Paas
Encyclopedia
Paas is a brand of Easter egg
dye
. It is currently owned by Signature Brands, LLC.
named William Townley. Townley was an owner of a drug store in Newark, New Jersey
, where he concocted recipes for home products. In 1893, he figured out how to concentrate dye in tablet form and launched the modern Easter egg dyeing kit. The original price of each tablet was five cents and customers would make the dye by combining the tablets with water and vinegar. Townley eventually renamed his business the PAAS Dye Company. The name PAAS comes from “Pasen,” the word that the Pennsylvania Dutch
people used for Easter
.
In 1901, according to a State of New Jersey inspection report, seven men and twenty women were employed in Townley's production facility at 60 Shipman Street in Newark. Paas eventually became the largest manufacturer of Easter egg dyes and Philip B. Townley succeeded his father as head of the company.
Easter egg
Easter eggs are special eggs that are often given to celebrate Easter or springtime.The oldest tradition is to use dyed or painted chicken eggs, but a modern custom is to substitute chocolate eggs, or plastic eggs filled with confectionery such as jelly beans...
dye
Dye
A dye is a colored substance that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is being applied. The dye is generally applied in an aqueous solution, and requires a mordant to improve the fastness of the dye on the fiber....
. It is currently owned by Signature Brands, LLC.
History
The original PAAS Easter egg dye was invented by an AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
named William Townley. Townley was an owner of a drug store in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, where he concocted recipes for home products. In 1893, he figured out how to concentrate dye in tablet form and launched the modern Easter egg dyeing kit. The original price of each tablet was five cents and customers would make the dye by combining the tablets with water and vinegar. Townley eventually renamed his business the PAAS Dye Company. The name PAAS comes from “Pasen,” the word that the Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch
Pennsylvania Dutch refers to immigrants and their descendants from southwestern Germany and Switzerland who settled in Pennsylvania in the 17th and 18th centuries...
people used for Easter
Easter
Easter is the central feast in the Christian liturgical year. According to the Canonical gospels, Jesus rose from the dead on the third day after his crucifixion. His resurrection is celebrated on Easter Day or Easter Sunday...
.
In 1901, according to a State of New Jersey inspection report, seven men and twenty women were employed in Townley's production facility at 60 Shipman Street in Newark. Paas eventually became the largest manufacturer of Easter egg dyes and Philip B. Townley succeeded his father as head of the company.
Products
Paas Easter Egg Coloring Kits offered in 2009 include:- Traditional - with 5 dye tablets to mix with vinegar and water
- Beaded
- Hologram
- Crack & Color
- Stencil
- Zoo Fun
- CAMO
- Sports Fanatic
- Egg Scribblers
- Egg Heads
- Sparkling Glitter
- Speckled Eggs
- Tie Dye
- Eggs-A-Glow
- Tattoos
- Egg Splash
- EggArounds
- EGGspress Yourself
- Color Cups
- Grip 'n' Dip
- Color Snaps
Popular culture references
- Comedian Patton OswaltPatton OswaltPatton Oswalt is an American stand-up comedian, writer, actor and voice actor. He is best known for portraying Spencer Olchin in the popular sitcom The King of Queens, voicing Remy from the film Ratatouille and Thrasher from the Cartoon Network original series Robotomy.-Early life:Oswalt was born...
does a routine about the traditional dye kit. - The PAAS dye kit is prominently displayed in an episode entitled Fantastic Easter SpecialFantastic Easter Special"Fantastic Easter Special" is the fifth episode of the eleventh season of the American animated television series South Park, and the 158th episode of the series overall...
of South Park. The Marsh family are colouring eggs with a PAAS dye kit and Stan begins asking his father why people color eggs at Easter time.