Using Guar Gum as a dye thickener for textiles

Ever since I was offered Guar Gum as an alginate replacement earlier this week, I've read more online to try and understand exactly what it is and whether or not I should buy it -- Paula Burch always gives the best advice:

"Guar gum is another thickener that is commonly used (in more purified form) in foods. It is used to thicken the caustic paste used to make devoré patterns on mixed fibers. It is not used with fiber reactive dyes such as Procion MX because it reacts with them, competing with the fiber that is being dyed, but it is used to thicken vat dyes and acid dyes. See ProChem's recipe for Colored Discharge Printing using PRO Vat Dyes. Guar gum is superior to alginate in thickening Lanaset dyes."

http://www.pburch.net/dyeing/FAQ/alginate.shtml

As I'm experimenting at the moment, I've chosen not to go with Guar Gum as I am using fibre reactive dyes here in Australia.

I'm meeting with Lynne Britten of DyeMan.com on Saturday at the North Sydney markets, and will collect my first packet of sodium alginate - can't wait!

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