This is the 'Shibori workshop presentation' delivered by Elizabeth Burton and Emily Brookes at Birmingham City University in the UK in the collaborative workshop with Kirinyaga University in Kenya on 16 January 2024.

1. Shibori
Liz Burton
BA (Hons) Fashion Design Lecturer at BCU
Elizabeth.Burton@bcu.ac.uk
Emily Brookes
BA (Hons) Fashion Design student at BCU.

2. What is Shibori?
• The Japanese term shibori comes from the verb ‘shiboru’ meaning wring,
squeeze or press. It could be interpreted as “compressed” or “pressurized”
In simple language shibori is fabric that is compressed to block dye to make
a pattern.
• It is a stitch resist dye technique.
• It focuses on the beautiful but vanishing traditional handcrafts of China’s
minority ethnicities.
• Intercultural sharing is constant and often unconscious throughout our
daily lives, and hand crafts are the physical embodiment of culture and
cultural sharing.
• Shibori provides the chance to understand both commonalities and
differences in culture, and to understand our shared history..

3. History
• Bai stitch resist tie-dye known as
'ZhaRan' in Chinese and 'Shibori' in
Japanese is a traditional craft of the
Bai ethnic minority group in Yunnan,
southern China.
• This craft has existed for over 1000
years, and is still practiced today.
• It is a slow technique that can be
enjoyed with relaxing music.
• The outcome is partly controllable
however the fun is seeing the
surprise.

4. SDG links
• SDG 11 Shibori embraces craft,
culture and slow living from a variety of
cultures and ethnic minorities. It
focuses on local skills and communities'
heritage techniques and progressing at
a slow pace.
• SDG 3 Shibori focuses on slow
fashion, it gives the artist time to chill,
relax, stitch to some music and chat as
you stitch. It is all about the process
and enjoying creating as much as the
outcome.
• SDG 12 Shibori focuses on producing
textiles pieces with love and care
promoting responsible consumption
specifically linking to the process of
natural indigo.

5. Indigo

6. What you need for shibori
• Natural fabric
• Thick nylon thread
• Thick needle
• Fabric water erasable pen
• Indigo dye
• Rubber gloves
• Clamps / bull dog clips / pegs
https://honestlywtf.com/diy/shibori-diy/

7. Method 1: Quick & simple but so effective

8. Examples…
https://honestlywtf.com/diy/shibori-diy/

9. Method 2: Slow Fashion stitch technique

10. Examples…

11. Shibori within the catwalk
2015 Dubai Design District Michael Kors SS18 Stella MaCartney 2019 Dion Lee 2020 Bassike 2021

12. Shibori within interior design

13. TASK
• Enjoy the magic of indigo
dye, get messy and learn
a traditional handcraft
skill from Bai ethnic
minority in
Southwestern China.