The Color Blue

We recently launched our newest limited edition color collection, ‘The Color Blue.’ Exploring new colors has always been one of our biggest passions, and we like to treat each Limited Edition release as a color case study. The development of Cloud + Lake + Ocean led us to dive deeper into the history and makeup behind the color blue. View the full collection here. 

Blue has long been a favorite color of our culture, but hasn’t always had a prominent place in history. Most ancient cultures didn’t even recognize blue as its own color. The ancient Egyptians were the one exception. They created the first blue pigments from lapis lazuli and azurite precious stones. Lapis lazuli was later used to create Ultramarine Blue, one of the backbones of the Renaissance palette. The expense and vividness of the precious color helped to create demand which led to the development of synthetic alternatives.

Indigo is also a prominent blue and was used to dye the very first Levi’s jeans. Over time our cultural perception of blue has changed drastically. Blue has been the color of royalty and the working class and has been deemed everything from masculine to religious.

While creating our new hues, we really wanted to make a warmer, more approachable collection of blues that could be used to style your next photoshoot or your next outfit. We used a combination of varied blues and complementary dyes to make each unique dye recipe. Every color is carefully measured and mixed before being added to the dye pot. Check out our intro to color theory here to dig deeper. 

Here at Tono + co we use acid dyes to create our signature colors. Acid dyes are non-toxic and are called “acid” because they bond to silk textiles when in an acidic environment. We use naturally occurring citric acid to create that environment. Acid dyes allow us to develop consistent colors and are extremely long-lasting. They also have a lower environmental impact because they use less water and absorb almost all pigment in the dye bath. 

The dye process can be quite magical and surprising, even to the most experienced artisan. After countless tests and rounds of development we are proud to bring you new blues to enrich your own creative endeavors. We can’t wait to see the palettes you create with Cloud + Lake + Ocean.

Credits

Inspiration image 

Salt Flats: Simon Butterworth 

The Color Blue styled imagery 

Photography: Brandon Kidd | Styling: Lavenders Flowers | Styling Board: Chasing Stone 

Product shots: Ryan Chin

References 

St. Claire, Kassia. (2017). The Secret Lives of Color. New York, NY: Penguin Books. 

Eckstut, Joann and Arielle. (2013). The Secret Language of Color. New York, NY: Black Dog and Leventhal Publishers, Inc.