the past and future environmental impact of the textile industry and save heritage that is at risk of being lost for future generations.