<i>Vouwo</i> mud dye: A material, microbiological and cultural approach to researching sustainable textile dyes

Abstract Coloration using soil‐based dyes is a fast‐growing subject of enquiry in fibres and textile surface design, with pigments and microbes involved in their production being extensively researched. Dyeing techniques using this rich natural resource have also been integral to long‐standing textile traditions worldwide. Grounded in an anthropological study of the dyeing practice of Marka‐Dafing hunters in Burkina Faso, West Africa, this paper presents an analysis of the coloration processes in vouwo , or mud dye, used for hunting and ceremonial garments. It highlights complex biochemical and microbiological reactions occurring in a dyeing experiment curated by dyers throughout an 18‐month‐long fermentation process. The authors propose an interdisciplinary approach to the study of vouwo that combines (i) detailed examination and documentation of craft practice with (ii) a materials science‐based analysis of the iron ore used and of the resulting brown colour shades and (iii) a microbiological description of the multiple roles of bacteria and their complex interactions with plants such as Acacia nilotica in the dyeing process. By underlining the material, biochemical, microbiological and medicinal properties of vouwo dye, our study of dyeing with soil as a natural colourant calls attention to a potential role of traditional craft knowledge in dialogue with modern science for the future production of more sustainable and health‐promoting dyes.