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A hat made by tie dye artist Faith Friend. 

A hat designed by Faith Friend, who runs a tie dye business called Earthly Threads.

A tie dye shirt from Earthly Threads, one of several Colorado Springs-based tie dye clothing designers.

Faith Friend is the owner of Earthly Threads. 

A hat made by tie dye artist Faith Friend. 

A hat designed by Faith Friend, who runs a tie dye business called Earthly Threads.

A tie dye shirt from Earthly Threads, one of several Colorado Springs-based tie dye clothing designers.

Faith Friend is the owner of Earthly Threads. 

Flipping through a rack of clothes at a downtown Colorado Springs store, items with swirls and spirals of color are easily spotted.

One tie dye shirt could be vintage, as evidenced by the adorned name of a band with hits from the 1970s. Another could’ve been designed last month.

At Eclectic Co., which has two locations in town, you’ll find tie dye clothing items next to an array of sweaters, plaid shirts, dresses and denim jackets representing styles from the past several decades. You'll find retro tie dye and tie dye made recently to look retro from vendors such as MadZinnia and The Vibrant Owl.

It’s clear to see here: Tie dye has stood the test of time.

The pattern (or design?) can often be seen on mannequins at Target, H&M and Dior. It’s one of those trends that got a pick-me-up during the pandemic, according to several media outlets.

Tie dye in all shapes and sizes can also be seen on the social media pages of Colorado Springs artists who sell their handcrafted goods.

One is 26-year-old Faith Friend, a longtime lover of tie dye. Growing up in West Virginia in a family of crafters, she remembers being mesmerized by the process of turning something plain into bursts of colors.

“Tie dye has always been part of my life,” Friend said. “There’s something magical about each item. You don't know what you’re going to get. It’s a mystery.”

After high school, she spent some time traveling to area music festivals. To make money for tickets to the festivals, Friend and her friend started selling tie dye shirts.

Friend’s mother later started a tie dye business and, two years ago, Friend followed suit.

She runs Earthly Threads, her full-time job, mostly on Etsy and Instagram. Friend has also set up shop at CO.A.T.I., among other in-person events.

She makes products, from bucket hats to tank tops to underwear, using the process of ice dyeing, which isn’t like those tie dye kits of yesteryear.

It involves placing ice cubes on top of the fabric and sprinkling dye powder on top of the ice. As the ice melts, the dye flows into unique patterns.

“It’s always something new because it always comes out a different way,” Friend said. “Even today, that’s the coolest part.”

She adds another touch by embroidering images, such as a peace sign, cartoon character or plants, on tie dyed items.

Plus, Friend makes a point to use secondhand clothes as a base.

The sustainability aspect is often mentioned by today’s tie dyers, such as Madeline Cook, the owner of Colorado-based company MadZinnia. It uses organic fabrics and plant dyes or fiber reactive dyes.

“With growing concern on the impact of the fashion industry on Mother Earth, I transitioned to only making designs in this realm,” Cook writes online. “I kept my focus on the core values I began with: making women feel empowered in designs infused with love and color.”

Wearing tie dye is not just a look. It’s a lifestyle, says Friend.

“There’s a certain type of people that are drawn to tie dye,” she said. “Maybe they’re similar to you.”

And she can usually be seen wearing tie dye. Just like her mother.

“Tie dye has continued to be popular throughout the years and it’s been passed down,” she said. “There are hippies in every generation.”

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