Abstract

This article investigates dyestuff preference data gathered from researcher Hannah Schofield-Lea’s 2023 exhibition around the history of dyestuffs in Huddersfield. The exhibition in question was part of the researcher’s MRes into dyestuff experiences in Huddersfield from the 19th century, documenting oral history of dyestuff usage and manufacture in Huddersfield. 

This topic is important across multiple fields, ranging from the environmental sustainability of textiles to 19th-century colonial trade networks. There is a lack of public history in historical investigations, and this article demonstrates the validity of using an exhibition to source consumer perceptions and preferences around dyestuff usage.  Additionally, there is little exploration of using exhibitions to gather consumer data surrounding textile usage and manufacture, therefore this article is to comment on the researcher’s own experiences in the hopes of prompting further exhibitions that directly involve attendees. 

This research aimed to highlight the effectiveness of using a public history approach in gathering research around dyestuff choice, as well as seeing whether there would be a market available for more costly naturally dyed textiles.  Natural dyestuffs are not inherently superior to synthetic dyestuffs and are not the single solution to extensive pollution from global textile industries.  Instead, by understanding consumer’s habits and dyestuffs perceptions areas of unsustainable textile manufacture can be identified, and thus solutions can be formulated.  

Keywords

Sustainability, Huddersfield Textile History, Dyestuff Preference

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