My last post generated an inquiry as to whether waste water is treated when printing fabrics. I don’t know the answer to this, and can only imagine that it is entirely dependent on the country where the fabric is being printed.
However, the major player in the batik quilting cotton market, Hoffman California Fabrics, has produced a video showing that they have installed and run a water filtration system for the past decade. I honestly don’t know whether other manufacturers have such a system. If they do, they would be smart to put a video out on it. Here is Hoffman’s video:
Hoffman has also published another video showing the manufacturing of their batiks. This one also shows the folding and rolling of bolts and the laser cutting of their 2 1/2″ strip bali pops.
As you can see from any of the videos I’ve posted, whether it is at a fabric mill that prints cottons, or the batik process, none of the facilities are in a “sterile” lab environment. This is just one reason why I recommend washing your fabrics before you use them. It is not uncommon for us to find remnants of the batik wax resist on the fabrics or what the bird overhead left. Just because our retail store is clean, don’t suppose that the fabric is squeaky clean.
And obviously, you cannot wash pre-cuts, but you can certainly wash the quilt afterwards, before it is used.
Linda Goh
Along Came Quilting
6432-1A Street SW
Calgary, AB
T2H 0G6
(403)253-4419
toll-free: 1-877-745-6445
Shop on-line at www.alongcamequilting.com