Different Dread Methods Clarified

"The problem here is that though I might have laid down a t&r foundation,"there u have said it, what we r talking about here is the foundation only, thats why they r called starter methods, how did u start the whole process. Now i understand some ppl using the whole natural = better perception to feel good about their process and name others who dont go natural. but if u look at the larger picture it is kinda necessary for easier understanding and we will find such characters everywhere, just ignore them. it is needed specially on a forum like this which aims at educating ppl abt dreading. I also understand what u mean by we shld not b categorizing ppl but this is not categorizing the ppl but the process. e.g. it would b really difficult to learn music if we didn't categorize. so we create a common terminology understood by most of the ppl and stick to it may or may not agreed by everyone. again sticking to one is important to avoid confusions about different terminologies occurring all over the site. so when a newcomer comes s/he reads the link on methods and understands this is what is meant by natural and this is what is meant by backcombing rather than putting her/his own brain to create new terminologies n more confusion.

Faelwynn said:

The problem here is that though I might have laid down a t&r foundation, any new hair that grows in is natural dreading...it's not like I'm t&r'ing the new growth. At this point, 90% of my dreads were started with t&r, I have one that knotted completely on it's own (started as a t&r dread, but the new growth split, and I cut it free...so no part of that dread was ever t&r'd) and one that I lightly backcombed. I think this categorizing mess is (as the english would say ) 'bollocks'. It's like trying to categorize people into cliques... goth, punk, prep, ect. I don't fall into any of these, because (I believe) people are much too diverse to pin down to one group (or even a number of groups). Plus, people are completely dynamic; always changing and growing. Dreads are exactly the same. As was stated before, if I didn't tell people that I started with t&r, no one could even guess it now, at over a year into the process.

sourabh thakur said:

separation method as a name does not really work because in most of the methods u do separate. just coz u tnr or backcomb does not mean u do not separate. if u want the dreads of particular size u separate. its like calling it washing method because in natural method u wash. the point here is how r the knots formed . they r not formed by separating. separating is just a maintenance. in natural method knots r formed naturally unlike other methods where u make them form by some or the other starter method.


Violet said:

SE stop calling me a liar and get some insight . its like trying to talk to a brick wall with you. all dreads that formed with natural products or absent of, like wax and chemicals, and use natural products are natural. get it? leave it alone already. As for the name i suggested for your type of dreads, it make sense, because you are trying to categorize it, separation method describes exactly what you do with your hairyou simply separate your dreads and rip them, period. if you don't like it, come up with a name that fits for just your type of method and not the general wide spread method that everyone uses on this site. .its like saying you have black hair and i have blond hair but because I and many other people have blond hair some how its not real hair. And finally I want to say to all of you out there, That we who have use a Variety of natural methods such as the use of all natural products rather than harmful chemicals and wax etc to form natural dreadlocksRock on with your Natural dread selves and peace out.

updated by @sourabh-thakur: 07/13/15 11:45:44AM

1. nobody means ur dreads r unnatural if u don go natural method.....its just a name for a method2. even if u use harmful chemicals hair is going to dread naturally....what would chemicals do is spoil the hair texture which would help in knotting faster....all dreading happens naturally (maybe crocheting is an exception where u actually force the knots)3. so its not like someone is saying ur dreads r natural or unnatural but just trying to categorize the starting method.

Violet said:

I do understand what your saying, the only problem I have, is when some tries to tell me my method is unnatural. backcombing and tnr can both form naturally without products. Backcombing and tnr do not cause knots, in time your hair is what causes knots naturally. If you are not inhibiting and or forcing the hair to knot with chemicals and or wax, than what you are left with is hair that dreads naturally and knots up by its self in time. Backcombing and tnr are just guides for your hair. No different than when you separate/rip hair in to pieces, sizes that you like, you are also shaping guiding the hair with your hands to mold to your liking. so in the end it really comes down to letting your hair knot on its own with out the force of unnatural products chemicals and wax etc

violet said, backcombing and tnr can both form naturally without products. i disagree, they are not formed naturally, they are formed by hand or comb...and just cause you use a natural product it dont magically make the dread natural, they are still whatever they are, backcomed, tnr, just with natural products in them, for example, dyeing your hair, it was used before so ill just use that. if your a blond, and you use a natural dye to dye your hair black, does that mean your hair is naturally black, hell no it dont,

maybe your the deaf one, idk ive heard many ppl try to explain this to ya, and yet you still want to call your self natural, im not buying that, just cause you use no harmful products dont mean it was natural, that crazy..... but if you want to keep calling your self something that your not just to feel better about yourself, then go ahead, your going to keep doing that anyways

I like the term Chewin Change used....freeform. it describes the method much better than natural does.If someone asked Violet how her dreads were formed she would say....oh they naturally formed that way....i think she would explain the tand r method. The word natural is very misleading. I think it would confuse someone interested in starting dreads. The word infers that any other method is not natural but artificial. Violet is only saying hers are not artificial.

Thank you! This is exactly my point!

taye said:

The word infers that any other method is not natural but artificial. Violet is only saying hers are not artificial.

i miss typed that.....she wouldn't say they naturally formed that way....she would explain the tandr method.

nope she just want to claim natural, t&r is not artificial, but at the same time they are not natural, its real hair, real dreads, and thats fine, but to claim that they are natural dreads no, thats confusing for ppl, they are t&r dreads....

taye said:

I like the term Chewin Change used....freeform. it describes the method much better than natural does.If someone asked Violet how her dreads were formed she would say....oh they naturally formed that way....i think she would explain the tand r method. The word natural is very misleading. I think it would confuse someone interested in starting dreads. The word infers that any other method is not natural but artificial. Violet is only saying hers are not artificial.

Honestly this is just silly. All the terminology I-mamma has clarified for us has been around for years and is really not going to change because some choose to be offended by it. Please try not to think of it as your dreads are unnatural if you t&r, backcombed etc, they just do not happen to fit into the widely used term of "natural" it really is just a label more for accurate description and proper education. What if a newb came on the site looking for knowledge on what method to use to start their dreads and every pic of backcombed, neglect, crochet, T&R was labeled "natural" there needs to be a way to distinguish them correctly. So lets all take our ego's out of it and not allow ourselves to get so upset. Call your hair what you want but don't expect everyone to agree on it. We're not going to completely change the terminology IMHO all we can do is change our reactions. If y'all haven't grown a thicker skin by now u may want to consider it. It really makes no difference what anyone else thinks, as long as you are happy with your dreads and the method you used, so let's try to remember that. I hope I haven't offended anyone if I have I apologize in advance but that's just my 2 cents. :o)

so you feel that if the word natural isnt tied to your dreads, they are not real, they are fake, no way, and thats your fault for excepting to believe that, in your mind if your not called natural then they are fake, well no one is calling your dreads fake but you, like ppl stated before, its ok to have a starter method, but claim it, and why not be proud of how you started your amazing locks, buy you saying they are natural is confusing, but if you said they are t&R then you are informing ppl better, plus if your proud of it, and claim it, it takes away from that negative view on other methods, cause you can say look, i started these with the T&R method and they are beautiful, don't be embraced that you needed a jump start, by doing that You are giving the negative image to the method

Faelwynn said:

Thank you! This is exactly my point!

taye said:

The word infers that any other method is not natural but artificial. Violet is only saying hers are not artificial.